⌛ Our damaged culture needs urgent repair

a very brave article, very true. I believe this country needs a leader with a strong hand and no peoples power. don't see any people here i wanna give power...

 

One thing that has always interested me though, under the colonial mentality section, the good ole US of A always seems to be blamed for most of the country's ills.
However, Spain, with it's long history of subjugation and counter culture against the natives (e.g. religion, serfdom etc) always seems to be forgotten. Let's not forget that the Spanish sold this country for $20 million dollars (Treaty of Paris 1898), after they had lost control in the same year (first Philippine Republic etc). They did after all, literally and economically, rape and pillage the place since 1565.
Surely, some of the blame for the state and mentality of the country must be placed at our 'Amigos' doorstep too.

 

This writer's columns have a very strong anti-American theme.... Blaming us directly or indirectly for much of what is wrong here..... and he makes some valid points....but his myopia is that he....one....does not give America credit for the good things they have done......and.....two, does not take responsibility for the inaction of his own countrymen..... they have been on their own for 60 years.....they all recognize what is "wrong"..... yet they have done NOTHING..... are Americans to blame for 60 years of apathy???

 

well, I don't like anybody no matter from where anyway...
There is a VERY specific attitude of a small fraction in many countries which makes the whole population of that country being generalized.
No matter if French, German, Dutch, Italian, there are very specific attitudes...

guess what that specific attitude for the population of the US is

 

Do not know..... ??? What is it

 

I assume you mean it sarcastic, so take miner the same way...

a look in the mirror will give it to you

 

I am too close.... can not see as clearly as you....

besides I am hardly a typical American.... as most of the American's at McDo will swear to.....

 

typical American evaluation :-)

Where do those at M. learn of someone who, not being a typical American, is not found at M.?

 

guess that's why you moved you late morning office to Sans Rival as at Mc Do nobody could listen anymore.

but here is what you could try ...

...go back to the mirror, but stay one meter (about 3 feet for you) back and you will find out that the universe does not spin around you, of course only if you can take a eye away a second from all that glory and majesty you are looking at ...

Anyway, that thread is not about you and America (I know for some it is hard to hear that), so back to the topic....

The Author has many valid points and it is well worth reading ... The Philippines as a country is the mixture of many different languages and cultures.

Getting that all together under one hat very rarely worked out in history.

Where to start in the PI ? IMHO there need to be a total educational reform. When we got Rechels son one year ago, he did speak Warai-Warai, not any English and ok Tagalog after 5 years in a public school in Tacloban. This is 24 years after Filipino and English are declared the national languages.

So, as his English is not there yet, we sent him to a public school with a OK rep in Dumaguete. What a surprise, they teach in Bisayan with English a few hours a week ... again ... 24 years after the national language is declared. There are not many outside Metro Manila who care what is decided there.

Looking at school books, I can see a lot of brainwashing going on and telling the kids how great everything here is, simply building up a false pride. In Daisy's books the national hero was abroad, no word that he gained most of his philosophical education in Madrid, Paris and Heidelberg in highly honorable Universities and very distinct cultural influence (this is not anti american!)

What we expats and foreigner can do ? starting in our own small world around us. Spending time with our youngsters, explaining, leading them, broaden their vision, helping them to understand.. that all might just help a little, but at least we can do something...

 

Thinking about colonialism, how many former colonies have truly prospered? Taking away the commonwealth countries (don't know history well enough to know if they were considered colonies like those others in Africa or SE Asia were, seems like the Philippines are doing quite well compared to many. I am a strong believer in freedom but if you went from a colony to a useless dictatorship, were you better off?