A Must Read for the Guilty

A mix of emotions attack me every time I see a little boy or girl running naked in a pile of trash on the side of the street.

The first instinct - as any human should respond - is to ask how can I help? The first instinct is quickly followed by a second and more passionate response - anger - wondering how the parents can just sit and watch idly by? The third - which is probably only a product of spending a considerable amount of time throughout SE Asia and the Subcontinent over the last few years - is to then be able to divorce myself from the 'human' emotions and be able to rationalise and explain the poverty and suffering.

The Philippines' abounds with natural resources. South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong or Japan do not. The latter countries of course are notable for being amongst the world's most successful OECD nations; the former famous for being a third-world backwater.

Internet chat rooms and blogs rage with discussion by foreigners (asian and white) claiming Pinoys are amongst the laziest people on earth and local Pinoys debunking the 'myth' pointing to the success of OFW's (Overseas Foreign Workers) as proof that not only are Pinoys not lazy, they are valued throughout the world.

Both views are correct.

OFW's - the greatest contributant to the Filipino economy through overseas remittances - have formed the backbone of the Mid-East's workforce and occupy the kitchens and factories of Europe. It is simply a fact that the OFW workforce is neither lazy nor unappreciated, albeit probably underpaid for the back breaking work they undertake.

The problem with containing an analysis of the Filipino work culture to the OFW experience is that it takes no account of the expectations and standards of countries where OFW's operate. To say that a Filipino worker in Singapore is a hard worker is more likely a product of Singaporean culture and their country's high work standards than an individual Filipino's.

As I said in an earlier post, people are people anywhere in the world, but some societies demand a little more from its people, and some societies demand a lot less.

There isn't a problem in The Philippines which can't be laughed away, sang away or drank away. A very mature way to deal with the challenges of the 21st Century.

I've never met a happier group of people whilst at the same time, I've never met a group of people who seem less interested in dealing with any problems in their lives.

The article pasted below by James Fallows of the Atlantic Monthly caused a huge controversy when it was first published back in 1987. Locals were shocked that their American 'friends' would produce such a harsh critique not just of The Philippines' economy, but of the very culture itself. The article is as relevant today as it was then with only two updates to be made; one, the population has increased from the quoted 55 million to now 90 million (in 20 years) and the promised, if not hopeful, reforms were either not implemented or bore no success.

I urge all to read it who struggle to understand why some countries thrive, and others do not.

http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/archives/1987/11/a_damaged_culture_a_new_philip.php