"Patatas kaysa Sosyalismo!"



Tatlong gabi ko ng binubuno ang mga unang kabanata ng obra ni Lope K. Santos. Kahapon pa sana tumitiklop ang aking diwa. Danga nga lamang kundi sa isang hamon at sa kakaibang paksa nito, palagay ko ay hindi ko na itinuloy ito.

May nagsabi, nagiging todo sopistikado ang tao kapag niyakap na niya ang paniniwala sa pakikbakang sama sama -- Kolektibong aksyon laban sa mga sumisiil sa kalayaan. Kadalasan nariyan daw ang sining, ang literatura o panitikan upang maghayag. Subalit nagtatanong ako, nararating ba nito ang lahat, nauunawaan ba naman ito? Kapag wala ng pumansin o wala ng sumunod, saan ito napupunta?

Naalala ko tuloy ang noo'y nag-uulyanin ng pilosopong Pranses na si Jean Paul Sartre , ang dakilang guro ng 'Existensialismo", na hinayaan ang sarili at ang pilosopiya niyang tinaguyod na lumihis patungo sa "komunismo"-- ang sinasabi nyang solusyon. Kaya hayun binansagan siya, matandang nakapinid sa torreng komunista.

Subalit magtatanong muli ako: Ano ba ang huni o tunog ng sosyalismo sa wikang Tagalog? Naisip kaya ng mga unang kilalang Pilipino naghayag ukol dito, katulad ni Isabelo de los Reyes, ang magiging dating nito sa pandinig ng katagalugan?

Nalala ko din noon sa isang rally, narinig ko ang isang militanteng natatalumpati. Muntik na akong malaglag sa akin kinauupuang pader sa dahilang wala akong naintindihan sa kaniyang sinabi. Samantala patuloy naman ang pagpalakpak at paghiyaw ng nakararami.

Hipong inanod ng along makulet ang diresyon, iyan ako nanonood lang, usisero. Mas may nakuha pa yata ako sa ilang lektura ng sosyalismo sa banyagang wikang kung saan ito umusbong at pinalawig kasya sa paksa nitong tinagalog.

Sa Alemanya may isang estudyanteng tumalon sa gusali, nagpatiwakal. Ang kanyang suicide note; "Ang aking pagtalon ay isang prueba na kailan man ay hindi maiintindihan si Marx. Magtanim na lang tayo ng patatas"

"Patatas kaysa Sosyalismo!"

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