The Eastern Samar Team Blog

Of Deconstruction and Politician

Our local politicians are well-verse in utilizing the philosophy of deconstruction (in C. S. Pierce’ theory) on the issue of power crisis.

Take, for instance, Eastern Samar Gov. Ben P. Evardone’s streamer that writes a sign “No to ESAMELCO increase!” At the surface, this may seem to be progressive in content, however, its interpretant (the third factor in the sign-situation) is ambivalent. We may ask a valid inquiry: What aspect of ESAMELCO do the governor denounces or disfavors in its possible or proposed increase?

Following Pierce’ correspondence theory of truth, the proposition written in the streamer — considered as a sign (the first factor, which refers to the word/s as spoken or written) — must have a correspondence to the object (the second factor) that the sign refers. And since truth is concerned with and embedded in the real historical and social context, the object of Gov. Evardone’s sign could be related to, or embodied within, the events pertaining to electric rate in particular and power crisis in general. Thus, rightfully rearranged or re-interpreted, the interpretant (the interpretation or translation of the original sign) could be the governor’s disapproval or “vehement opposition” in increasing power rate by ESAMELCO management.

A few months after posting Gov. Evardone’s streamer (first sign) condemning “ESAMELCO increase,” another streamer (second sign) hangs outside a local university fence, saying something like this: Salamat han aton pagkaurosa! Waray humitaas an electric rate! (I am grateful for our united effort! Thereby, frustrating electric rate increase!).

In this new sign, two propositions are presented to us: First, unity among the people in combating against electric rate increase; and second, the success in foiling, or at least the postponement of the, power rate increase. Suppose that the failed power rate increase belongs to the category of secondness (brute factuality) — Pierce finds only three categories which are “necessary and sufficient” for the interpretation of phenomena — but the correspondence theory of truth in the first proposition is highly dubious.

Assuming that there is continuity or interrelatedness of interpretants between the signs ESAMELCO increase and pagkaurosa (unity), we would still not find any existing unified principle that may prove the correspondence between an individual’s sign (the governor as a sole signatory in the signs) and an actual pagkaurosa of the many people. Moreover, the object in the first sign is silent about this pagkaurosa.

In my deconstruction, the governor as an interpreter in the second sign — minus the inter-relationship between the first and second signs — may imply that the triumph in thwarting “ESAMELCO increase” could be attributed to the cooperation and unity of other people. Given that the meaning of this “our” or “aton” is the ESAMALCO consumers, however, its correspondence fails to reflect or adhere to the governor’s advised to the public through DYES-Radyo ng Bayan not to pay “yet your current bills.” Ironically, majority of these consumers, if not all, paid their electric bill!

Perhaps we can forgive the grammatical error or technical glitz committed by our beloved governor in employing the sign ESAMELCO increase, but his utilization of deconstruction beyond Piercean theory requires bold and deep tolerance from the community of interpreters (the fourth factor)!

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Fhen Macabasag Fhen Macabasag is a well-rounded Boronganon. His art is his life.