People keep asking me why I seem to have chosen to keep quiet about politics save for the occasional spoof article and instead focus on smaller issues in our country. Well, the thing is, as I’ve come to discover, politics isn’t really what’s wrong with the Philippines. No, the real problem in the Philippines isn’t them; the real problem here is us, the common people and how we choose to perceive the world around us and how we choose to think given what we sense. See, I remember the great Chinese philosopher Confucius mentioning something about culture being the root or source of one’s morality. When you look at the various dysfunctions in Philippine society, you can trace just about all of them to a facet of our culture that is deeply flawed or outright malignant.
Okay, here are two scenarios in movies I’ve watched:
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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Galadriel, the elf queen from Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit asks Gandalf the wizard why he has so much faith in the character of Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit. Gandalf’s reply is both simple and heartwarming at the same time: Bilbo, while small and seemingly insignificant in the grand scheme of things, has goodness in his heart and even a small ounce of goodness can mean a lot in a world saturated with evil and, indeed, it is Bilbo’s innate goodness, especially his courage, that allows him and his friends to succeed in their quest.
This Is The End
A film about the apocalypse that features celebrities portraying themselves of all things. Anyway, in the film proper, James Franco almost goes to heaven thanks to making an act of self-sacrifice. Note almost. What happens is that he becomes too smug and decides to make an act of pettiness that gets him a gruesome death instead of the salvation he was hoping for. If he had only stayed good, perhaps, things would’ve been very different for him.
So what’s my point, you may ask?
Well, in both films you’ll notice that it’s not just the big things that really count in our lives and determine who we are as a people. The little things, no matter how tiny or inimical, count also. You might be able to save a woman from a burning building but if you’re still mean to people and treat, say for instance your house staff poorly, then you’re still a bad person.
So, at the end of the day, while we may vote for good political candidates who have the potential to change the country yet are not willing to change ourselves, then it’s all for nothings. As long as our dysfunctions as a people remain intact and unchanged, then our country will always be dysfunctional. No politician or leader can ever really change us if we refuse to mend our ways to become better people.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I find it futile writing about politics in the Philippines since, so few even care to read the thing and understand its true meaning or even bother reading it at all. What’s really sad is that while people bravely clamor for “change” this election, I sense very strongly that they will be the first people to start crying bloody murder once that “change” is forced upon them and they are no longer allowed the luxuries and comforts allotted to them by our dysfunctional system. Change begins internally just as you can’t build a house from the top-down but instead from the bottom-upward.
I HAVE RETURNED TO LAY WASTE TO OUR ENEMIES!
It’s like what I’ve always said about the arrogant and self-serving nature of our people. Once they get what they want (Duterte winning the presidency), they forget about everything else that will someday bite them in the ass.
The Aquino Oligarchs, refuse to change their ways. They manipulated the HOCUS PCOS machine, to make their candidates win…I can show you how they did it.
It is not the people, who really wanted change. It is them…the Aquino oligarchy. They want to cling to power…
Corection: “The people wanted change, but the Aquino Oligarchy wanteds to cling to power…”
sore loser bbm fanatics!
Nope, Yellow Zombies like you are the biggest losers ever. Go figure.
As expected from a crybaby shit like an Idiot Aquino Follower like yourself. Halata naman e. 😉
#PlanBIsIntact #AquinoForever
The dumb masses accept the bullshit because they’re a part of it. Corruption is a part of the Failipino culture.
Mom’s and Dad’s are the problems of the Philippines. We have a saying in America. “An soldier is an direct reflection of the leadership.” This goes hand and hand with the people of the Philippines. Children will try and do whatever they like up to the point where they know that mom or dad will not allow something to be done. Watch the TV show Empire. The President Duerte must be willing to love his people and also be willing to discipline them to do the same thing here that the Filipinos do when they go overseas and obey all the rules no matter how stupid the rule is. It is time for mom and dad to start spanking some butts here, unfortunately.
William E. Jackson,
The problem with Failipinos is is not only mom and dad that operated on the same corrupt moral compasses of indifference and individualism. As I had mentioned before in my other comments, this is a part of our “Crab Mentality” (customs, traditions, and practices)that gets passed down from generation to generation, that need to be revamped or completely abolished, because the bad seeds keep getting re-planted over-and-over again.
Aeta
Yes, Aeta I agree with you. The attitude that this is why it is, I have heard before. This is where the mothers and fathers come into play. I grew up poor in a crime area in the USA. My parents made me study and stay at home and not go out. If I did something wrong my parents were soon to handle the situation. My parents wanted to make sure that I was better than everyone else around me morally. Still today, I will not do anything that would cause my parents to be ashamed of me or loose faith in me. When I go back home to visit. I have many friends that are in jail, homeless, dead, very few that are living a okay life. When I look at them there is something in common with us all. The way our parents raised us to believe in right or wrong or selling our souls for money.
[Correction]
William E. Jackson,
The problem with Failipinos is it’s not only mom and dad that operated on the same corrupt moral compasses of indifference and individualism. As I had mentioned before in my other comments, this is a part of our destructive “Crab Mentality” (customs, traditions, and practices) that gets passed down from generation to generation, that need to be revamped or completely abolished, because the bad seeds keep getting re-planted over-and-over again.
Aeta
Leaders are lovers of change. Without change, growth is static. To lead, you have to appreciate change; else change will depreciate you!
I would not be so hard on the Filipino masses. Aside from the graces granted by local politicians (yes, even healthcare is determined by which local political faction you support) there in no national political Party that has developed a philosophy. There is nothing else to vote for besides local kings (handing out government assistance)and personalities.
The Philippines is a young democracy. Political ideology has not developed yet (as in should the country tax and redistribute wealth, or should they encourage business development instead?). These are basic ruling philosophies that the political Parties have no consistent position on.
What philosophy of voting is their to decide between then?
The Philippines is a young democracy – agreed
Political ideology has not developed yet – agreed
hopefully under DU30 admin and before his term ends, probably included in Constitutional Reform, 2 party system will be institutionalize so we develop the political ideology. Sen. Miriam already mentioned about this. Her example is Conservative and Progressive.
#MDS – the best president we never had
andrew,
The Failippines is not a young democracy. Failipinos are just inherently stupid and arrogant to know what a true democracy is. They will resort to the primitive ways of their ancestors–and behave like Neanderthals–to get what they want.
Aeta