Yellow “elitism” is a myth created by trolls

By JoeAm Former President Aquino, and Yellows in general . . . who today include any critic of the Duterte Administration, most of them being advocates of the Constitution, democracy, human rights, and civility . . . are often labeled as “elitist”. This is meant to suggest that they are arrogant and out of touch … Continue reading

To Spin Manila’s Water Shortage

By Popoy Del R. Cartanio A writer of paid rubbish or the truth can put a spin to anything. To spin is to inform, to sell, to ignite the emotions of anger and sympathy; even to make mountains out of molehills and vice versa to demonstrate fawning and fluid sycophancy. Quite often a spin is … Continue reading

Filipino exceptionalism, Filipino moral courage

By JoeAm We normally hear of “American exceptionalism”, meant to characterize the economic, moral, and global power of the United States. And we might imagine the term “Chinese exceptionalism” to mean that nation’s historical claim to global prominence, or “Swiss exceptionalism” to mean determined neutrality, or “Japanese exceptionalism” to mean racial purity and discipline. How … Continue reading

Do you see the difference?

By JoeAm A lot of Filipinos are space cadets. They are children watching cartoons on TV all day, or scaredy cat scouts sitting around the campfire listening to stories about snipes and dreaming of catching one. They are the subject of Kafka’s novels about absurdity, the people doing nonsense because it is simply what they … Continue reading

We are “Plac’d on this isthmus of a middle state” . . .

By JoeAm One of my sources, those spread across the globe like a spider’s web, each node a listening post, today entrusted me with the wisdom of Alexander Pope, which I shall reproduce in a moment. Do you read poetry? Not many do, I think. Anyone who reads poetry has undoubtedly tried, and maybe succeeded, … Continue reading