We need Filipino intellectuals
Analysis and Opinion
By Joe America
The “We” in that headline points at two distinct collectives.
- We, the members and readers of the The Society of Honor blog
- We, the citizens and residents of the Philippines
The Society of Honor has declined in readership due to four circumstances:
- Aging readership or people moving on with their lives outside the Philippines
- People giving up when President Duterte was elected
- People giving up when President Marcos was elected
- A dramatic decline in long-form reading with young peoples’ affinity for short-form media
The blog is more influential as a source of insight and direction if more people read and carry the ideas off elsewhere. That certainly is not necessary though.. I write because I like to understand, think, and feel engaged. Readers read and commenters comment for similar reasons I would imagine. Our thinking here at the blog would be better if more younger Filipinos offered their experiences and ideas. And maybe the thinking of Filipino citizens and leaders could gain as well. We certainly have been a material contributor to some in the leadership class in the past.
That leads us to the elephant in the room, the second “We”. Do young Filipinos have any interest in long-form intellectual engagement? Or is the world and nation relegated to the kind of dopamine driven short-form hits found in today’s social media? Are videos and picture books required to generate an audience? Is writing an antiquated form of expression? Do AI assistants provide quicker, clearer, and easier forms of expression?
Truthfully, I don’t know.
I’ve begun explicitly asking for comments here on my X and Blue Sky accounts. You might consider working your own networks seeking new (younger) commenters.
We’ll see if the Philippines has any writers left, eh? Any long-form intellectuals.
_________________________
Cover photo generated by Word Press image generator using the article as a prompt. Any likeness to living persons is wholly accidental and amusing.
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
All the reasons you cited above are on point. And yes, there is a “dramatic decline in long-form reading with young peoples’ affinity for short-form media.”
Speaking as a Boomer, I go for geopolitical podcasts on Youtube now (as well as long-form reading, still — but long-form reading is no longer the same, as the discussion threads attached to them have disappeared). However, I don’t see good enough podcasts specifically focused on the Philippines. Perhaps there are some emerging; if so, would be grateful for leads.
And I will always be grateful for what the Society of Honor generated in terms of public discourse, in its time.
Hi Vicara,
I hope Irineo can provide the leads as to how is updated with the goings on the Philippines. Geopolitics to entertainment.
Of course history too.
Thanks for the views, Vicara. I don’t follow podcasts or you tube myself so can’t offer any leads. I do short-form comments on twitter and Blue Sky, and those seem to reach influential people. I try to get whole blog articles into a tweet. Fun challenge. You used to comment regularly here, right? Trying to recollect. 2015 was 10 years ago. Astounding how time has flown but the Philippines has not. lol
Christian Esguerra is one of few liberal political vloggers on YT.
Richard Heydarian also vlogs, but I am not particularly convinced of him.
I got this comment from CV in the previous blog that he is offering a view from a far. Almost all our regulars here does the same one even had the handle, thedistantobserver. The topic at hand is very apt.
https://joeam.com/2025/01/30/president-marcos-loves-the-philippines/#comment-497244 what CV commented on Wataru Kusaka and what he said about the two Philippines is extremely useful. In fact, it is more useful that those views that see the Civic Philippines as inherently “elitist” or “hypocrite” or even “Westernized” – and less provocative than my view of one side as the clean kitchen and the other as the dirty kitchen of the country.
Actually, it already started to evolve when some Filipinos were under the bells of Spanish Catholicism and the reduccion that put people in cities and made them pay taxes, while others were the original “taong labas”, the ones Bikolanos used to call “Gentil” in the 19th century.
Re Gentil- Originally non-Jewish.
Maybe there Jewish Bikolanos back then.
It simply meant unbelievers, referring to, for example, the mix of remontados and Agta in the hills, like the Gentiles in the Bible St. Paul went to convert.
https://templado.blogspot.com/
“..Mayong was originally known as Cagintilan as Aetas and a haven then inhabited it for bad and troublesome people. After its pacification Gobernadorcillo Templado renamed Cagintilan to Mayong. The head of the Aetas was commissioned as Capitan de Mayong.
* Gentilan- derived from the word Gentil or Gentiles. The word gentil in Bicol refers to lawless people..”
More details, of course, from the perspective of the gobernadorcillos clan from whom even some recent mayors of Tiwi, Albay have come from..
“..The forest areas of what is now the Binisitahan of San Bernardo and the mountains of Barangay Mayong were earlier inhabited by roaming Agta (Aeta). These people were nomadic and warlike in nature and were constantly molesting the Christian natives. Higino decided to pacify these Aetas. He befriended their chiefs and summoned them to gather in San Bernardo and the lowlands of Mayong. When Higino arrived at the gathering of the Aetas in San Bernardo, he noted an unfriendly atmosphere among the Aetas. Their Chief, seated on a bench like a king, did not rise nor demonstrate any act of welcoming the gobernadorcillo.
As Higino stood unwelcome and embarrassed, the Chief Aeta, brandishing a bolo signaled to one of his men to throw a coconut to him, which he struck in two. Higino, however, was not impressed by the show. He surprised everybody by disarming him with his bolo. Everybody was tense! The slightest signal from their Chief would throw them into action. Tension, however was eased when the Aeta Chief, in an act of surrender smiled apologetically and explained that what he did was nothing but a mere gesture of welcome. He warned them not to molest the Christian natives and advised them to live peacefully. Later, he arranged for a lay mission, which he accompanied for the conversion of the Aetas to Christianity. For a while they settled peacefully but some of them wandered into the forests..”
Thanks.
I read the Wataru Kusaka piece and I do recall the clean kitchen, dirty kitchen piece of yours.
It is called the dirty kitchen because that is where the bloody work is done.
We also.have a “clean” kitchen, but it was never meant to be a front.
Beauty and ugliness is in the eye of the beholder.
Chemrock mentioned in a comment to that piece that what Filipinos call the dirty kitchen is called the Asian kitchen in Singapore.
It is the place where stuff that could get smelly inside is cooked.
Maybe the sense of being seen as dugyot by the Civic Philippines is what causes DE to act the way they do, back to the Bikolano division of people as believers and Gentil who were those seen as lawless and troublemakers..
Could be Que sas.
https://joeam.com/2025/01/30/president-marcos-loves-the-philippines/#comment-497271 Joey’s comment on civic society having gotten off on the wrong foot due to delusions of grandeur in the Philippines is spot on BTW.
It puts all the slogans like New Society (Marcos Sr.) and Strong Republic (Arroyo) in the same framework. Slow but sure ways like our Daang Makulit are not grandiose, of course.
We should patent that Daang Makulit.
Something interesting to consider is the inside/outside kitchen in Filipino context was also probably introduced by Hokkien immigrants in the past as many of the cross-ethnic cultural traits of Filipinos seem to have been. On the mainland, especially in Yue cultures, cooking originally was a communal and thus outdoor activity as it was for many other cultures across the world. The indoor kitchen on the mainland started off as a symbol of wealth and prestige of the upper (noble) class, and it was actually used, by atsay/katulong and kusineras in order to cook the household meals. Of course in a wealthy household, the servants are available to keep the indoor kitchen clean. The indoor/outside kitchen for the non-wealthy is a relatively new phenomenon, as told by my late grandfather who was of the old nobility, and is an aspirational habit of the rising middle class who sought to copy the trappings of wealth. Of course the middle class often cannot afford to hire help if they were on the lower end of the middle class, so the indoor kitchen became “for show” while most of the cooking is still done outside. Over time I guess the origins of why this is was lost and people started just believing there must have been some other original cleanliness-related reason for the indoor/outside kitchen, even though the trend happened within my own grandfathers’ time (early 1900s).
I use my indoor and outdoor (mobile) kitchen equally. My outdoor setup has a much higher BTU range for wok work and the par-frying necessary for many mainland SEA/East Asian foods, while my indoor kitchen with its Western-style range is for daily use. I guess in that regard, now my outdoor kitchen which originally signified the lower classes is now a luxury in the modern day. In the Philippines I do enjoy cooking on traditional kalan na kahoy from the simple brick or cement ones low to the ground to more permanent ones, or I’d just make a small pile of charcoal with my old Scouting skills for a makeshift stove. Much easier to twist off the manok’s head, remove the feathers, gut/clean on a broad banana leaf, then adobo it right there on the hot wood fire feet away.
That is interesting because a lot of Filipino upper middle-class in the 1970s, often Chinoys, had the maids work in the dirty kitchen and the clean kitchen was hardly used, it was to show that one had modern appliances and stuff.
Yes, this is probably because even the upper middle class could not afford to do an entire remodel/refurbishment of the indoor kitchen. Vietnamese and Southern Chinese also do this, where the rising middle class would build a nice indoor kitchen for show but not to be used except for sabaw. Frying indoors is a big no-no. A nice indoor kitchen can be seen as more of something to hambog about I guess. Amusingly way back my ex’s mother begged me to install a tiled kusina with a modern LPG range for her. My would-be mother-in-law never used it because she could not afford the LPG tank refills nor the electricity for the mini oven and microwave, so she mostly used butane or sometimes kahoy. Quite a few DEs unplug the refrigerator unless there’s a handa. Still, that tiled kusina was looked upon with envy by the other titas in the squatter settlement.
The first house I built here had a basic American kitchen so the help built a dirty kitchen on the backside of the house because that’s where they knew how to cook. The food was always excellent. Well, my housekeeper was amazingly competent in all things. She was the executive of the house, I was like the useless Chairman of the Board.
A competent cook can do amazing things with a wood stove/kitchen. It’s just hard to get the intense temperatures needed for proper Asian and Central Asian cooking with a Western-style gas range, or even using LPG. My outside setup uses an excellent LPG burner called “EZ Wok” by Chef Greg Wong. The burner itself was $500, but boy it roars like a jet engine! I have an outdoor brick pizza oven I built about a decade ago, but if I could do it again I would’ve made a spot for a wok/kalaha in the side for when I have time to use wood.
Me too I feel like a useless chairman of the board hehe.
Now my folks are moving back in with us. The Chair Woman emeritus aka my mom will make her presence felt once more. Hehehe
Ha! Better mind your manners!
Correct.
Chatgpt Backgrounder.
Background on the Dirty Kitchen
A dirty kitchen is a secondary kitchen, typically separate from the main or “clean” kitchen, used for heavy cooking and food preparation. This concept is common in many cultures, particularly in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, as well as in India, China, Latin America, and the Middle East.Origins and Cultural Context
The idea of a dirty kitchen originates from traditional cooking practices that involve:
Structure and Features
A dirty kitchen is usually located at the back of the house or outdoors and may be:
Modern Usage and Relevance
Today, dirty kitchens remain common in Filipino, Indonesian, Malaysian, and Latin American households, as well as in some Western homes with outdoor BBQ or secondary kitchens. The concept has also adapted to modern lifestyles, with some homes using them for deep frying, grilling, and food prep for large gatherings.
Would you like a comparison between dirty kitchens in different cultures or a discussion on their role in sustainable living?
I asked Gemini about the metaphor of clean and dirty kitchen for Philippine society, it answered:
Some sources suggest that the “clean and dirty kitchen” concept in Filipino homes can be seen as a metaphor for social class divisions in Philippine society. The “clean kitchen” represents the modern, presentable face that people show to guests and the outside world, while the “dirty kitchen” represents the behind-the-scenes reality of daily life and labor, often associated with lower socio-economic classes.
However, it’s important to note that this is just one interpretation, and the concept of the “dirty kitchen” is complex and multifaceted..
I saw this video about Rick Gervais of Seona Dancing and the Office fame telling Oprah and the rest that if you are offended that does not mean you are right/correct or something to that effect.
How do you balanced this “woke” and “cancel culture”.
Oprah is known and influential to help the N word not mentioned in TV and the like citing years of traumatic experience.
This is what I got when I asked Bing Image generator to mix Filipino intellectuals, tech pioneers, and babaylans as well as sci-fi, modern, and traditional settings.
What came out is a bit crazy but somehow forward-looking, not stuck.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2030766/house-invites-40-social-media-influencers
Unfortunately, the familiar names I think are responsible for some misinformation themselves, unless this is all about asking the experts regarding fake news.
They invite snakes who dispense poison to better understand fake news. Brilliant.
Anti-venom perhaps?
Most of them dod not show up.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/935108/39-content-creators-no-show-at-house-probe-on-fake-news-cites-freedom-of-speech/story/
only three showed up, out of the 40 invited.
Most of them did not show up.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/935108/39-content-creators-no-show-at-house-probe-on-fake-news-cites-freedom-of-speech/story/
ay naku, baka not only may mga fake names at baka may mga multiple accounts ang mga ‘yon at takot mabuking. they so loved exposure sa social media tapos ito sobrang tamimi pala out of their comfort zone. ayaw ng exposure. sayang very articulated pa naman sila.
They cited freedom of speech not to exercise their freedom of speech.
https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.36PZ3B3
the above link showed misinformation meant to benefit sara duterte. the writer of the vlog is allegedly hiding behind anonymity. it was not their speech but their presence was required at the inquiry.
they complained that the inquiry hits mostly duterte supporters and for a very good reason: sila lang naman ang mahilig mameke ng news and spreading misinformation. kaming mga tagahanga ni leni at supporters of liberal party ay medyo opinionated pero hindi kami mamemeke ng news.
I agree that when they want to single out and bully it is OK but when they feel that the tide is against them or the tables has turned they cry foul.
Per pundit laws vs. Fake News may backfire.
De ja vu on cyber libel or plain libel.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/935164/laws-on-fake-news-may-be-used-vs-activists-journalists-professors-warn/story/
That is exactly the problem. Like Senator Sotto getting, or seeking to get, Cocoy jailed for building web sites that critics used. And how the ATL law is used to harass journalists.
Yes speaking of ATL.
Lorraine Badoy was one of the resource speakers who was a no show.
I hope Cocoy is doing well.
The Sottos almost got a film director jailed recently
Darryl Yap is definitely not a nice person, Maid in Malacañang was pure propaganda done for Imee and the recent stuff on Sottos, well..
The question of how you prevent clear lies from spreading while allowing people freedom of speech as in opinions is a topic for itself. Philippine libel law has the defect of being based on old Spanish notions of libel that anything that demeans a person even if true dishonors them.
How can I forget maid in Malacanang? My sympathy meter just lowered.
wonderful! some of our journalists are fake journalists and engage in misinformation, selling falsehood to the highest bidder. as well as being willing participants to discredit and malign someone.
real journalists do their homework before publishing their stories. and if they got hit with libel, the court will decide on the intent of the published material; being hit with libel does not necessarily meant jail time.
as for activist, libel is the least of their worry.
Thanks for the info.
They keep on hyping and faking videos.
I get the vibe that they no longer have as much traction as before.
Of course, I am not on the ground. It is just an impression I get from afar.
Sara is impeached. Let us see what Imee does even she “shrugged off” what Sara said about the remains of her father.
I mean the masses who did cheer Duterte some years ago.
Joey mentioned that some of his Visayan friends are starting to doubt Digong.
Re my coming article tomorrow, it doesn’t mention Pulang Araw teleserye.
BUT has the vibe changed there on China after Alice Guo and all that?
Why am I mentioning Pulang Araw? It is because some of the Filipinos who were reserved about the USA saw the Japanese as “Asian brothers” as opposed to the USA and welcomed the Japanese occupation. There is a certain parallel to the mindset of some pro-China Filipinos.
A lot of Philippine debates with history aren’t really about the past. They can be like blind item articles, a way of touching topics without really touching them.
Abangan, with regards to that aspect of my article tomorrow, hehe.
Also the INC, they just held a nationwide rally against Sara impeachment in advance.
Let us see.
The trial will be after elections. I hope Bato and Bong Go would not be reelected, but there is still Robin if this drags on past July.
It would be impossible for the EJK and or drug war victims just to take Duterte sitting down. Plus his narcolist matrix victims too.
Now this is not fake.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2031790/house-impeaches-vp-duterte-fast-tracking-transmittal-to-senate
Wow! Bit of a stunner, that.
I was stunned too.
Hi Joeam, I have observed that the youth who are engaged in social media are more into promoting themselves (selfies) than engaging in other aspects. I used to ocassionally link my blog posts on Facebook but not anymore. I have no readers there except one or two. In WordPress, even if it is public, people appreciate what I write. I’ve met so many authors and writers from different countries here.
Yes, I think reading these days is not as enriching for “young” people as the more immediate and tangible social media postings. That the tangible social media postings are unhinged fictions of the mind seems not to trouble anybody. In that world, the comments here are like fresh water in a desert.
I will back read your articles. Oh boy, very interesting articles.
Feel free Karl, thanks.
Like a Star Wars poster
This was for the Bing Generated Image.
This was also generated by Bing with a prompt about Filipino thinkers and both modern and traditional, elite and masses aspects of Philippine society. Bing Image creator can be crazy.
This is what it gave me for clean and dirty kitchen as the Philippines with some more complex descriptions to tune stuff.
Somewhat scary..
Is that our dear corporal in the middle, with mango avenue combined with Filipino mythic creatures on the right?
I did ask to portray good and evil, virtuous and sinful etc etc, so that was one of many results. A bit like Miguel Syjuco in his novel Ilustrado described Manila as cathedral and brothel.
Don’t you fret, dear Joe. I am raising my son, who’s 18 to read and think critically. He also aspires to be a wordsmith. So, I a may be in the minority, but we have to start somewhere and hope for the best. The future is not ours, but it’s for the youth.
That is uplifting to know, Grace. Terrific work!
There are two types of intellectuals I’ve seen online in the last decade: the first being sane people who actually care about the country. They have equitable ideas, they go into action, they are actual doers, they don’t advertise themselves, and they ask for compassion and empathy. They are, however, far few in number.
And then there’s the performative, emotionally-charged “intellectuals”, wanting to exclude the lower classes from nation-building such as the right to vote just because the lower classes (supposedly) voted for right-wing candidates regardless of the circumstances, and lump them as “lacking intelligence and breed like rabbits”.
If there is decline in interest in this blog and others like it, part of the reason is ongoing disillusionment of the young and even some of the old — all wallowing in social media doomscrolling — with the existing system, those who previously tried to change the world in 2016 and 2022, and now the coming elections are heightening those fears again, what with the repeated sharing of recent SWS survey results which have mostly exploitative politicians hogging those results.
That is a nice cut on things, the quiet and the insane, detached from sense, emotional calm, and togetherness by the angst and divisions promoted by social media. Fits. The only counter is counseling and self-discovery among the insane.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/02/05/2419265/university-hot-water-over-english-only-policy
I have mixed feelings.
Partt of me thinks that the EOP should only be in the BPO sector
part of me thinks it is OK for schools to have EOP
It depends on what the goals are. The university seeks to produce graduates employable around the world, as others seek to produce graduates employable in the Philippines. Students can follow whichever path they choose and critics are free to howl into the wind for distance. I wholeheartedly support the university.
Your input made me lean towards the University.
I think the concern is from historians, not government, and I would think the university should be able to make decisions like that. It hurts no one, it helps those who study there.
Any language teacher will confirm that mixing languages is bad for learning them properly.
The topic of how Filipino was taught badly and failed as a project is a topic for itself. Re Spanish, even the Instituto Cervantes teachers recognize that someone who talks like in the Royal Spanish dictionary would sound like a madman. The German Goethe Institute has stopped teaching German in a way that made Japanese who learned there sound ridiculous to Germans of the 1980s. The French hopefully no longer insist on official IT terms that not even French use anymore just to avoid American borrowings. A problem I see with many Filipinos today is the inability to speak English without lapsing into Taglish. Visayans tend to speak straighter English than Tagalogs, though, and Ilokanos already chose English back in 1762.
we speak taglish coz we can. and everyone understands. but when our taglish speakers go overseas as invited lecturers like what leni did once in harvard, she spoke straight english and did not lapse into taglish, same with our delegates and govt officials when overseas on speaking tours, addressing international forums, world summits, etc. pres marcos addressed the united nations fully in english as did most of our delegates, their spoken english impeccable and well modulated. and when they spoke with foreign diplomats, it is all in english.
back home though, they all relapse to taglish, even gilbert teodoro.
You are right. It is rare that someone struggles to not speak Taglish even abroad like Maymay Entrata in the video below. Jamaicans usually also manage to code-switch (linguistic term) between patois and English. If we had another Dark Ages – quite possible no thanks to Trump – Taglish might evolve into an own language. Latin also became Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian after a while.
Yes, I am convinced that University should be allowed to decide on those matters.
the university probly needs to make it clear whether students have to speak english to janitors, cafeteria and karenderya staff when ordering food, and will they be required to answer in english too. do students have to speak english to the sekyus? what about visitors to the campus like maybe paramedics attending to emergency, will they have to speak english?
Reality bites. Thanks.
Culture evolves, dragging society along with it. Popular culture that can evolve rapidly but also fade quickly is still as important as the other cultural currents. If one expects to talk to cultural groups, then one must learn that group’s language. Today’s youth is tomorrow’s youth is tomorrow’s future. A unifying message can still be translated into “other languages.” If leaders can’t find a way to speak a certain cultural language, then they should find a “translator.”
I prefer long form communication but the culture has already shifted, and we must all recognize that. The worldwide liberal project has suffered in recent decades because it had catered too much to the high educated and the affluent. There is an assumption that the goodness in people will prevail, yet liberals oddly don’t do much to encourage that goodness to come to light. Liberals have been too convinced that their policies will speak for themselves, while becoming addicted to cultural currency as well as hard currency from rich donations. When the liberal remains aloof, no wonder the forces of status quo, or worse the forces of reactionaries take hold and liberals are branded as elites. The other side has immensely more money from business concerns that don’t require intellectualism.
In politics we are in something akin to a war. Yes, perhaps the other side uses the political version of massed attacks, but the liberal side are like force that expects honor to rule, to be able to form orderly lines of battle, then are shocked when their lines get overrun. There is no attempt at “shaping operations,” to use a military tactical term. If “war is the continuance of politics by other means” (Clausewitz), then effective messaging are the political shaping operations in order to focus support for policies. In order to do that liberals need to employ translators who can speak the cultural “native language” of each possible ally.
Liberals need to get off of the addition with cultural relevancy through centralized mass communication, and wean off of catering to rich but liberal benefactors. The other side has already mastered social media, social media which has already made traditional mass media largely irrelevant. The money amassed by the other side overwhelms what the well-meaning rich can muster. The message needs to be raising salaries for all, through new economic opportunities afforded by the realignment of globalism. Each stakeholder needs to be assigned their own communicator. To the urban poor, dignified factory jobs to address unemployment. To the rural poor, an organized government program for mechanization, support for new planting methods, infrastructure to get agriculture products to market. To the urban affluent, their businesses and services will improve if everyone has more money to spend. This notion of “trust in us,” everything will be great is totally wrong and ineffective. People expect results, and liberals have largely not delivered due to wringing their hands in requirements and policy discussions. Yes, things are more complicated than my simplistic portrait, but without taking the first step no one would ever reach the goal.
Great assessment of liberal failings through good intentions. I think Trump is forcing US libs to act, so maybe they will become more purposeful and aggressive. The Philippines has the additional problem that the masses seem to detest success, not just be complacent about it. But is also a moving playing field.
Only two weeks in and utter chaos reigns over here. Civil servant friends have been furloughed illegally without pay. Democrats have been complacent with easy money from liberal billionaires funding campaigns, not just recently but since 1968. Problem is the other side has much more money. Democrats are finally showing some signs of life.
Over in the Philippines, Filipino liberals have the same problem, relying too much on cultural capital and the largesse of the affluent. Something needs to change. People need to learn how to fight again for what they believe in.
in the philippines, because of lack of resources fighters are like guerillas, they fight and run, and fight again another day. they mostly fight asymmetrically with no known battleline and like prn medicine; pro renata, fight only when needed.
Indeed there are many examples of bravery in liberal Filipino politics that is almost like a guerrilla fight. The unfortunate part is much like the guerrillas of the NPA, the opposition is rather disjointed with small bands spread out with loose coordination, only to be crushed by a more organized foe. I hope there will emerge a unifier among the opposition 😕
The masses do love success if it comes to someone perceived as like them. Pacquiao was the first example, and the Filipino pop idols of today also are. Some fans of the latter have said their stars inspired them to work to succeed.
Like them doesn’t necessarily mean brown skinned and flat nosed as MRP liked to say. Among Filipino pop idols, it can be that they are up to the “Korean standard” of perfecting their act through hard training, but still crack jokes normal Filipinos can relate to. Sure, I have ventured into a world where I risk not really catching the popular drift, being a bit clueless like Mar Roxas yet seen as cringe by our usual crowd. But maybe, maybe, the Filipino orphan is growing up, having left the workhouse and also found out Fagin isn’t that cool, to use Dickensian analogies.
Yes, good point. And I hope so on the growing up part.
Trust in us- Thus can be just sit back and relax and leave everything to us or
Trust in us so you could help us help you.
Your chem teacher example is the former, no bueno.
Ako ang bahala, ikaw ang kawawa. The bahala kayo sa buhay ninyo outburst of Mar Roxas was used against him in the 2016 elections to portray him as an uncaring rich kid while his being hands-on was mocked as trying too hard.
There were a lot of Duterte supporters in 2016 who voted DuRo, meaning Leni for VP as they perceived her as caring for the people on the ground, even as by 2022 the poison of portraying her as lutang and boba already had spread.
Thanks for again, I remember that bahala kayo sa buhay nyo being edited maliciously.
A major issue with discourse in the Philippines – even among intellectuals – is that many view exchanges of opinions more like a cockfight to be won.
I mean, if I thought like that, I would see myself as Joey’s freshly cooked tinola by now.
Part of that is that many don’t dare articulate what they don’t like, Manolo Quezon described Filipino culture as passive-aggressive. Or they break out in anger after having not articulated concerns, also not a constructive way to deal with stuff. This is why we have a lot of Filipinos abroad here, many who have lived for a long time in the West and have learned to articulate concerns without being either timid or combative like a lot of Filipinos in the Philippines.
Well this kind of un-intellectualism exists elsewhere, though it can be said that it is prevalent in the Philippines based on my own observation. As an American, I can’t criticize too harshly as a similar strain has now emerged here in the US.
While liberalism is associated with the left nowadays due to decades of vilification of the term by the American and European right, classical liberalism actually encompasses both the center-left and center-right. Liberalism in the classical sense just means the belief in the fundamental human rights of: liberty for all individuals, consent of the governed (social contract), political equality regardless of money or class, a right to own private property, and equality of law through blind justice. Nowadays there are even some who argued they are *perfectly* centrist to gain a position of moral superiority, which is a laughable position to take.
Arguments of moral or intellectual superiority in debates or opinion actually suppress the free exchange of information and is illiberal. Groups often form that reinforce their own ideological orthodoxy in the pursuit of purity. I don’t think it’s bad to disagree on positions but to smear another as morally or intellectually deficient just because they did not accept the orthodoxy is wholly illiberal. Such actions start to form a cult of ideology around orthodoxy of thought rather than debating the merits of an idea. The progression of purity tests has gone as far as ideologies becoming akin to team sports, where a faction can swing wildly in syncretic ideology that doesn’t fit together at all, but all is excused in the name of orthodoxy. That is to say, the orthodoxy of thought is not on the merits of ideas but rather whatever the faction currently thinks will buttress their team’s position.
I have been challenged in the Philippines, but considering that I’m quite tall compared to the average Filipino, and that I’m not a pushover, and that I positively have an intense expression at times if I become serious, I can’t say that anyone has been successful in cowing me. Mostly a Filipino will challenge me if their sense of pride or honor had been damaged, usually on topics relating to something that may break the national mythic illusion that is ingrained in school. I’ve pointedly asked at times why exactly were those individuals so upset, and the few who took a step back to consider my query were befuddled. When such strong opinions are attached to ideas that can’t be easily defended without great gymnastics of mental logic, I question whether those ideas were strong to begin with. With a dose of humility, we can all recognize weak ideas and start anew with fresh, strong ideas.
I might add that I had the most arguments with UP students/graduates I’ve met. Most did not take up the applied sciences as their main course btw.
Also, I cook rather excellent tinolang manok, especially if I have access to a freshly procured chicken hehe.
Well, Ninotchka Rosca did tell me that one-upmanship is typically UP. So you did not make tinola of the UP students you defeated ? Hmm even my Twitter followers considered my satire of making Harry Roque into lechon gross.
I’d need to be extremely angry to the point of seeing red before I start warpathing. The English equivalent of making tinola would probably be making mincemeat. I’d prefer to not be rude, even if the other person deserved it in kind but yes there were times I lost my cool and left destruction in the wake. I wonder if those people are still emotionally damaged 😅 Usually I go by my mother’s philosophy, which is to deploy sarcasm. If the other person did not get that they were just demolished then they’re probably an idiot to begin with. Well some people are extremely dense and are convinced of their own superiority, so we cannot help those like your old Twitter followers.
Well, tinola is what they make of the dejado or loser in a cockfight. A Bikolano who used to comment a lot here called me a Texas leghorn when it comes to arguing. Must be the legacy of my family with a lot of lawyers. But the analogy of argument as sabong is part of Filipino culture. Or maybe the one who loses is seen as similar to the one who loses his head in the Cordilleran tradition of headhunting. In any case, the culture of discourse is still a bit underdeveloped over there, Joe has written of face and power and describes that well.
I prefer “just talking about stuff” as Karl once described blogs, or a kind of virtual inuman session without alcohol. If ever at most sparring, unless, of course, a true challenge comes. Learning is more important to me than always having a contest.
I was the captain of the debate club in high school, and participated in informal debates at the collegiate level. There was a time I saw debate as a way to exert superiority, but I concluded that was not productive and is a corruption of the purpose of debate. Well a debate is supposed to be an exchange of ideas with the goal of getting the opponent to change his position, or at least concede his position is not on sure footing. I found that in practice that there is rarely any ideas exchanged when opponents are so invested in their beliefs, so I stopped at the collegiate level. Ok, I guess I still debate theology with door-to-door preachers. They kind of deserve to be infuriated, haha.
Interesting that debate in Filipino society is seen akin to sabong. I had not heard of that or considered that analogy. I just know that Filipinos can often be extremely passionate on their positions, even if the position was built on shaky ground. Also interesting that sabong is a low-stakes gambling sport, like playing legally sanctioned lottery or jueteng out in the provinces. Come to think about it most forms of gambling in the Philippines are low-stakes. If winning arguments in the Philippines is like sabong, that could also be an analogy of wasted time with so much emotional energy invested in defeating a karibal when the issue at hand ultimately isn’t that serious to begin with.
I do recall in an informal debate back in university between capitalism and communism, the foreign student from China who was trampling others used his ultimate trump card: communism is better because even North Korea was on the verge of nuclear weapons (NK had recently left the Non-Proliferation Treaty at the time). I countered by simply pointing out if the communist system was so great, then why did he as a devout believer in Chinese communism go to the US for university compared to the amount of Western students in the PRC? Crickets. Surprisingly that opponent who had grown up under and still believed in a communist system had much more self-introspection than the American far-leftists participating in that debate.
you are right, these days many filipinos in our country choose their own battle, walk away from fights and bid their time. to stage an ambush!
discourse is uncomfortable specially if it goes one way, unequal coz the other party is probly mouthy, loud, over confident and connected compared to the silent types who watch and observe and kept to themselves, can only visually huff and puff thus affected, and say nothing. but the red flags are there they’ll hit back when convenient. the playing field made even.
though the intellectuals having won over from their opponents may crow to the high heavens but they are not so stupid to think their victory is forever and the opponent stays beaten forever. usually an intelligent victor is magnanimous in victory and shakes hand with the loser, saying maybe, gosh, I never did imagine you were such a tough opponent! and let the loser exit gracefully.
Joey as an ever aspiring intellectual.
I see your concern for the D and E and in relation to the Discussion of Masses and the Elite. ( Wataru Kusaka)
And I asked ChatGpt for a hypothetical Rewrite of CK Prahalad’s Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid.
A hypothetical rewrite of C.K. Prahalad’s Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid might evolve to reflect contemporary challenges, insights, and innovations. Here’s an approach that updates the key themes:
Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: A New Era of Sustainable Inclusion
In this revised edition, the core message remains focused on the untapped market potential at the “Bottom of the Pyramid” (BoP) — the billions of people living in poverty, often ignored by traditional business models. However, this version would shift emphasis to the importance of sustainability, technology, and inclusive growth. The new framework integrates the latest thinking on regenerative development and the evolving role of businesses in fostering shared value, going beyond charity and empowerment.
1. Redefining the BoP Market: A Global Transformation
The chapter would start by re-contextualizing the BoP from a purely economic viewpoint to a more multidimensional perspective. It would discuss how the BoP today is not just a passive market but an active, vibrant community engaged in economic activity, enabled by rapid technological access and growing entrepreneurial capacities. It would also address the growing recognition of how climate change and geopolitical shifts are impacting this segment, making resilience and adaptability essential for businesses serving the BoP.
2. Innovative Business Models for Impact
The discussion on business models would evolve, with an emphasis on inclusive innovation rather than just bottom-line-driven strategies. Emphasizing collaboration with local communities, businesses could use design thinking and co-creation processes to create products and services that meet the needs of BoP populations. Additionally, there would be a focus on digital solutions, such as mobile financial services, and the rise of social enterprises that blend profit with social impact.
3. Technology and Data Empowering the BoP
The role of technology has evolved significantly, so this chapter would dive deeper into how emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain are empowering the BoP to leapfrog traditional development models. It would also emphasize data as a key resource — not just for businesses but for communities to unlock solutions for local challenges, from healthcare to education.
4. Environmental Responsibility and Regenerative Practices
An updated edition would focus on how businesses serving the BoP must be at the forefront of sustainability practices. This includes not only mitigating environmental harm but adopting regenerative models that restore ecosystems and improve community resilience. Regenerative agriculture, circular economy models, and green finance would all be woven into strategies for reaching the BoP in ways that leave a lasting positive impact.
5. Governance and Partnerships for Scale
While the original text highlighted partnerships with NGOs, governments, and private sectors, the new version would underscore the importance of collaborative governance and the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in scaling sustainable solutions. It would highlight specific case studies where companies have worked alongside local governments, communities, and international organizations to create scalable, impactful solutions in sectors like renewable energy, water sanitation, and affordable housing.
6. Metrics for Success Beyond Profit
In this section, Prahalad’s original focus on profitability would be expanded to incorporate a broader set of metrics, including social and environmental returns on investment (SROI). The chapter would argue that long-term success in BoP markets requires measuring impact across multiple dimensions, from quality of life improvements to social equity, environmental sustainability, and community empowerment.
7. The Role of Gender and Social Inclusion
This revision would place much more emphasis on the importance of gender equality and inclusive business practices. Recognizing the unique barriers faced by women and marginalized communities at the BoP, the text would discuss how empowering these groups is critical not only for social justice but also for unlocking new markets and creating more resilient communities.
By reflecting on these contemporary shifts, the book would offer a more holistic and forward-thinking view of what it means to serve the “Bottom of the Pyramid” in a way that is economically profitable, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable. The key takeaway would be that the BoP represents not just a market for consumption but a vital part of a global ecosystem that can drive innovation, equity, and long-term sustainability for all.
ChatGPT is “woke” based on number 7, which will set it in conflict with fascists like Trump who need enemies to stoke the fires of (racist) loyalty.
Plus Musk is making OpenAI his new enemy.
Leaving this here for reference:
A major issue in the Philippines based on that article is that the experiential and anecdotal aspect of knowledge is out of sync with the abstract. That also leads to wrong conclusions either based totally on thin air or on incidents. It can also lead to laws being passed but not having implementing rules and having implementing rules but not being fully applied. It can lead to plans out of touch with reality or no plans at all as they are seen as useless. The link between the concrete and abstract has to be strengthened, also by education.
Yes indeed. If you are the pinball bouncing off electric posts, gravity will eventually drag you down the fail chute. From above, you can see the flippers. Tee hee
So over there, either be the NEDA person who creates very theoretical studies or the casual employee who just does what he is told and if he can think pretends not to think.
Don’t be someone like Mar Roxas, who actually tried to get stuff done. In Germany, they say something like expect sawdust in a sawmill, but in the Philippines, they will gleefully nitpick. And if you are Leni Robredo, who is there when every storm comes, they’ll take you for granted.