Jose Rizal meets the Governor General; we learn Ibarra is a Yellow

By Joe America Jose Rizal covered many of the topics we discus today because the Philippines hasn’t changed much in 125 years. I am reading Noli Me Tangere as translated by Leon Ma. Guerrero who, according to Manuel L. Quezon III, does the best job of highlighting the satirical qualities of Rizal’s writing while other … Continue reading

When government bullshits you

By Joe America I have an advanced college degree in communications from one of the best communications schools on the planet at the University of Southern California. You know Walter Annenberg? Dude funded a lovely school, lovely. I recite these credentials so you know I’m an expert at this stuff. I’ve examined everything from newscasts … Continue reading

The Philippines, a nation apart from concepts and knowledge

By Joe America I’ve finally figured out how to reconcile the absolute stupidity of governance in the Philippines – brutal, corrupt, and incompetent – with the fact that the nation’s people are decent, warm, quick of wit, and fun to be around . . . and ‘satisfied’ with a stupid, punitive form of government. I … Continue reading

Accidental malice, the way of our times

By JoeAm I was struck the other day by the realization of how much unthinking effort we put into living other people’s lives for them. I was stuck at an intersection, about to go through, when a car popped out from behind a truck. I could see him, but the guy behind me could not, … Continue reading

Weaponizing sense

By JoeAm I’d like to build on a prior article that explained how people on Twitter know more about what is happening than people in Philippine government. This is also true to an extent about Facebook, but Facebook mixes in more personal experiences. Twitter is less personal, less emotional, and more fact and concept driven. … Continue reading