Column name: Tarantado, Asintado
Columnist: Eric Gerard D. Ruiz
Snakes and Ladders is a classic board game that I used to play when I was a kid. I don’t know the specific rules. All I know is that you should avoid the snake. Here in Silliman, we meet different people from different walks of life. They have different personalities and goals. But, what I like in Silliman is how some people transform. People transform in different ways. Some are blinded by the power they have. For short, they transform into “snakes.”
Though not implied, these people can be equated with snakes. The Bible describes the snake as the craftiest animal that God created. It is also called the “tempter.” Snakes are crafty in creating things. They are cunning, and they attack when their enemies are sleeping, a clear proof of cowardice. They trick people by saying good things about themselves, and how effective they are in different fields. But, they are snakes. They shed their skins. They just wear the best “disguise” for a couple of weeks and shed the true colors of their filthy, evil, and malevolent souls.
So, how does the system work? Basically, snakes are snakes. If you wish to climb up to new heights, snakes will always be a major obstacle. When you’re fighting for the truth, they will bite you. The only thing with snakes is that they don’t choose their adversaries. But, it’s a shame for them to bite people whose moral compass and tolerance to societal problems are tested every week. Too bad for these snakes that some people already developed immunity from backlash, hateful Twitter rants, raising eyebrows, and the likes.
Silliman is a jungle of different personas. You can be anyone on this campus. Silliman offers a lot of ladders to new heights and opportunities. You may aspire to be the next president of your organization or even the governor of your college. You can be the next Summa Cum Laude. But, the ambitious snakes in the campus will try to get in your way to success. There are only two choices: be a snake or be you.
Or better yet, be a lion because courage will take you places.~
