Atom: the right kind of difficult

By Noel Galon de Leon

Atom Araullo’s commencement speech at the University of the Philippines Baguio was more than an inspiring message for graduates. It was a bold criticism of a society that has become too comfortable with silence, misinformation, corruption, and injustice. While many graduation speeches focus on dreams, success, and personal achievement, Atom chose a different path. He asked graduates to become “difficult.” At first, the word sounds negative because society often teaches us that good people are obedient, agreeable, and easy to manage. However, Atom completely turned that idea upside down. He argued that the greatest threat to democracy is not people who ask difficult questions. The greatest threat is people who have stopped asking questions altogether.

I found his speech both inspiring and deeply unsettling because it forced me to reflect on how often we choose convenience over conviction. It is easy to complain about corruption, fake news, and abuse of power, but it is much harder to challenge them when doing so comes with criticism or personal risk. Many people remain silent because they fear being labeled as troublemakers. Others choose neutrality because they believe staying out of political and social issues protects them from conflict. Atom reminds us that silence is rarely neutral. When people refuse to speak against injustice, they unintentionally create space for it to grow.

His statement, “I hope that you become difficult. Difficult to fool. Difficult to buy. Difficult to discourage. And difficult to turn indifferent,” may be one of the most powerful messages delivered to Filipino graduates in recent years. Every line carries a challenge that extends far beyond the walls of the university. Being difficult to fool means refusing to believe everything that appears on social media simply because it supports our opinions. It requires critical thinking, careful research, and the humility to admit when we are wrong. In an era where misinformation spreads faster than verified facts, this quality has become essential for every responsible citizen.

Being difficult to buy is equally significant. Corruption is often discussed as a problem among politicians, but compromise happens at every level of society. People are tempted to sacrifice honesty for promotions, influence, financial gain, or social acceptance. Atom reminds us that integrity has value only when it costs something. Principles that disappear the moment money or power appears are not principles at all. They are conveniences disguised as values.

The challenge to become difficult to discourage also deserves attention. Social change has never been easy. Journalists are attacked for exposing corruption. Environmental defenders receive threats for protecting natural resources. Students and activists are criticized for demanding accountability. Ordinary citizens who question those in authority are often accused of being negative or disruptive. Atom knows these realities because he has spent years documenting poverty, disasters, armed conflict, environmental destruction, and political controversies. His documentaries consistently show stories that many powerful individuals would rather keep hidden. His message carries credibility because it comes from experience instead of empty rhetoric.

The final challenge may be the most important of all. Becoming difficult to turn indifferent speaks directly to a generation constantly overwhelmed by crises. Every day people encounter news about corruption, violence, poverty, climate disasters, and inequality. Continuous exposure can lead to emotional exhaustion where people simply stop caring. Indifference becomes a survival mechanism. Atom warns against this dangerous mindset because indifference quietly destroys democracy. A society does not fail only because of corrupt leaders. It also fails when good people convince themselves that nothing can change and therefore choose not to act.

What makes Atom’s speech provocative is that it rejects the traditional definition of success. Society often rewards those who avoid conflict, remain agreeable, and never question authority. Schools frequently celebrate academic excellence but spend less time encouraging moral courage. Employers value employees who follow instructions without resistance. Political leaders often praise citizens who remain obedient. Atom argues that these expectations produce conformity instead of citizenship. Education should not produce people who simply fit into broken systems. It should produce people willing to improve those systems even when doing so is uncomfortable.

His challenge is particularly relevant in the Philippines today. Disinformation continues to shape public opinion. Political loyalty often matters more than competence. Public officials accused of corruption continue to receive support despite overwhelming evidence. Social media encourages emotional reactions instead of thoughtful discussion. In this environment, critical thinking becomes an act of resistance. Asking for evidence becomes controversial. Demanding accountability becomes political. Atom reminds us that democracy cannot survive if citizens become passive consumers of information instead of active seekers of truth.

The speech also challenged me personally. It made me realize that being informed is not enough if knowledge never leads to action. Reading the news, recognizing injustice, and discussing national issues have little value if they never influence the choices we make every day. Being difficult starts with small decisions. It means questioning suspicious information before sharing it. It means refusing to normalize corruption regardless of who benefits. It means speaking when silence would be easier. Most importantly, it means refusing to lose hope that change is still possible.

Atom Araullo did not simply congratulate graduates for reaching an important milestone. He reminded them that receiving a diploma also means accepting a greater responsibility to society. His message extends beyond the University of the Philippines Baguio because every Filipino faces the same challenge. The country does not need more people who blindly obey, remain silent, or accept injustice as normal. It needs citizens who think critically, defend the truth, reject corruption, and refuse to become indifferent. Perhaps the real measure of education is not how easily we succeed in life but how difficult we become for lies, injustice, and abuse of power to survive.

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Noel Galon de Leon is a writer and professor at the University of the Philippines Visayas, where he teaches in the Division of Professional Education and at UP High School in Iloilo. He is also the Secretary of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts-National Committee on Literary Arts.