In recent years, there have been diverse definitions of this “new” buzzword: Social currency. And now, it is also equated with money.
Quickly defined, social currency is the personal assets and attributes of a person that help him/her raise his status/reputation in the eyes of others.
The term is commonly used for online social networks, but it also refers to real life and the online/physical hybrid environment in which we live today. It is associated with “like” (thumbs up, heart, embrace, and wow emojis; and number of followers) we receive that elate us. That’s why we take pains in uploading only our “good” side.
Those ”likes” today are monetized by advertizers.
This blog is hardly that. It is simply about one post of Tony that shocked him when he got more than 10 “likes” (the highest he ever got for one post). He got over 5,000 likes!
Unbelievable.
He posted this photo with a caption on how the book reveals devastating truths about our country that the public is not aware of.
I teased him, “Now you’re rich!”
“Rich?”
“Yeah, your social currency surged beyond your imagination.”
“Did I go viral?”
“Not yet. Try reaching 10,000,” I dashed his hope.
This post has little to do with Tony (my camera has no filter), but a lot with Maria Ressa, the author.
If you are updated on Philippine journalism, you must know her. Let me lift some data from write-ups about her:
“Maria is the CEO and president of Rappler, the top digital only news site that is leading the fight for press freedom in the Philippines. She has endured constant political harassment and arrests by the Duterte government, forced to post bail ten times to stay free.
“In October 2021, Maria was one of two journalists awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her ‘efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.’
“She was named one of Time Magazine’s 2018 Person of the Year, was among its 100 Most Influential People of 2019, and one of Time's Most Influential Women of the Century. She was also part of the BBC's 100 most inspiring and influential women of 2019 and Prospect magazine's World's top 50 thinkers. In 2020 . . . "
Plus tons more.
Tony lent the book to me after he read it. I couldn’t put it down, sobbing through many of the pages. I can’t write all my reasons why, but if you love our country and have read the book, with its documented details of human rights abuses, you know why.
We leave our beloved Philippines in God’s hand. The injustices will further escalate (end times), but grace with sail us through.
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