A lot of kids on Facebook and Twitter are somewhat susceptible to the “influence” of social media celebrities. Â The bad thing about it is that sometimes these celebrities don’t care enough to make sure that what they say on social media represents some degree of accuracy, fairness, or decency.
Social media is supposed to be the realm of intelligent discussion, but what seems to be happening right now is that even the supposedly more cogent icons of social media are failing to show either intelligence or a capacity for real discussion. Â Even worse, some have gotten it into their heads that they’ve got “power” of some sort that gives them the license to be crass, vulgar, and arrogant.
The bulk of Twitter and Facebook users in the Philippines being between the ages of 18 to 24, it wouldn’t be any wonder they find most kids on social media gravitate towards social media celebrities who seem to get away with nasty and outrageous antics.
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Carlos Celdran, after shooting to stellar heights with his Damaso Stunt, feels somewhat obliged to bleed every drop of blood he can get from his rebel poseur act.  Because after bashing the Catholic Church and members of its Philippine hierarchy, he apparently apologized for his Damaso act and some say cowered in fear after he was convicted for offending religious feelings.
After being sentenced by a court of law to 2 months of imprisonment, one would have expected Carlos to take the sentence like a man and endure the punishment — unjust as it may have seemed to him as well as his followers.
In fact, allowing himself to be arrested and then serving his sentence would have made him more like Jose Rizal — in a way. Â Rizal’s arrest, conviction, and execution was, indeed, the manly way of fighting for what you believed in. Â In Celdran’s case, all he would have to endure would be 2 months in jail and he couldn’t even do that.
What’s worse is that he protested his sentence, saying that he had apologized to the members of the Catholic church that he had offended.
“The protest which I mounted, however passionate and earnest on my part, was done without deliberation. It was my attempt to catch the attention of the Church regarding certain political issues but it was not my intention to disrespect the solemnity of the ecumenical event being celebrated on that day.”
The last I heard about Celdran’s conviction is that he appealed the sentence. Nice.
https://twitter.com/carlosceldran/status/313497072546496513
And now, as if to follow up his Damaso act, Carlos is now training his crassness against SM, the multi-billion mall chain and real estate empire of the Sys.
Not that I am at all offended by Celdran’s choice of words or not that I haven’t been crass or vulgar myself at times (yes, I’ve made my mistakes), but coming from someone who claims to be presenting Manila and the Philippines to the world through his somewhat overpriced but short of substance tours… Well… He could probably drop the act because he ain’t Willy Revillame — no one is buying it.
The thing is, in the early days when Carlos was profiting immensely from his tours in Intramuros, the place was filled with squatters and dirty as heck. Â There was really now effort on his part to do anything for the place he was using to corner money from tourists.
In 2002 or 2003, then Tourism Secretary Dick Gordon took it upon himself to clean the place up and add a couple of attractions in order to drive tourism to the area.
Guess what Carlos did? He railed against Gordon and the Wow Philippines showcase.
https://twitter.com/carlosceldran/status/311752293034909696
And now, here we have Carlos railing against SMDC whom he mistakenly claimed was planning to tear down the Philamlife Theatre.  Carlos was all over the internet, posting all manner of slurs and invective against the Sys in his typical overblown fashion.
Either Carlos seems to have erased a number of status updates or tweets, but a few friends say that he wrote something like “Fuck you Henry Sy” or something to that effect.
But apparently, all the vile language he used was completely undeserved at least in the case of SM’s acquisition of the Philamlife Building.
In an article on ABS-CBN’s News Website, the proponent of a Change dot org petition to save the Philamlife Theater, French Conductor Oliver Ochanine, met with executives of SM. Â They discussed the petition and Ochanine came away with good news:
“Surprisingly, I was told by his team that SM had not even considered a performance hall in the development before they came across my petition!!†the French artist wrote. “Now, he is even considering keeping the hall itself and doing some renovations. They promised to stay in touch with me and asked that I be a consultant on this journey.â€
I think Carlos high-pitched, grating, and childish antics were trumped by the quiet and dignified approach that Ochanine took towards the whole thing.
He stated his case with a bit of urgency, but restrained any over the top language that would have made him look like a nut — which may thwart even the most open minded businessman from engaging in a discussion.
True, SM said it was merely considering to keep the theater but that’s a start and anyone who knows a bit about negotiations will know that an agreement — no matter how small — is an opportunity to forge larger agreements in the future.
All this just emphasizes lessons that I’ve shared in the past when it comes to dealing with large multi-national corporations and even elected officials: Engaging them in a non-threatening and rationale manner leads can be more productive than ranting on the internet.
The power of a well written letter of complaint seems to have been lost to the present generation who would rather mob personalities and organizations into submission.
But it seems there is hope and there are people who are being turned off by the likes of Carlos Celdran.
In the coming days, I don’t think Carlos Celdran shouldn’t be surprised at all if he gets slapped with another libel suit.
Writer.
I understand that the auditorium is a unique piece of acoustical engineering, so it’s good they’re talking about ways of preserving that. The rest of that building, though, is an ugly, lifeless style that would have been best left in the misguided 1960’s that spawned it. Same with the CCP — that building is so atrocious, it’s frightening. Like a giant bunker. Just because something is dated, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worthwhile.
The CCP looks like a god damnned toilet bowl! And if you haven’t seen it upclose lately, mold and moss have eaten away at its surface.
Ugh!!
I think the architect was enlighten when he sat on the toilet bowl 🙂
That’s a bit of a low blow. The Leandro Locsin produced some excellent examples of modernist architecture. That is not to say it’s everyone’s cup of tea.
@JS
Just read the comment today. I agree, I shouldn’t said something like this to the architect.
Well, I just browsed through his works and I’ll say some of them are really impressive.
The facade of CCP just doesn’t impress me though.
OnesimusUnbound,
You should see it from the inside. Not the theater part of the CCP. The regular working offices and back rooms. It’s singularly depressing. One of the darkest tombs you’ll ever see. 🙁
A toilet bowl? Not really. Too rectangular. Try sitting on that and you’ll do yourself an injury.
I will say I’ll never understand the Marcos regime’s propensity for building public monumental architecture that resemble burial tombs. If you view the Cultural Center from the bottom it looks like a dolmen. And don’t forget the Manila Film Center. Apart from the fact that the structure looks like Froilan Hong copied it directly from a classical Greek tomb, there were some 169 workers buried there in 1981 in a frantic race to meet the 1982 opening.
Hear ye, hear ye. Hear the non-architects, nah, non-artists speak. I couldn’t wait what you have to say with Wright’s Falling Water. Stick to the topic laymen.
Actually, I am an architect.
Back in those days, they’d make buildings with unpainted cement and those textures, like rough finishes or pebbly surfaces, that it would be uncomfortable to sit on some blocks or even lean on the walls. I hated that. Then they’d make these extra walls outside with honey comb structures and other patterns for decoration. But you could guess they’d have saved a lot of money if they didn’t make those.
I think the structures of the time reflected the opulence of the people then. These days, they’d complain, life is so hard and expensive now, not like in the old days – which may be partly true – but perhaps it’s because in their day, they were quite opulent. So when they get realistic in spending, like budgeting and all that, they complain.
It was expensive back in the 1960s. It was expensive back in the 70s and again in the 80s. It’s still expensive today.
Monumental architecture is in a different class from the residential or commercial buildings that you inhabit on a regular basis. These are supposed to embody not only the character but also the aspirations of the people who build them. They are a statement about what we as a people have to show to the world. They are supposed to be an expression of what it means to be Filipino.
Unfortunately, as is often the case, these projects instead became monuments to the excesses of the personality (-ies) who commissioned them. What should have been a showcase of Filipino talent and skill was turned into another institution of the elite — something a king would build — not a venue for art and culture in a democratic, egalitarian society.
Sigh… remember the journalistic term “kuryente”… getting a shock? I’m afraid that’s what’s happening to our social media celebrities. They’re mouthing off without thinking about it or checking it first.
Checking things out and taking things apart is actually the fun part in all of this.
If you believe anything that is writen and spoken by people. You are just one of the YellowTards. You have a brain to think; to understand, what is true or false. Social Media is full of comments. Some are true. Some are not. Some are just mere political propaganda. Or , a means to discredit peoples’s views. So, use your brain and common sense. I guess, some are also the information manipulators of that lazy and coward Aquino…
I’m just worried that SMDC might do what they did to Benguet Center, designed by National Artist for Architecture, Leandro Locsin, in Ortigas. They demolished it to build a hi-rise building as part of the BDO Corporate Center. Apparently, the Podium, is actually a podium for one of the development’s hi-rises.
Many of the Architecture community in the metro (at least) are also worried that Philamlife Building will meet the same fate as Benguet Center. They consider the Building in Ermita as a leading example of the International Style of architecture in the country. Boxy buildings of concrete, steel, and glass then were the trend in building those building, but some architects of that time were able to explore other forms due to the plasticity of concrete. For example, the Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France, designed by Le Corbusier.
Anyway, there has be no formal plans/renderings on what SMDC will actually do at the current site of Philamlife Building, so one can only imagine.
Celdran’s pompous act is getting stale.
OK, The guy is a douchbag, anyone can see that.Him and his hat.
To suppose or actually believe that ‘Social media is supposed to be the realm of intelligent discussion’, is completely laughable.
EXACTLY who told you that? and why does anyone believe that?
IDK, but if anyone believes that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I want to sell that person.
All this “social media” actually started with a bunch of nerds talking to each other through the early forms of the internet. The culture persisted until it was eventually overwhelmed by morons with computers and internet connections.
Proof please?
And I dunno, is it automatically an intelligent discussion just because a bunch of nerds start talking to each other?
I guess Paul here will buy that bridge as long as it’s in Brooklyn, hehe.
It seems Celdran did not learn his lesson well, when he was sentenced to do time (but didn’t), when he interrupted the ecumenical services at the Manila Cathedral sometime ago.
What he has done now is very grave…calling Henry Sy, his family and company with the 4 letter word…for all the world to see (especially here on FB)
The Sy family MUST teach this Celdran a hard lesson….SUE him in court using his rant as hard evidence, and for sure, he will be found GUILTY BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT!!
And when this happens…DON’T accept his apology.
It seems Celdran did not learn his lesson well, when he was sentenced to do time (but didn’t), when he interrupted the ecumenical services at the Manila Cathedral sometime ago.
What he has done now is very grave…calling Henry Sy, his family and company with the 4 letter word…for all the world to see (especially here on FB)
The Sy family MUST teach this Celdran a hard lesson….SUE him in court using his rant as hard evidence, and for sure, he will be found GUILTY BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT!!
And when this happens…DON’T accept his apology even when he cowers/begs for mercy.
I won’t comment about the article because it is clearly from a point of view of a “Christian”. But I just want to comment about Celdran “profiting” from his tours, then I say I disagree. Celdran DOESN’T ask for money in return for his tours. He says he accepts ANYTHING, and by anything he means it could be a pen, a journal, book, and such. And, by that, that means money is optional for tourists to give. And if there’s money involved, it is for the entrance fees and such.
I admit that the guy is getting out of the line at times BUT have you ever thought that the Catholic Church DOES the SAME THING? In fact what Celdran did is not harmless to any Filipinos. Face it, and for the love of all the deities, open your eyes. NOT all Filipinos are Catholics or Christians. We’re talking about the lives of Filipinos here. He can be a douche alright. But what is he compared to these… People? I’m being biased now, eh? But, as they say, truth hurts.
I would take this article seriously if you were not so biased. WHY even write when you can’t be objective?
this one’s SPAM. please delete, thanks.
Deleted! Thanks, Parallax.
Wow! Seems like old times when I see your name here! 😉
glad to be here again, ilda. like old times. and i don’t miss my old sparring partner one bit. ah fond memories. time for new trolls, new misfits to enjoy a rude awakening.