Much ado has been made about Liberal presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III’s alleged depression when he was 19, and when he was in his thirties.

Both reports have been shown to be fake, but what’s more troubling, really, aside from the depths that politicians stoop to for a win, is how stupid everyone is being over depression itself.

The way people talk, it’s like Aquino’s supposed depression means he is likely to turn into a raving lunatic at any second, or start talking to flowers, or get messages from God himself. And that’s not the way depression works. When you’re depressed, that’s pretty much it. You’re sad and unmotivated. Visions and shit don’t enter into it.

Not depression

Now, people are trotting out ‘evidence’ like Aquino’s high school year book caption (“Coolest guy with hottest temper. His hobby- collecting late slips“) as proof of his mental instability.

Philstar’s Chit Pedrosa even adds anecdotal evidence from a dead doctor who supposedly diagnosed Aquino: “Tingnan niyo nga si Noynoy, walang ka-drive drive (for a young boy he was lethargic). He must have a problem.”

No, shit, Chit. When you’re a teenager, you’re supposed to be lethargic and ornery and a bit of a douche. That’s practically a law of nature. Plus, Aquino’s dad was, you know, sort of being persecuted by the Marcos government. It would take an entire plantation of weed to not be depressed by that.

Maybe not even that

And, you know what? Even if the reports were real (and they are not), so the fuck what? Depression isn’t leprosy, it isn’t diabetes, it isn’t cancer of the spirit. It isn’t some incurable disease that will haunt you forever. Well, generally.

The more important question to ask would be: If Aquino is indeed depressed, is he taking any medications that could hamper his judgment and ability to govern this nation?

But I guess having him take a piss test isn’t as scandalous or sexy as peddling easily-denied psychiatric evaluations.

Whether he saw a psychiatrist as a kid is of no import at all. Nacionalista’s Senator Manny Villar was poor as a kid, but that has nothing to do with anything either. Neither does the fact that Bagumbayan’s Richard Gordon failed one class when he was in high school, or that the guy who officiated his wedding was drunk at the time.

Although marginally interesting, it’s all trivial, and not indicative of character, or anything, really.

Capitalizing on them, though, is very telling.