Note:
this is just me, my
opinion, I know that there are lots of biases or whatever. :)) I just
wanted to post this because this is very relevant in the context of our
society today. Also, this is not a formal criticism of his article in the Atlantic Monthly, it's just merely an expression of my view.
I'm
sorry if some of you will be disappointed with this blog, both in
content and grammar. I just thought of it now eh. haha I think that some
concepts are not well explained, so sorry for that too.
it's not as serious as you think. It's just really an eye-opener for me. It made me realize, in spite of my Economics teacher, that I should still take Economics as my course and find ways to improve the lives of the citizens of my beloved country, the Philippines.
it's not as serious as you think. It's just really an eye-opener for me. It made me realize, in spite of my Economics teacher, that I should still take Economics as my course and find ways to improve the lives of the citizens of my beloved country, the Philippines.
While reading, don’t forget to take in consideration the context of the year it was written. Hehe la lang.
A Damaged Culture
Background and Context
This is an article written by James Fallows in the year of 1987.
This was the first time he came to the Philippines. He stayed in the Philippines for 6 weeks.
This is an article written by James Fallows in the year of 1987.
This was the first time he came to the Philippines. He stayed in the Philippines for 6 weeks.
They refer to the Philippines as a nation without nationalism and pride. (putik yan. Asar.)
I think that the "truth" in his article is just really depressing. While I was reading it (to be prepped for my SA 21, socioanthropology class) I just can't help but be emotionally involved. I got angry with what he wrote, I don't know. It's just really really depressing.
"The TRUTH hurts."
He compared our country with other East Asian Countries like Korea, Japan, Singapore and others. He said that the countries that surround us have become the "world's most famous showcases for the impact of culture on economic development."
He said in the article that "...the culture can make a naturally rich country poor."
Philippine culture, our OWN culture, is the barrier to development.
It is indeed true that our country is naturally rich in resources but our culture is responsible for our continuous economic downfall ever since the Marcos Era.
How so?
According to the article there are four barriers to our economic growth.
First, the culture of delicadeza, it is being careful in what we say or the avoidance of saying unpleasant topics directly or indirectly. Filipinos like to save their faces from shame, we tend to have these excuses for being like this or like that. Why can't we face the truth? Why can't we be more open and just say what really is wrong? This Filipino ethic is a barrier to our transparency.
Second, Filipinos being religious, we tend to leave things up to GOD. I know that we all have faith in God and in His plans for us but we should not totally rely on Him. In a sense that we don't do anything to change flaws. In the article, Fallows said, "...many Filipinos speak of Cory's goodness, patience, and piety in tones that suggest they think of her as a secular, widowed blessed virgin, and as the only person with even the potential to hold the country together..." (Let me emphasize the word BLESSED.)
This is how this American guy saw the Filipinos in Cory's Regime, and even though I WASN'T alive during those times, I think that this is true. I think that it was the effect of having Marcos out of the Government, so people started to think that Cory was the "annointed one" of God who saved them from dictatorship. Cory didn't even do much work while in government. How blind were the people then? Why did they let her be president when she wasn't really doing much to improve the economy? "...acting as if her only task had been to get rid of marcos and ride out the periodic coups, rumored and real."
Third, Filipinos are accepting the structure of inequality. According to the Culture of Poverty theory, some cultures are crippled by a way of life that perpetuates poverty from one generation to the next. It means that WE have this thinking that the RICH are and will continue to be rich and the POOR are and will continue to be poor. This thinking is, of course, affected by religion and traditional way of living. Here’s a concrete example. Farmer A is very traditional in planting his corns or camote. Industries or corporations developed technology that can hasten corn growth from, let’s say, 1 year to 2 months. Farmer A will choose to do it the old way than risk the disaster that can coexist with the new technology. We can change this if we reconstruct or way of thinking. Poverty has something to do with the way we live. Somehow we should learn to leave the traditional way of living in order to move from one class to another.
I think that the "truth" in his article is just really depressing. While I was reading it (to be prepped for my SA 21, socioanthropology class) I just can't help but be emotionally involved. I got angry with what he wrote, I don't know. It's just really really depressing.
"The TRUTH hurts."
He compared our country with other East Asian Countries like Korea, Japan, Singapore and others. He said that the countries that surround us have become the "world's most famous showcases for the impact of culture on economic development."
He said in the article that "...the culture can make a naturally rich country poor."
Philippine culture, our OWN culture, is the barrier to development.
It is indeed true that our country is naturally rich in resources but our culture is responsible for our continuous economic downfall ever since the Marcos Era.
How so?
According to the article there are four barriers to our economic growth.
First, the culture of delicadeza, it is being careful in what we say or the avoidance of saying unpleasant topics directly or indirectly. Filipinos like to save their faces from shame, we tend to have these excuses for being like this or like that. Why can't we face the truth? Why can't we be more open and just say what really is wrong? This Filipino ethic is a barrier to our transparency.
Second, Filipinos being religious, we tend to leave things up to GOD. I know that we all have faith in God and in His plans for us but we should not totally rely on Him. In a sense that we don't do anything to change flaws. In the article, Fallows said, "...many Filipinos speak of Cory's goodness, patience, and piety in tones that suggest they think of her as a secular, widowed blessed virgin, and as the only person with even the potential to hold the country together..." (Let me emphasize the word BLESSED.)
This is how this American guy saw the Filipinos in Cory's Regime, and even though I WASN'T alive during those times, I think that this is true. I think that it was the effect of having Marcos out of the Government, so people started to think that Cory was the "annointed one" of God who saved them from dictatorship. Cory didn't even do much work while in government. How blind were the people then? Why did they let her be president when she wasn't really doing much to improve the economy? "...acting as if her only task had been to get rid of marcos and ride out the periodic coups, rumored and real."
Third, Filipinos are accepting the structure of inequality. According to the Culture of Poverty theory, some cultures are crippled by a way of life that perpetuates poverty from one generation to the next. It means that WE have this thinking that the RICH are and will continue to be rich and the POOR are and will continue to be poor. This thinking is, of course, affected by religion and traditional way of living. Here’s a concrete example. Farmer A is very traditional in planting his corns or camote. Industries or corporations developed technology that can hasten corn growth from, let’s say, 1 year to 2 months. Farmer A will choose to do it the old way than risk the disaster that can coexist with the new technology. We can change this if we reconstruct or way of thinking. Poverty has something to do with the way we live. Somehow we should learn to leave the traditional way of living in order to move from one class to another.
Lastly,
Filipinos are not nationalistic. I believe so. But I think it is not
that we are NOT nationalistic but that we LACK nationalism. There is a
significant difference between the two. I notice this in my everyday
life. In Ateneo, sad to say, during the singing of the National Anthem,
STUDENTS don’t have to sing na nga some don’t even bother to stand pa.
What’s more depressing pa, they keep on gossiping with one another.
Darn. Standing during the national anthem is just a simple way of
expressing nationalism. How come we lack the respect for our country’s
flag or anthem?People don't even take FLAG CEREMONIES seriously no more.
That day, I even prayed to
GOD, I even asked Him “why?” Kulang na lang umiyak ako ng blood for my
country. Why can’t we think beyond ourselves? Why should we care only
about OUR needs? OUR lives? Well, again this thinking can be explained
by sociology, our ancestors are tribal kasi. Our kinship ties are
strong. We tend to be more loyal and faithful to those within our kin,
either affinal or consanguineal. We should learn to look at our self in
the social world. Nationalism takes practice and effort.
I want you readers to also think and suggest solutions to the barriers mentioned here.
WE are the future of our country, it is about time we start thinking of such things.
Personally, I want to see our generation start the change in our country. We can't just rely on GOD. We NEED to do something.
"If you want our country to prosper, change or whatever...
say this to yourself
The change should start with ME.
We should take each step in order to attain the change we want."
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