⌛ Our damaged culture needs urgent repair

Explaining culture...... How do you describe "hot" without referring to "cold"..... or sweet without contrasting it with sour..... things are most often described in contrast to something else.... Germany has a distinctive culture but many Germans would have difficulty describing it....
Most Filipinos know they have a culture but do not know how to articulate that culture.... contrast it with another culture.....especially if they never experienced another culture

We as visitors can do a better job of describing the Philippines culture because many of us constantly contrast their culture with our own....
Many things Filipinos accept as "normal"..... would never be normal in our cultures

EXAMPLE The simple fact most of us have seen..... they will forgive transgression by family members that would NEVER be accepted say.....in America ..... my wife's sisters routinely use my wife's clothes and jewelry without even asking.... my wife is expected to support the family.... regardless if they deserve support or not.....THEY ARE FAMILY
Pakiki Sama.....Filipinos will forgive things / actions other cultures would NEVER forgive.....

Culture is created everyday..... if Filipinos do not protect and save their traditional culture they could end up with a "new" possibly less admirable culture

 

Agreed!

Just Hope we don't see in Manila, what is happening in the streets of Lybia just now though.

 

Their problem is that they really don't know how to hate. They can get angry for the moment and fly off the handle but have a hard time holding a grudge.

 

Sometimes!

Kenny, In the main I agree, we have a situation just now, my eldest Sister-in-law has an issue with the Family, Her husband has ended up barring ALL from his house, I have found out out not to interfere but when I ventured to ask, what was going on, I was told, HE does not like us. What would he know, he's from Luzon. He doesn't know our ways. Seems they can hold some grudge, when it is one of their own but a Stranger amongst them. We are Foreigners but if Pinoy, from another Island you are a stranger, have you ever come across this?


Jack P.

 

well I certainly disagree about the german part of explaining culture...

that family thingy and sharing has absolutely nothing to do with specific local culture, that is in each poor society in the world no matter if in africa or india or our "first world cultures" some 100 years back where poor people live in small spaces together..

I also don't ask a foreigner to explain pinoy culture, i ask pinoys and try to get explenations adn thats the point where it quickly ends.

culture is something complex but main-ingredients defining it are law, moral, knowledge, belief, habits and capabilities, where it brings us again to the OP about the today's culture.

 

I know an American and a Filipino from Makati, both here but married to wives from Luzon, who told me their wives aren't treated well by locals because they don't speak the dialect (not sure if that is the only reason) and that their wives are not happy here and the American looking to move back to Luzon. So maybe there is a provincial culture; not necessarily country wide.

I can say this from experience, there is a huge difference dating a wise Manila/Makati girl then dating a Negros Oriental girl, call it culture or whatever.

 

During my recent visit to P.I. I was aware that if the Filipino spoke with a different dialect he/she would be treated different to a local! eg; (pay more!). So wherever we visited in our little group the "Local" would do the business, just like one price for foreigner's, another for Pinoy.

 

Have to agree with Rhoody, my Question was very quickly dismissed, Answered but Sort of, END OF Conversation.
John Boys post, confirms the local issue on pricing things though, Strange how after all these years, only now, do I see that it is not just us foreigners getting the higher price. Well, we live and learn.

Jack P.

 

Food for Thought!

Seems this chap was saying this sort of thing, Negros is full of No Hopers, No work, No education, No Money. I get the impression he looks down on our Island Hosts and certainly the family. Odd he has not said a bad word to me, or my Canadian Nephew-in-Law. Then, neither, of us are in the PI at this time. As is said to us Foriegners sometimes, Why are you still here? This would would be my answer to him.
I will add that all our Household work, have a buisiness, he is on a Police Pension, maybe sour grapes.

Jack P.

 

My mother was full blooded Cherokee and you are right about the sharing amongst the poor who live in small spaces together.
Dad had a problem with Mom's family wanting things all the time, but he was stubborn and told them all to get their own as he had to.
It is a tribal thing and the only way humans could survive and flourish.
The time does come when "tribes" have outlived their usefulness and people can/should provide for themselves.
Amongst the very poor, the time is not right, but for those able to work,well they should work and get their own.