Ever since I first landed on these sainted shores, I have always been fortunate to have been exposed to computers and its technology, not that I now have this expertise to run circles around anybody, but that I have just been around them that long. I was initiated into it through a Datahost system serviced by dumb terminals in a hotel setting. A quantum leap was made in 1984 when we converted to an IBM System36 mainframe/minicomputer but still with dumb terminals attached to it. Later on, we upgraded to an IBM AS400. Then prior to my leaving, we garnered the leading edge with our PC workstations with Windows95 operating system and Novell Netware, attached to two servers running Windows NT.
The Bay Area’s close proximity to Silicon Valley has in large measure also contributed to this prodigious exposure. The purveyors of the latest technology in electronics and allied industries usually find San Francisco as the likely beta-test market to proclaim and hawk their latest products.
The intent of the above attempt at narrative is simply to state that electronics has created a brand-new world for everybody! One cannot honestly think of any single individual living in society who is not only exposed to it but is required to be literate about it and be able to acquit himself or herself decently in its proper use. Its presence and usage have become so pervasive that one can safely equate its importance to education as say, learning to speak English in order to communicate. The existence and extent of the newest medium, the blogs, is loud testimony to this new frontier that everybody is required to blaze.
Without the strictures of physical travel, the use of computer technology has allowed us to depart from our earthbound existence and travel through the ether or call it cyberspace as it is now known popularly. It is accomplishing for us what our earlier journeys, which seems a lifetime away, did for man and his kind.
This realization has not only given us great joy and expectation, but also fresh challenges and opportunities that bode well for the future.
The message is short and straight. Let us each one impress upon our wards and ourselves the paramount importance of this parallel world and how we may be able to thrive in it. This is the new religion. Practice it.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Crab Mentality: A Philippine Phenomenon?
The FilAm papers here are forever referring to this crab mentality when something goes bad with the local FilAm communities.
I must confess I was not familiar with this phrase until I left the old country. I was made curious to no end since some people mention it with the same bluster and passion as though expounding dogma or doctrine. Thus, piqued by curiosity, I decided to do a little research on its origins and usage. I couldn’t decisively determine where it originally came from, but I know that its usage is not limited to Filipinos. Our Indian neighbors also use this expression. Even the African-American community is not averse to using this expression to carry across maybe the same sentiments. And who knows which other groups. And so it has to be left as such – undecided as to its origin.
But in the Philippine context, what exactly are its common connotations or meanings?
One hopes that everybody would be interested to learn about them, especially because anybody given that description is sort of invested with some kind of stigma; by the same groups that revere it as gospel truth. It probably does not do justice to the crab as a creature since this crustacean carries considerable nutritional importance and value; thus, in the food chain it commands a godly price, both in the Philippines and everywhere else.
Some Filipinos or FilAms here have a quite loose interpretation of it. In a group discussion decrying the general state of FilAm businesses here, this mentality is attributed the blame. They concur that Filipinos do not patronize their own; but as is common, they instead compete with any successful established business of the compatriots to the point of over-saturation. One can point to the overcrowded forwarding businesses scattered throughout the continent. Some pointed out though that comparative prices could be a big factor for the non-patronage.
In some legal discussions read, this mentality is mentioned in the same breath as witch-hunting, a rash to judgment of guilt, a disregard for the presumption of innocence principle in law, etc.; and is thus blamed by the government for the slow development growth of the country.
Still, others would use it for any and all adverse criticism directed toward another Filipino or FilAm, especially against another person or business, who or which may have attained some degree of prominence or success in the community. Regardless of motives and/or reasons? Unless explicit and expressed, or blatantly obvious, motives are hard to discern. Thus, who makes that determination for judging adverse and/or critical comments advanced as a sign of the crab mentality or just that, a constructive critical criticism?
The analogy of typical Filipino behavior is casually described as reflective of the behavior of crabs in a bucket; the others pulling or dragging down any crab trying to climb out of the bucket. One can also witness this phenomenon in the live crabs section of one’s local wet market. When you try to pull one out of the batch, the closest one will attempt to lock its pincers on the one you have lifted and will cling to it tenaciously. I have tried to violently separate the two, ending with one set of pincers being ripped off its socket. Quite gruesome.
Here’s a quite different spin. On my first days here in San Francisco, before embarking on my first job, my first “gainful employment” was “crabbing” with my wife’s relatives. Armed with crab nets (they typically are shaped like buckets of intertwined rope), we would spirit away on those biting-cold August days under cover of midnight and make our way under the Golden Gate bridge. Secured on some outcropping of rocks, we would drop our nets and hunt for those delicious Dungeness crabs, quite popular and quite expensive in these parts.
I had wondered then why we had to do it around midnight. Until much later, I found out that we were not just to trying to avoid frostbite; but more importantly we were trying to elude any warden who could be patrolling the area.
Anyway, bait for the crabs was chicken legs or necks tied at the center of the net. One had to buy these from wet markets. But I would notice that while we would only have one bait per net (part of the reason was cost) if we kept that net submerged long enough, one could come up almost always with two or more crabs.
Thus, any budding social scientist could interpret that behavior of the crab as showing its sharing mentality. While most animals would fight for a morsel of food, the crab typically shares it with others. You have seen dogs and even pigs growl at others trying to share in their meal.
There you go. So the next time somebody tags you with the crab mentality label, think of this least-known behavior of the crab and find solace in it.
I had initially painted three scenarios where Filipinos might use the phrase to depict a particular situation.
From solicited comments made, it does not appear that Filipinos patronize Filipino businesses any more or less than other ethnic groups. There may even be a predisposition toward patronage due to familiarity and commonality of language or dialect. I myself, partly because I live in an area of high concentration of FilAms, bought my first house from a FilAm agent. Another reason for the choice was that the familiarity with him emboldened me to ask for bonuses one would not normally ask from strangers.
On the legal front, this claim of rash to judgment reaction, or witch-hunting, or even disregard of the presumption of innocence principle, may not be justified for assigning this label. They are just too fraught with legalese and may be too complicated.
Thus, the most oft-used reason this label may be used is when a compatriot renders adverse criticism to another Filipino/FilAm, especially one of note and prominence. And it is usually assigned by the target of the criticism or those directly involved or associated with him/her. A quote from one post ascribed this heightened sensibility to criticism to the Filipino’s amor propio. But translated, amor propio means self-respect. Can self-respect be damaged by any and all adverse criticism? Could be affected but not necessarily? Or do we interpret amor propio to mean pride of self or ego? Or worse, false pride?
I still do not see the proper correlation or connection. If such were the case, then maybe we as an ethnic group should refrain from liberal and gratuitous (?) use of such label?
UPDATE:
"Crab mentality" takes on a new meaning for the Bugueyanos. They do not buy the traditional negative connotation that crabs, when placed in a pan, tend to pull one another down as they try to reach the top, Antiporda says.
Cooperation, unity
Instead, they say, crab mentality should connote cooperation and unity. In a literal sense, crabs, in a similar situation, get on top of one another to form a makeshift ladder to help them reach the brim."
I must confess I was not familiar with this phrase until I left the old country. I was made curious to no end since some people mention it with the same bluster and passion as though expounding dogma or doctrine. Thus, piqued by curiosity, I decided to do a little research on its origins and usage. I couldn’t decisively determine where it originally came from, but I know that its usage is not limited to Filipinos. Our Indian neighbors also use this expression. Even the African-American community is not averse to using this expression to carry across maybe the same sentiments. And who knows which other groups. And so it has to be left as such – undecided as to its origin.
But in the Philippine context, what exactly are its common connotations or meanings?
One hopes that everybody would be interested to learn about them, especially because anybody given that description is sort of invested with some kind of stigma; by the same groups that revere it as gospel truth. It probably does not do justice to the crab as a creature since this crustacean carries considerable nutritional importance and value; thus, in the food chain it commands a godly price, both in the Philippines and everywhere else.
Some Filipinos or FilAms here have a quite loose interpretation of it. In a group discussion decrying the general state of FilAm businesses here, this mentality is attributed the blame. They concur that Filipinos do not patronize their own; but as is common, they instead compete with any successful established business of the compatriots to the point of over-saturation. One can point to the overcrowded forwarding businesses scattered throughout the continent. Some pointed out though that comparative prices could be a big factor for the non-patronage.
In some legal discussions read, this mentality is mentioned in the same breath as witch-hunting, a rash to judgment of guilt, a disregard for the presumption of innocence principle in law, etc.; and is thus blamed by the government for the slow development growth of the country.
Still, others would use it for any and all adverse criticism directed toward another Filipino or FilAm, especially against another person or business, who or which may have attained some degree of prominence or success in the community. Regardless of motives and/or reasons? Unless explicit and expressed, or blatantly obvious, motives are hard to discern. Thus, who makes that determination for judging adverse and/or critical comments advanced as a sign of the crab mentality or just that, a constructive critical criticism?
The analogy of typical Filipino behavior is casually described as reflective of the behavior of crabs in a bucket; the others pulling or dragging down any crab trying to climb out of the bucket. One can also witness this phenomenon in the live crabs section of one’s local wet market. When you try to pull one out of the batch, the closest one will attempt to lock its pincers on the one you have lifted and will cling to it tenaciously. I have tried to violently separate the two, ending with one set of pincers being ripped off its socket. Quite gruesome.
Here’s a quite different spin. On my first days here in San Francisco, before embarking on my first job, my first “gainful employment” was “crabbing” with my wife’s relatives. Armed with crab nets (they typically are shaped like buckets of intertwined rope), we would spirit away on those biting-cold August days under cover of midnight and make our way under the Golden Gate bridge. Secured on some outcropping of rocks, we would drop our nets and hunt for those delicious Dungeness crabs, quite popular and quite expensive in these parts.
I had wondered then why we had to do it around midnight. Until much later, I found out that we were not just to trying to avoid frostbite; but more importantly we were trying to elude any warden who could be patrolling the area.
Anyway, bait for the crabs was chicken legs or necks tied at the center of the net. One had to buy these from wet markets. But I would notice that while we would only have one bait per net (part of the reason was cost) if we kept that net submerged long enough, one could come up almost always with two or more crabs.
Thus, any budding social scientist could interpret that behavior of the crab as showing its sharing mentality. While most animals would fight for a morsel of food, the crab typically shares it with others. You have seen dogs and even pigs growl at others trying to share in their meal.
There you go. So the next time somebody tags you with the crab mentality label, think of this least-known behavior of the crab and find solace in it.
I had initially painted three scenarios where Filipinos might use the phrase to depict a particular situation.
From solicited comments made, it does not appear that Filipinos patronize Filipino businesses any more or less than other ethnic groups. There may even be a predisposition toward patronage due to familiarity and commonality of language or dialect. I myself, partly because I live in an area of high concentration of FilAms, bought my first house from a FilAm agent. Another reason for the choice was that the familiarity with him emboldened me to ask for bonuses one would not normally ask from strangers.
On the legal front, this claim of rash to judgment reaction, or witch-hunting, or even disregard of the presumption of innocence principle, may not be justified for assigning this label. They are just too fraught with legalese and may be too complicated.
Thus, the most oft-used reason this label may be used is when a compatriot renders adverse criticism to another Filipino/FilAm, especially one of note and prominence. And it is usually assigned by the target of the criticism or those directly involved or associated with him/her. A quote from one post ascribed this heightened sensibility to criticism to the Filipino’s amor propio. But translated, amor propio means self-respect. Can self-respect be damaged by any and all adverse criticism? Could be affected but not necessarily? Or do we interpret amor propio to mean pride of self or ego? Or worse, false pride?
I still do not see the proper correlation or connection. If such were the case, then maybe we as an ethnic group should refrain from liberal and gratuitous (?) use of such label?
UPDATE:
"Crab mentality" takes on a new meaning for the Bugueyanos. They do not buy the traditional negative connotation that crabs, when placed in a pan, tend to pull one another down as they try to reach the top, Antiporda says.
Cooperation, unity
Instead, they say, crab mentality should connote cooperation and unity. In a literal sense, crabs, in a similar situation, get on top of one another to form a makeshift ladder to help them reach the brim."
Of Praying and Prayer
Praying is one ritual the typical Filipino resorts to quite often but also rather paradoxically assumes and takes for granted, having been born in an unchanged environment where more than 80% of the population are Christian, specifically Roman Catholic, and where rituals and ritualism are most prevalent.
The idea of praying collectively is very much ingrained in religious culture. Rituals provide the forum to focus our collective energies in prayer. Having studied parapsychology on my own, I rather lean toward this spiritual exercise which others in both academia and elsewhere swear is quite effective in getting things and actions done. Even Charismatic movements within the Church resort to these means for healing and getting requests fulfilled.
But what is prayer, or how does one pray? In its most universal application, praying is the raising of our hearts and minds to God, or the Supreme Being. In school, we had a formula prayer, called the Morning Offering, which we recited daily at either the start of school or when one woke up. Essentially, it offers to God all our good thoughts and deeds of the day as prayer. Our day then became one big prayer. Those who pray in meditation simply go into some kind of trance and connect with the universe by crossing the boundary of self.
How should our praying be? Setting aside time in solitude and reading passages from the Bible or other religious books?
Or should we be more intense and specific. Pray for exactly what we want to happen and focus our collective will toward its fulfillment with the assistance of Divine Providence? But this is what St Ignatius said about praying:
That we must pray as though the matter we desire depended entirely on God and then work on it as though it depended entirely on ourselves.
Thus, praying can be a very taxing exercise. Maybe more taxing than we ordinary ascribe to it.
A LITTLE UPDATE:
I have no doubt that most of us here realize the “need” and “importance” of prayer, because most of us here believe in the existence of a higher being somewhere out there, who watches over all our actions and more importantly, makes us accountable for each of them. As a consequence then, prayer becomes our communication with that being not just to explain ourselves, but also to seek for assistance on how this life might be lived in a manner acceptable to him. Scriptures and other holy books confirm and validate this.
Prayer needs to be explained and given its rightful place in our lives and taken away from its present commonplace parlance.
Though not wishing to be flippant, let me portray how it is presently viewed in common parlance by using the Hail Mary pass to illustrate. Most are probably aware of the Hail Mary pass used in professional football. This is how it got its name. It is a desperation pass from a great distance to the end zone amidst great coverage during the waning seconds of a game with only one intention. A receiver catches it and wins the game for the team. If not, the game is ended and lost.
Unfortunately and sadly, this typifies how prayer is viewed commonly.
One’s last minute option for deliverance or salvation. Desperate and against overwhelming impending odds.
The idea of praying collectively is very much ingrained in religious culture. Rituals provide the forum to focus our collective energies in prayer. Having studied parapsychology on my own, I rather lean toward this spiritual exercise which others in both academia and elsewhere swear is quite effective in getting things and actions done. Even Charismatic movements within the Church resort to these means for healing and getting requests fulfilled.
But what is prayer, or how does one pray? In its most universal application, praying is the raising of our hearts and minds to God, or the Supreme Being. In school, we had a formula prayer, called the Morning Offering, which we recited daily at either the start of school or when one woke up. Essentially, it offers to God all our good thoughts and deeds of the day as prayer. Our day then became one big prayer. Those who pray in meditation simply go into some kind of trance and connect with the universe by crossing the boundary of self.
How should our praying be? Setting aside time in solitude and reading passages from the Bible or other religious books?
Or should we be more intense and specific. Pray for exactly what we want to happen and focus our collective will toward its fulfillment with the assistance of Divine Providence? But this is what St Ignatius said about praying:
That we must pray as though the matter we desire depended entirely on God and then work on it as though it depended entirely on ourselves.
Thus, praying can be a very taxing exercise. Maybe more taxing than we ordinary ascribe to it.
A LITTLE UPDATE:
I have no doubt that most of us here realize the “need” and “importance” of prayer, because most of us here believe in the existence of a higher being somewhere out there, who watches over all our actions and more importantly, makes us accountable for each of them. As a consequence then, prayer becomes our communication with that being not just to explain ourselves, but also to seek for assistance on how this life might be lived in a manner acceptable to him. Scriptures and other holy books confirm and validate this.
Prayer needs to be explained and given its rightful place in our lives and taken away from its present commonplace parlance.
Though not wishing to be flippant, let me portray how it is presently viewed in common parlance by using the Hail Mary pass to illustrate. Most are probably aware of the Hail Mary pass used in professional football. This is how it got its name. It is a desperation pass from a great distance to the end zone amidst great coverage during the waning seconds of a game with only one intention. A receiver catches it and wins the game for the team. If not, the game is ended and lost.
Unfortunately and sadly, this typifies how prayer is viewed commonly.
One’s last minute option for deliverance or salvation. Desperate and against overwhelming impending odds.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Random Thoughts From An Ex-Pat
This was the hot topic this week, ignited by the plaintive musings of an “adopted” son of Lupang Hinirang. It was all that was needed, an “outside” spark to ignite our collective “engine” of thought and comment. Quite expectedly, the quick discernible reactions came from us, the expatriates. Personally, I was quite willing to hold my peace, since I was convinced that everything I had in mind had already been very eloquently brought out by other members. Not until, I read the piece of Carmen Guerrero Nakpil, presenting the entire country and culture as one abundant “cornucopia” of ironies.
The points at issue, as subtly laid out and bared by the adopted son, centered on the following issues. The national pride, or lack thereof, of the Filipino with regard to his country and culture. The Filipino’s measure of his self-worth. His love of country and its rich history(?), democracy, and freedom. His awareness of his identity.
And without reservations, we did, and should, give positive remarks about the issues raised by the “foreigner’s” innocent and sincere call for awareness and change. But adding to and validating Nakpil’s collection of ironies, the early and timely defense came from us, expatriates. It came from those of us who had decided to leave the country to live and earn a livelihood away from the Philippines, and not from those who continue to exercise their inborn rights to live, to love, to be happy, and to prosper in the country of their birth. Is it maybe because uncomplimentary comments made by “foreigners” who regard themselves as adopted citizens have become so passé to the resident Filipino that they do not elicit any more response than a dismissive wave of the hand? So why have we instead, the expatriates, become very keen and responsive to the issues about the old country as presented above?
Anyway, going back to the points raised above. I, myself, can also irrefutably declare my love and pride for my old country and its culture. I can also declare without debate that the Filipino’s identity is closely tied up with its tumultuous history of countless years of colonization and subjugation. And its self-worth is derived from the tight and neatly-bundled product of all these factors. And since these are judgment calls, nobody should be able to effectively challenge these assertions.
But the proof of the pudding still is or are the consequent actions/deeds brought to bear as testimony/ies. When we became American citizens, for example, we declared under oath our sole allegiance to the USA, carrying with it sole fidelity, loyalty, and obedience to the exclusion of any other state (the Philippines included). As a matter of fact, should the two countries be on opposite sides of a war, we are counted upon to bear arms in defense of our new country.
Additionally, being physically detached from the old country, our abilities to express our love and pride for it are extremely limited. The giving of oneself which is the supreme expression of love and pride unfortunately cannot be easily given either remotely or vicariously. Unless, of course, if our plan within our lifetime is to eventually go back there and replant our stakes for good - for ourselves and/or our progeny.
Other side issues were also expressed. Like, what exactly do we mean when we say love of country? Or, the distinction between the Filipino poor wanting to be Americans and the rich wanting to be seen as Spaniards. Or, the seemingly national Filipino traits of acceptable bribery, falsifying documents, etc.
Let me venture my own guesses. I have a deep feeling that when we, expatriates and first-generation Filipino immigrants, declare our love for the home country we unknowingly refer to the collective baggage of nostalgia and countless childhood/adolescent/adult memories we lugged with us coming here. A way to test this is to ask our kids, who still “pure” Filipinos are with regard their bloodline, what they think of the old country. Especially kids who were born here or were brought here at very tender ages. In all likelihood, they will not be able to associate anything there that they can like or love. Love presupposes knowledge of something or somebody before love can blossom. Also, we may continue to love that old country since it is still the place where most of our dear relatives and friends are.
The Spaniards impressed upon us a social structure that was very steeped in the caste system, with the “illustrados” and the “indios” delineating the lines between the Spaniards, the mestizos, and the Filipinos; and even amongst themselves, isolating those born in Spain from those born in the islands (the insulares). Since the indios were kept in ignorance and penury, the rest prospered and became the rich elite. It is not a great stretch to understand why the present remnants of the rich elite pine for their storied past, the grandeur of imperial Spain. And to live comfortably there with their acquired wealth.
And the poor can only look up to the next colonizer who initiated its arduous task toward enlightenment. Thus, the axiom sounds true. It is also Monarchy versus Democracy. Lastly, if you are a poor and struggling Filipino, why would you choose Spain over America, where the opportunities for improving your lot are much more open and available in the latter?
Aside from Nakpil reporting it in her piece, I also have my own anecdotal evidences to show its truth. And it is that any aptly educated, sufficiently motivated, and young Filipino if given the opportunity would like to come to the States or similar country to work and reside at least for a time, or a lifetime.
It seems from personal contacts and stories that every family in the Philippines has a member living here in the States, or if not, planning to come and live here. From almost every person I spoke to on this last trip I made, the first piece of conversation topic was about his/her child or relative living here in the States. When I left, 5 young nephews/nieces of mine had eagerly asked about their chances of working here in the States. This definitely is more than just about economic reasons. We may have to factor in issues about one’s personal identity, national pride and honor, and even self-worth within the milieu one is born in.
With regard to bribery and falsifying documents, these are either due to a cumulative breakdown in moral values, and/or a misperception of morality and moral values. I cannot accept a premise that as a people, Filipinos are just so calloused as to continue to allow this to happen, knowing it is a grave moral wrong. I cannot imagine a whole country collectively losing sleep every night, feeling the gnawing pangs of remorse of conscience. But then, again, some say, that callousness can and does deaden the pangs of conscience if an act is repeated one time too many.
The points at issue, as subtly laid out and bared by the adopted son, centered on the following issues. The national pride, or lack thereof, of the Filipino with regard to his country and culture. The Filipino’s measure of his self-worth. His love of country and its rich history(?), democracy, and freedom. His awareness of his identity.
And without reservations, we did, and should, give positive remarks about the issues raised by the “foreigner’s” innocent and sincere call for awareness and change. But adding to and validating Nakpil’s collection of ironies, the early and timely defense came from us, expatriates. It came from those of us who had decided to leave the country to live and earn a livelihood away from the Philippines, and not from those who continue to exercise their inborn rights to live, to love, to be happy, and to prosper in the country of their birth. Is it maybe because uncomplimentary comments made by “foreigners” who regard themselves as adopted citizens have become so passé to the resident Filipino that they do not elicit any more response than a dismissive wave of the hand? So why have we instead, the expatriates, become very keen and responsive to the issues about the old country as presented above?
Anyway, going back to the points raised above. I, myself, can also irrefutably declare my love and pride for my old country and its culture. I can also declare without debate that the Filipino’s identity is closely tied up with its tumultuous history of countless years of colonization and subjugation. And its self-worth is derived from the tight and neatly-bundled product of all these factors. And since these are judgment calls, nobody should be able to effectively challenge these assertions.
But the proof of the pudding still is or are the consequent actions/deeds brought to bear as testimony/ies. When we became American citizens, for example, we declared under oath our sole allegiance to the USA, carrying with it sole fidelity, loyalty, and obedience to the exclusion of any other state (the Philippines included). As a matter of fact, should the two countries be on opposite sides of a war, we are counted upon to bear arms in defense of our new country.
Additionally, being physically detached from the old country, our abilities to express our love and pride for it are extremely limited. The giving of oneself which is the supreme expression of love and pride unfortunately cannot be easily given either remotely or vicariously. Unless, of course, if our plan within our lifetime is to eventually go back there and replant our stakes for good - for ourselves and/or our progeny.
Other side issues were also expressed. Like, what exactly do we mean when we say love of country? Or, the distinction between the Filipino poor wanting to be Americans and the rich wanting to be seen as Spaniards. Or, the seemingly national Filipino traits of acceptable bribery, falsifying documents, etc.
Let me venture my own guesses. I have a deep feeling that when we, expatriates and first-generation Filipino immigrants, declare our love for the home country we unknowingly refer to the collective baggage of nostalgia and countless childhood/adolescent/adult memories we lugged with us coming here. A way to test this is to ask our kids, who still “pure” Filipinos are with regard their bloodline, what they think of the old country. Especially kids who were born here or were brought here at very tender ages. In all likelihood, they will not be able to associate anything there that they can like or love. Love presupposes knowledge of something or somebody before love can blossom. Also, we may continue to love that old country since it is still the place where most of our dear relatives and friends are.
The Spaniards impressed upon us a social structure that was very steeped in the caste system, with the “illustrados” and the “indios” delineating the lines between the Spaniards, the mestizos, and the Filipinos; and even amongst themselves, isolating those born in Spain from those born in the islands (the insulares). Since the indios were kept in ignorance and penury, the rest prospered and became the rich elite. It is not a great stretch to understand why the present remnants of the rich elite pine for their storied past, the grandeur of imperial Spain. And to live comfortably there with their acquired wealth.
And the poor can only look up to the next colonizer who initiated its arduous task toward enlightenment. Thus, the axiom sounds true. It is also Monarchy versus Democracy. Lastly, if you are a poor and struggling Filipino, why would you choose Spain over America, where the opportunities for improving your lot are much more open and available in the latter?
Aside from Nakpil reporting it in her piece, I also have my own anecdotal evidences to show its truth. And it is that any aptly educated, sufficiently motivated, and young Filipino if given the opportunity would like to come to the States or similar country to work and reside at least for a time, or a lifetime.
It seems from personal contacts and stories that every family in the Philippines has a member living here in the States, or if not, planning to come and live here. From almost every person I spoke to on this last trip I made, the first piece of conversation topic was about his/her child or relative living here in the States. When I left, 5 young nephews/nieces of mine had eagerly asked about their chances of working here in the States. This definitely is more than just about economic reasons. We may have to factor in issues about one’s personal identity, national pride and honor, and even self-worth within the milieu one is born in.
With regard to bribery and falsifying documents, these are either due to a cumulative breakdown in moral values, and/or a misperception of morality and moral values. I cannot accept a premise that as a people, Filipinos are just so calloused as to continue to allow this to happen, knowing it is a grave moral wrong. I cannot imagine a whole country collectively losing sleep every night, feeling the gnawing pangs of remorse of conscience. But then, again, some say, that callousness can and does deaden the pangs of conscience if an act is repeated one time too many.
On Civility In Our Online Communication/Discussion
Either as a result of acting like a fly on the wall in my countless online travels, or maybe because of having read that book on Internet Psychology, I sense that in group interaction whether in blogs or similar venues, as in most normal interaction, we invariably fall into a tendency to put everything in neat boxes or categorizing everything we read and write based on our own preconceived beliefs/attitudes. And we act and respond accordingly. This is to be expected, I guess, since this is how we humans act and react. But the realities of human thinking are not that cut and dried. Having differing ideas and opinions is more the rule than the exception.
In the past, social scientists advanced the idea of brainstorming sessions to allow the freest collation of ideas on a subject by allowing liberal encouragement to every participant to contribute ideas, unfettered by inhibitions and other pressures that might cause participation bottlenecks. But now they are saying that collected data would seem to suggest that the touted benefits of brainstorming have not really been realized as a result of the dynamics of certain pressures that continue to hinder its effectiveness.
What this suggests to me is that maybe we really have to go through the exacting gauntlet of finding out exactly, or at least reliably, where an idea proponent is coming from beyond the words that he/she uses to flesh out his ideas.
Knowing this, I believe our replies or responses would not only be more responsive but kinder and more civil, and thus engender and court more exchanges from other sources. I know that it is difficult but I think it makes for better and wider participation. if we each make an honest and diligent effort to do so.
Goes to show it is still easier to attract flies with sugar, than with vinegar.
In the past, social scientists advanced the idea of brainstorming sessions to allow the freest collation of ideas on a subject by allowing liberal encouragement to every participant to contribute ideas, unfettered by inhibitions and other pressures that might cause participation bottlenecks. But now they are saying that collected data would seem to suggest that the touted benefits of brainstorming have not really been realized as a result of the dynamics of certain pressures that continue to hinder its effectiveness.
What this suggests to me is that maybe we really have to go through the exacting gauntlet of finding out exactly, or at least reliably, where an idea proponent is coming from beyond the words that he/she uses to flesh out his ideas.
Knowing this, I believe our replies or responses would not only be more responsive but kinder and more civil, and thus engender and court more exchanges from other sources. I know that it is difficult but I think it makes for better and wider participation. if we each make an honest and diligent effort to do so.
Goes to show it is still easier to attract flies with sugar, than with vinegar.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)