The story of Elphaba and Glinda in the musical “Wicked” dichotomizes the universal theme of Good versus Evil. Based on Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995) the novel is a counterpoint to the classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). The play is told from the viewpoint of two witches from the Land of Oz — Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West with phosphorescent, emerald-green skin; and Galinda [later Glinda], the Good Witch of the North, a stunning, ambitious and popular blonde. With opposite personalities, perspectives and values, the two nevertheless become steadfast friends, weathering love-rivalry; public disgrace and opposing responses to the Wizard’s corrupt government.
The narrative’s secondary themes underscore the lamentable fact that perception is reality for many. Elphaba, the intelligent, talented and straight-talking activist is misunderstood and tormented by the public while Glinda, the vacuous, ditzy, pragmatic beauty is revered and followed. Madame Morrible, a former Headmistress turned influential right-hand of the duplicitous Wizard becomes malevolent, the archetype of one absolutely corrupted by absolute power. The smoke and mirrors used by the Wizard to keep the people in awe of him; the lies and vicious propaganda used by Madame Morrible to discredit Elphaba; Galinda’s neediness for popularity and public affirmation and the use of the age-old inducement-or-persecution tactic to keep everyone in line — hit close to home.
Even as one is thoroughly entertained, humming along with the show’s hit song Defying Gravity the subject matter amuses but also causes one to muse. Similarities, counterparts and equivalents of plot and character proliferate our history. How many times have we seen well-meaning leaders transformed into brazen power grabbers and clingers? Or idealistic lawyers turn into rapacious government officials? Or even a soft-spoken do-gooder changed into a pandering, lying mouthpiece? Indeed, the boundary of good and evil is permeable and porous made more confusing by image and projection.
Philip Zimbardo, author of the Lucifer Effect explains how a good man or woman can mutate into a monster, and in rare occasions how the villain can become a hero. He agrees that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde both reside in one person. He calls good and evil the yin and yang of human condition. A Harvard professor labels this dark side the “inner jerk”. Everyone, even Mother Theresa has an inner jerk. Sometimes it is camouflaged by good intention, self-effacement and denial. But vanity, the need for affirmation, pride, arrogance, envy can become the seeds that corrupt. Only constant and objective self-awareness through introspection and reflection can control one’s inner jerk.
At a TED conference, Zimbardo defines evil as the “exercise of power to intentionally harm psychologically, hurt physically and/or destroy mortally and commit crimes against humanity.” In understanding transformations of human character, psychologists study the dispositional factor inside the person — is he a bad apple? They look at situational or external factors — the bad barrel. Then they study the systemic factors, the broad influences of political, economic, cultural and legal power — the bad barrel-makers.
In short, the power system creates the situation that corrupts the individual. If we want to change the person, we must change the situation; if we want to change the situation we must know where the power lies in the system. It’s a dynamic interplay between man, the situation he faces and the context or background he is in.
Thus a public servant thrust in a position of power, tempted by “incentives” offered to him and conscious that everyone lines his pocket anyway, simply succumbs to the prevailing environment. The late Press Secretary Cerge Remonde used to refer to GMA as a victim of the System. She was not intrinsically a bad apple, just someone thrown into a bad barrel, and influenced by bad barrel makers. The only problem with this line of defense is that the seat of power is the Office of the President. Og Mandino identifies this simply as the power to choose good or evil.
The Lucifer Effect celebrates the mind’s infinite capacity to choose to be kind or cruel, caring or indifferent, creative or destructive, villains or heroes. A New Yorker cartoon captures the point clearly. “I am neither the good cop nor the bad cop. Like you I am a complex amalgam of positive and negative personality traits that emerge or not depending on the circumstances.”
Like the characters of Elphaba and Glinda, the power enclave of our country can be interchangeably upright and/or crooked. Bill Gates had an epiphany when he discovered how his billions could be used beyond making him the richest man in the world. With his wife Melinda, he channels money where it helps humanity the most: Healthcare, education, poverty-alleviation etc. From a hard-nosed, profit-oriented businessman, he transformed into a philanthropist. He is likely more fulfilled and happier than ever before.
Madame Morrible conjured a tornado that killed Nessarose, Elphaba’s half-sister. This was punishment for Elphaba’s defiance of the Wizard. Our past is replete with examples of oppression to beat obedience from those who dare to right wrongs. DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima and Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda are facing disbarment, while the Sandiganbayan has meted a 90-day suspension to Presidential aide Neric Acosta for alleged misuse of his pork barrel when he was a Bukidnon Congressman, more than ten years ago. The vendetta of the impeached Chief Justice is underway.
Heroism is the antidote to evil, says Zimbardo. Our children must be taught that ordinary people are heroes-in-waiting. We have the power to choose how to react to a situation: It can unleash the villain in us, inspire the hero or we can just be bystanders, guilty of the evil of inaction. For Good sings about the power to bring out the best in all.
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good
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