why blog?
why indeed? Couple of reasons...
A lot of people write interesting things on the net, but despite this being accessible to the WWW, one gets the feeling its bad form to rain on someone else's parade, or even worse, grab the limelight on their turf, hence the need for my own.
Someone else out there laments the negativity of the media in the Philippines today. Sheesh I thought - couldn't he pick an easier topic to talk about? There are so many facets in that area one can only pick at the edges...
The wife and I share an interest in this, both still feeling an intense interest in the place we left 25 years ago now.
Typically articles about Filipinos cite examples of achievement to establish the proposition that we are just as good, or have the capacity to do just as well as the best out there. For the wife and I, its old hat to read this thing again. Almost a statement of motherhood. Everyone of us who has managed some modicum of success overseas is testament to this. That's not the point - and the fact that this self-congratulation still happens is in itself symptomatic of whatever it is that ails the Philippines. So what? What good is it? What looks back when we look in the mirror?
Common sense tells us we've got to be able to define a problem in order to solve it? Where do you start with the Philippines? I would like to see someone articulate what is wrong with us. This brings us back to my opening paragraphs. Sure we have to feed our soul, keep our stories alive in order that our culture outlasts our bodies. But as the bloody soapies would put it, there is the resounding question...BAKIT????? At some point we as a nation have to come to terms with our problem and maybe the negativity is our feeble and ineffectual attempts at healing ourselves.
If you haven't already noticed, much of this blog will have my thoughts on the Philippines. For some levity I'll drift to other things from time to time. For now, before I return to my studies on Tort(s), this will do for tonight.
A lot of people write interesting things on the net, but despite this being accessible to the WWW, one gets the feeling its bad form to rain on someone else's parade, or even worse, grab the limelight on their turf, hence the need for my own.
Someone else out there laments the negativity of the media in the Philippines today. Sheesh I thought - couldn't he pick an easier topic to talk about? There are so many facets in that area one can only pick at the edges...
The wife and I share an interest in this, both still feeling an intense interest in the place we left 25 years ago now.
Typically articles about Filipinos cite examples of achievement to establish the proposition that we are just as good, or have the capacity to do just as well as the best out there. For the wife and I, its old hat to read this thing again. Almost a statement of motherhood. Everyone of us who has managed some modicum of success overseas is testament to this. That's not the point - and the fact that this self-congratulation still happens is in itself symptomatic of whatever it is that ails the Philippines. So what? What good is it? What looks back when we look in the mirror?
Common sense tells us we've got to be able to define a problem in order to solve it? Where do you start with the Philippines? I would like to see someone articulate what is wrong with us. This brings us back to my opening paragraphs. Sure we have to feed our soul, keep our stories alive in order that our culture outlasts our bodies. But as the bloody soapies would put it, there is the resounding question...BAKIT????? At some point we as a nation have to come to terms with our problem and maybe the negativity is our feeble and ineffectual attempts at healing ourselves.
If you haven't already noticed, much of this blog will have my thoughts on the Philippines. For some levity I'll drift to other things from time to time. For now, before I return to my studies on Tort(s), this will do for tonight.
posted by JayM at 9:18 pm
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