"As American as Gonzo Porn"
Notes from a culture under crisis
It seems that a massive barrage of showbusiness, alongside crass politics turned every news report into a showcase of nonsense, turning what is something to inform about into what is worth assailing. Amdist poverty and tragic events that has to be tackled upon and resolved, anything that is "scandalous" courtesy of certain personalities, celebrities was arguably the most publicised every month, worse, trying to replace the issues that has to be tackled about in every circle.
For the common man whom had woke up just to hear shitty reports and a barrage of frustrations, it is considered common, usual in their eyes and ears no matter how nonsense it is; and the system whom tries to present as morally upright, rather peddles it citing its "profitability" especially in featuring artists, politicians and the scandals they've done; scandals stretched with a series of advertisements to promote and fresh faces to uncover. And the system, no matter how idiotic the message or idea being cultivated, rather tolerate it as its bread and circus, and in it it also "contributes" to a contemporary culture, identity that is different from what is usually being presented.
Incorrectly true so to speak that all after seeing the frustrations of the typical Filipino such as trying to be in, to be modern, to be famous amidst its shitty appearances others would treat it as a mere compliment if not an insult than to appreciate with, then yes, incorrectly to say that the country devoid of its own roots in building its own aspired future and instead creating a hell the system profits. A culture in crisis, a confused identity, is as its results.
But at first, since the Philippines tries to be like those from the west rather than those from the orient, basing much on its contemporary culture, then what kind of a westerner it is? Well, incorrectly speaking, it is been common to see the ways of the west imitated by the brown-skinned Asiatic such as a Filipino. Ranging from its fashion, music, drama, sport, and a variety of prederences, the Philippines is as if not an Oriental country regardless of being dubbed as the Pearl of the Orient.
But since it tries to be one of the occident, of the west, then what kind it is? For more than 300 years and its subsequent peonage its former colonisers, the Philippines had acted for both Europe and America. That Spain had brought the ways of the middle ages such as their interpretation of the faith and its frustrated theocracy brought by the ill-learned friars, yet they also brought the ideas from both Renaissance and the Enlightenment with the latter made Filipino emigres in Europe apply its ideas to their native settings. So was the United States whose idea they bought rather sprung from the Industrial Revolution and its then-modern gadgets people take pride for chrissakes instead of "democracy" and "freedom". These countries that brought 'light', 'greatness', 'beauty', or any other claptrap as well as its material gifts had made Juan, Juana, Jose, and Maria almost disregard the atrocities that made them resist and call for independence.
Yet, regardless of the shit would say that the ways of the west, along with the cultivated ways of the east makes a Filipino a Filipino. That in its centuries-old craftsmanship, innovation, indigenisation did gave the world an example in Music, Literature, and Art. But, on the other hand, the barrage of outside culture that is left uncontrolled, also brought problem such as what kind of Filipino has to identify itself: Is it Malayan, Hispanic, or a frustrated American Coloured?
Perhaps, to base from history, of trade routes, settlements, and a massive barrage of ideas outside, that the Filipino culture is almost foreign. For more than 300 years, cultivating a fusion of both east and west with the former as its base and the latter as its foundations. That the Lantakas are brought from Malaya (that in turn came from the Arabs and Chinese), while the works of Francisco Balagtas are inspired by the trobadours with its mediæval romances thanks to Spain and its Quixotic ambitions. The Emigrés such as Rizal, Luna, and members of the Propaganda Movement had brought the ideas of the enlightenment, that in turn indigenised by Bonifacio, Jacinto, and Sakay by fusing with the ideas cultivated by the native amidst different meaning (Bayani is not Heroé, and Himagsikan is not even Revolucion).
But these are superseded by the ready made ideas of the United States. The latter did somehow show the same virtue as what Rizal, Bonifacio had invoked, yet as said earlier, they show the wonders sprung from the Industrial Revolution. On the first place, their intention to occupy is not to put order, but to gain profits from its resources and serve as conduit to future markets in the far east such as China and Japan, they even compare Filipinos, no matter how civilized are they for generations, to other minorities of theirs such as "niggers and other riffraff".
And yet in its frustration to be an "American", with its massive "cheap" modernity given, disregards the slander and repression. "Forgive and forget" has been its alibi for making its own mind be desensitised and be replaced with the illusions to the extent of letting heritage be sacrifice for illusory progress. But come to think of this, they had sacrificed heritage for pseudo-modernity, save the repression and disenfranchisement that left the vast majority of Filipinos dwellth in poverty centuries ago. Amidst edifices of glass and steel, of rising economic rates, pseudo-cheap food and stuff being presented by the system's own blabbermouths, still age old tensions remain such as the sugar estates of Tarlac. Sadly, the desensitised mindset of the frustrated Yankee fails to see the reality of letting its own be sacrificed for few pieces of silver. Few would understand issues like Hacienda Lusita, Ampatuan massacre, up to the threats of demolition over El Hogar Filipino and the dilapidated Casa Sunico, as most chose to see Kim Kardashian's ass and new getups, state of the art bullshit Yankees likely to call them as "Over-Dressed Monkeys".
Anyways, the Philippines, in its desire to have a rapid growth, invariably looks at the model of the west as its model with the United States, its former coloniser as its example. Hoping that the model would steer good development, they would content in the ways of the west without looking at its own no matter how learned a person, or a group yet willing to offer an alternative that can able to steer better changes; but the system fails to take seriously amidst recognizing it initially the idea has been offered. Will these people whom favoring unjust neoliberal tendencies such as "free trade" accept industrialization? Nope, but rather making a stupid reply such as "passé".
There's even an article criticizing those who can't even support Philippines' own creation citing its backyard, makeshift-like appearance such as assembled from anything makeshift. But did they criticize those who demolish old yet significant buildings and threatened others? Of a nation failing to stimulate production and forcing to content in foreign investment, imports, and surpluses? Actually, they can't criticize for they think anything devoid of significance means gearing towards progress such as pulling down the edifices of the past, worse, describing them as full of grime, ugly as compared to what they sought in the present. Of describing anything as passé as they favor the insignificant "modern" that is sold no matter how expensive it is instead of just cleaning and refurbishing. How pity!
People may likely to disagree on this message, but, come to think of this, after years of studying Filipino consciousness such as its language, history, law and its culture, do they really have Filipino consciousness? Of geared towards social change and renaissance? Does education, no matter how modern it is had been practically put into the local setting? If not, then it is legit to say that education, no matter how modern it is, rather creates slaves in the name of markets and international capital. And if local cultures really smacks of genuine local pride, then why not smacks of reality and not of what the system hath been presented?
Perhaps if the Philippines wasn't been colonised, it would have been a part of Indonesia or Malaysia, that the Filipino everyone is speaking of is a mere dialect as most speaks Bahasa or Jawi, and still taking pride in its Bulawan, Keris, and Lantaka; if the Philippines had been remained independent after 1898, perhaps the ideas leading to "kaginhawaan" (prosperity) such as "kaliwanagan" (enlightenment) had been fostered further to the aspired populace through folk-oriented education and culture the way what Rizal and Bonifacio had insisted to its followers, aside from having the learned Ilustrados like Luna and Pio Valenzuela trying to make more effort in reconstructing the nation after years of struggle with its coloniser. Or simply because these people fighting for freedom aren't fighting for their country's freedom, but for their basic need such as a land to till and a bread to eat. How wonder why Lenin's call is Peace, Land, and Bread rather than Freedom alone.
But instead of what this writer had said, what most concerned people sought is a community gone degenerated regardless of what the system had presented such as a museumified piece shown to tourists, a culture that is treated for the sake of impressing that is devoid of self-respect, while on its vast subjects unjustly presented a canned shit reminiscent of American's own nutraloaf being served in prison not as a nourishing food but a punishment prisoners ought to feed on.
Of course it’s cool to say that Filipinos are Asian with the Balangay and the Banawe Rice Terraces as its example, but based on what actually sought, of seeing people trying hard to be like westerners in the Asia-Pacific, then who are we?
Who does the Filipino reader know more: Crisostomo Ibarra, Redentor da Penetrator, or Marcelo Santos?
Who is a great example for Filipino women: Gabriela Silang, Melchora Aquino, Maria Clara, Urduja, or Miley Cyrus?
Who is an ideal foreign statesman: Franklin Delano Roosevelt? John F. Kennedy? Ronald Reagan? George W. Bush?
Does Filipino literature of Balagtas and Bukaneg allude to Rabelais or Chaucer? The Iliad or Ramayana? The Trobadours or the blind singers?
Does it quote the Bible, Qur'an, Marcelo Santos, or the swag quotes more often in social media sites?
What kind of Music Filipinos love to imitate: female singers like Thalia or Fergie? Rock bands like Nirvana or All boys singing group like the Backstreet Boys? Rappers like Tupac Shakur, Kanye West, or Lil'Wayne?
Whose movies Filipinos ought to base upon: Bollywood with its song and dance numbers? Hollywood with its fantastic scenes? Korea with emphasis on love teams? Or Mexico with its romance?
Well, expect answers as more western and its bastardised counterparts. They would glorify Reagan since most Filipinos are frustrated American exceptionalists, that they would listen to Lil Wayne since they glorify crass pride than realism as Tupac Shakur speaks of. Movies would cling to a fusion of both Mexican and Korean kind with the former as its dominating thanks to a hundred years of being Hispanic and penchance in anything passionately romantic, and since this so-called Modern Filipino had cultivated these, then that Filipino is far from what is presented with the actuality shows how the Filipino itself is far from its once-colonised but culturally rooted ones like Malaysia and Indonesia. These two countries were colonized by the British and the Netherlander, yet they remained Malay with its rooted culture be tempered by the ideas brought by its coloniser. The Philippines, save for those who are deeply rooted in its heritage, end subscribed to wholesale westernisation that makes its own neither as Malayan as the Banawe rice terraces nor Hispanic as Manila's Intramuros, but American as Gonzo porn peddled at the streets of Quiapo. Yes, Gonzo porn that created pornstars like Kaylani Lei, Charmane Star, and others westerners think of about Filipinas.
These manifestations showed the actual such as a frustrated westerner rather than the idealised Filipino as deeply rooted in its heritage, history, culture, and identity. Perhaps, outside Mega Manila lies care for its own culture amidst commercialization and its effects (thanks to those whom are really concerned about their own consciousness). But as everyone noticed the policies of the present order, be it demolishing old yet remarkable structures to an education system that emphasise in English and slave mentalities, as well as focusing on globalisation and anything what that "single toothed monster" known as "Civilization" had given, has made the Philippines creates its own mess and still washing its own dirty linen amidst its self-proclaimed modernity.
No offence, but true as based from actual observation. In their perspective they show their pride regardless of being called as "overdressed monkeys" to the extent of disregarding dignity for gold dusts. That the system, in its interest-seeking ventures cares much about profit cares less about its own heritage, regardless of venting rhetorics such as about making a nation great. It may take years or even centuries, millenia for these people to regain their lost consciousness if that's the case despite having a museumified showcase and misemphasis on cultivating a domestic yet as what they say "globally-competitive" aspiration.
Once, Leticia Ramos-Shahani tried to make a set of ideas that involves "moral recovery", but did "moral recovery" supersede the neoliberal intentions of the present system supported by her brother, Ex-President Fidel Ramos? No. Not even Joseph Estrada failed to justify his patriotism citing the fact that he agreed US forces to 'visit' that also means tolerating their intrusion after being expelled last 1991. And Laurel's Racial Pride during the Japanese Occupation? Except for a few, committed ones, most treat pride as cosmetic as beauty queens do, or as cockish as sportsmen and dancers, artists eager for popularity than talent. They can't even protect wholeheartedly the edifices of the past as the demolition ball of progress hath swung over amidst criticism and concern.
When will the people gain consciousness about its own? If anything has been destroyed and be replaced by canned ideas peddled by the few and be called culture and the arts? That three stars and a sun enough to call as patriotism while those who really fought for peace, land, bread, and justice be assailed and called as thieves and subversives? The Filipino continues to search on its own self despite wearing a series of masks for generations, it had tried to be Hispanic, Chinese, White or African American, yet since the country tries to assert independence, of presenting itself as modern and progressive, how about rebuilding its own identity with all of its experiences as its basis? Shahani is right to tackle Moral Recovery same as Laurel in his Racial pride, but in order to recover and regain that pride requires rethinking about its own sanity amidst the modernities being experienced and craved for, such as "who really the Filipino is?"
Well, to quote Joseph Mobutu Sese-Seko, here's a reminder:
"Authenticité has made us discover our personality by reaching into the depths of our past for the rich cultural heritage left to us by our ancestors. We have no intention of blindly returning to all ancestral customs; rather. We would like to choose those that adapt themselves well to modern life, those that encourage progress, and those that create a way of life and thought that are essentially ours."
But in lieu of Authenticity is today's ContemporAntiquity. Yes, it is not all about returning to age old customs altogether, but how to fuse the good from the old and of the new, of making adopted ideas be geared to the fulfillment of the aspirations of the people, particularly those of building a better future that is, beyond what the system tries to invoke and its adherents insist.
Anyways, as those who favor giving up Filipinoness thinks that reviving Filipino consciousness means backwardness, then so be it; let them think it that way not knowing that reviving one nation's consciousness requires how to bridge the aspirations of a once glorious past and the trying present for the future. The culture remains under crisis, the identity remains under confusion, it's up to the people how to deal with it.
Otherwise, the country that is called the pearl of the orient is nothing but a concept left unnoticed for generations.
***
People may dare to ask this person why he wrote this in English citing its foreignness, but come to think of this: English is now beyond boundaries as a language of trade and commerce so is Chinese and Russian. Someday Mandarin Chinese would supersede English that would compel Filipinos to study it despite initial opposition. There's even Philippine English that oftentimes broke American grammar and pronunciation; and frankly speaking, every writer, no matter how the language it use such as its own or a borrowed one, emphasise the idea being presented in its message to please the people such as patriotism, and ContemporAntiquity. Much more that English and other languages of trade serves as a conduit to express the sentiment people wanted to invoke with.
Or will this writer need to reiterate what Lenin said? Then let's just say that English acts as a rope in which those who slander and repress the learned oppressed will end use to hang themselves.
For Jeanne Mari Alanis Diwata,
2014