This whole Kim Chiu brouhaha is a reflection of our society today – we listen to react, not with an intent to understand.
Kim Chiu is just you and me. Even the brightest in us, at some point, have messed up with words too. When we are down, grieving, or aching, our thought processes can be confusing. It just happened that she’s a celebrity, hence the backlash.
I admit, I laughed at some of the memes too, but not on Kim’s statement. I wonder if many of us would still see the blunder had there been no mimicries. I get the sense of humor. Again, it underscores Filipinos being fun-loving. But, can’t we get better than that? Hanggang fun-loving na lang ba tayo lagi?
She may have not communicated her point clearly on the spot. But I don’t think she gave us complete blanks. If we did not understand the message, and our only takeaway was the pun, we have a problem, not Kim.
We’re too quick to judge and shame our celebrities. But when international media makes fun of us, we cry. We condemn cyber bullying but if it’s us having fun, it’s okay?
In my years working abroad, I heard many nationalities (Pinoys included) with broken English and incomplete thoughts. But by context, I understand what they were trying to say.
Had people been gracious in calling her out with the intention to seek a better conversation and not to shame, it would have been a different story.
The young lady does not deserve the humiliation. I respect the way she expressed her thoughts at the height of emotions. I pray she always find the extra grace to just shrug all these off. I hope she’s taking things lightly now especially that these parodies somehow have given people a new light.
We all learn.
