We're at a crucial period in history. The pessimism of the daily news, the corruption, the unemployment, the pollution, the terrorism, the hunger, the murders and kidnapping - all of these scare me. But the much-awaited 2004 presidential election, I think, is scarier. Not that I'm afraid of another EDSA, or another Martial Law. It's just that I think I'm becoming more cynical. But don't just put the blame on me. After all, I'm not the only one in the country.

Being cool = Being cynical

I belong to a group of people known as Generation X (those who were born from 1984-present). And I think, this generation explains such attitude.

GenX revels in consumer culture, having been made to move like lemmings following the directions and merchandizing commands dictated to them by their pop culture gods - fooling themselves that they are oh-so-non-conformist, and arty, and different.

As a result of this perception, GenX has been perceived as a bunch of people with no sense of history, neither connection to nor understanding of their place in the time stream - to pose is an end in itself for them. They think they are cool, yet they lack the basic knowledge that being cool is ultimately about dissent, about original ideas - and posing, of course, is anathema to this.

Nowadays, many think that we care only about high-tech cell phones, digi-cams, branded anything and of course, about friendster. But it can never be underestimated that a great responsibility is actually tasked in this group of people. This, of course, is in line with the upcoming elections.

A Call for Change

The Philippines today is in dire need of "responsible" and "able" leaders. We need those who really know how it is to be "of service to the people." We need people who will help stop our country from being totally being crippled.

Election is defined as a procedure which allows members of an organization or community to choose representatives who will hold positions of authority within it. The most important elections select the leaders of local, state, and national governments. The chance to decide who will govern at these levels serves as an opportunity for the public to make choices about the policies, programs, and future directions of government action. At the same time, elections promote accountability. The threat of defeat at the polls exerts pressure on those in power to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and take account of popular interests and wishes when they make their decisions.

These are the main reasons why we need to vote wisely in the 2004 elections and at the same time, be vigilant in the process.

"Voter's Block

GEN-X, the "Me-Generation", the "MTV Generation", Children of the Info-Age. Call us what you will, but there's no getting away from the fact that the future - and indeed, a good deal of the present - belongs to us. The ageing politicians might lay down policies and laws; graying executives might shape the business agenda, but it will be up to our generation to develop or destroy that structure. Our ideas, our preferences, are already driving many fields of enterprise, from mass media to fashion to food and the leisure industry. We're a market that is feted, wooed, and won over but we also represent a formidable productive force in the making. We are tomorrow's thinkers, teachers, farmers, engineers, doctors, lawyers, and parents. We form the fabric of a new Philippines. Thus, our ideas, dreams and convictions will dye the warp and weft of that fabric.

Months from now, votes will be casted. May we not find ourselves included in the so-called "Voter's Block." Because at the end of it all, by just getting involved, we're actually making things less scary.