The issue of who represents the Center has been debated in several blog entries and comments. John Nery has devoted two blog entries: Where does the center lie and Solita no more. Read them and the comments made by readers. Atty. Lacierda rebutted Nery’s contention that Solita Monsod represents the Center; where Solita goes, so does the Center.

As for me, the Center has been defined by M. Scott Peck in the People of the Lie. In his discussion on the Vietnam War, he postulated the reason why the American people let themselves drown in the muck of lies called the Vietnam War. His description of the American society at that time fits my belief of what the Center is. He answered the question “why were most of us not aroused to ire or suspicion or even significant outrage about the nature of war” this way:

Once again we are confronted with our all-too-human laziness and narcissism. Basically, it was just too much trouble. We all had our lives to lead – doing our day-to-day jobs, buying new cars, painting our houses, sending our kids to college. As the majority of any group are content to let the leadership be exercised by the few, so as a citizenry we were content to let the government “do its thing”. It was Johnson’s job to lead, ours to follow. The citizenry was simply too lethargic to become aroused. (p. 279)

That is the Center. That is where the Center is.