Many hands

Many hands make light work.” Not the light bulb to work as if this is some incantation to say in the midst of a brownout. It means to say that work becomes lighter when many hands pitch in to help. Duh.

They should have thought of this when they initiated that young law student to death. And all he really wanted to do was join the brotherhood, the fraternity. Were they evil people, these youngsters who beat up a classmate to test his loyalty? No! None of them actually dealt what could have been construed as anything coming close to a death blow. Just a little tap from everyone is all that is needed. Only the victim knows for sure the quantum result of many little taps. Only he knows for sure: Many hands make light work.

But lest we think we can ever totally ban all fraternity and sorority rites involving violence or the ritual application of force (as if there might truly be a difference), remember only that most of the lawyers you see about you belong to one. This includes judges, and as with the case of the impeachment court now trying Chief Justice Renato C. Corona, judge-senators and lawyers both of the defense and prosecution. They are all “brods”. How do you figure that?

Easy, the truth exists in parallel universes. Oh! There he goes again, you say.  But just relax. Continue reading this in the spirit only of fun. Your honor, I am not preparing to lecture your most honorable self, respectfully. And all that. But everyone knows, and if they don’t know already, then they should: The truth exists in parallel universes.

First there is the universe of actual truth. Then there is the universe of what is known or what is knowable, if only you search hard enough. And finally there is the universe of what can be presented as evidence in an impeachment court. Which universe should the court finally consider? Imagine the honorable senate president-judge saying: “This is an intelligent  court. We’ll figure it out correctly in the end. Proceed!”

And then the defense would still object. But it’s okay. Objecting is his work. It is what he is paid to do. Do not forget this is only another parallel universe we’re watching on TV. Who knows what goes on behind the screen? These lawyers are all “compañeros”. They speak the same language. And the language itself defines what the truth is for them. And it is not necessarily the same truth as yours.

You, who theorize that the honorable senate president-judge did not allow the witness from Philippine Airlines to testify because others in the panel of judges may be enjoying the same Platinum Card privileges they want to impeach the honorable Chief Justice for. That is another parallel universe in the impeachment trial. And so for now, never the twain shall meet. And so you ask: But if the truth exists in parallel universes, how then should we ever determine the whole truth?

There is a concept in visual arts which is called negative space. It is not a difficult concept. If you wanted to learn how to draw, the teacher, if he or she is good, would most likely teach you to see negative spaces. It is what you actually draw if you want to draw well. Negative spaces are the un-namable spaces around every object, the air around the vase, the shape of the dark shadow under a model’s chin. They define the true geometry of the object better than the object itself.

This principle finds parallel applications in the sense of text. The post-modernists believe that history is a story of erasures. Text, even scientific text, but most especially legalese is  never  apolitical. They serve a particular purpose, particular groups of people each with their own interests to pursue and uphold. Imagine the impeachment court as a group of people writing the true story of CJ Renato C. Corona. Would  they write the complete text? Or would  certain text be erased?

Not everything will be written down or allowed to be written down. Certain text will be left out. And so the disinterested viewer will have to warn herself or himself: Look for what is left out. Look for the negative spaces in the text. That much is clear in the theory of  post-modernists. And they make a good and vital point.

For instance, the Platinum Cards. It is now a negative space in the text of the proceedings in the impeachment trial. But in another parallel universe, it will be there clear as day for the world to see. And if a story of this is inadmissible as evidence, all the more it becomes vital. Which tells us that the work needed to get to the truth about this case should not and cannot be left entirely to the honorable court. Respectfully.

If we want to shine a light on the whole truth in this particular case, we all have a role to play. “Many hands make light work!” Duh.