Category: Culture

Three fundamental roadblocks to improving Philippine public transport

April 26, 2011December 11, 2022 benign0 21 Comments

Solving the mass transport problem of large Philippine cities is one of those hard problems. Much of its hardness is accounted for by that inescapable fundamental nature of the poverty that defines the Filipino’s very existence — the Filipino’s habit of entering into commitments that they are inherently incapable of honouring. Such commitments are almost…

Culture, Development, Economy, Lifestyle

Sexuality in Philippine society: imprisoned in an obsolete tradition-religion complex

April 25, 2011April 25, 2011 benign0 11 Comments

In her article â€œBetween Sensationalism and Censureâ€ (Philippine Journalism Review, April 2002, pages 35-37), Diana Mendoza observed how the bizarreness of Filipinosâ€™ regard for sexuality is reflected in Philippine cinema. Her observations are gleaned from among others, comments made by sociology professor Michael Tan of the University of the Philippines in the Sixth International congress…

Culture, Education, Lifestyle, Media, Religion, Society

Do Filipinos know how to use their freedom of speech?

April 21, 2011October 20, 2011 Ilda 110 Comments

What is up with some modern day proponents of freedom of speech? Do they really know what they are talking about? Sometimes they give me the impression that all they are good at is quoting some dead bigwig who advocated freedom of expression in the past. Unfortunately, these same bigwigs could never have imagined that…

Culture, Development, Media, Politics, Society

Has atheism become nothing more than the latest fashion statement?

April 16, 2011April 16, 2011 benign0 60 Comments

Religion is a favourite topic of mine. I find pleasure in pointing out the wonderful variety of paradoxes, incoherent constructs, and logical conundrums that tend to reveal themselves quite easily when using religious dogma and doctrine as building blocks for developing one’s thinking. An example is how one can piece together two fundamental Catholic beliefs…

Culture, Religion, Science, Society

Lawsuits flying back and forth over Jan Jan: a good show in the making!

April 14, 2011 benign0 10 Comments

There are certain “battles” that are worth one’s while choosing a side and joining the fray. And then there are some where it is best to just step out, sit back, and enjoy the show. The whole “Jan Jan Incident” is one of these “battles”. The whole thing had just turned into a circus. This…

Culture, Media, Society

A tragic life is one spent noisily demanding respect instead of quietly earning it

April 13, 2011 benign0 9 Comments

Defeated, humiliated, freshly nuked, and under American military occupation, Japan rose from the ashes to become, within three decades, one of the biggest, most prosperous, and most powerful nations on the planet. South Korea, also utterly devastated by a war with the Communist Bloc beavered away; and one day the world woke up to find…

Culture, Development, Media, Society

The real road that led us to Jan Jan, Willie Revillame, and TV5

April 10, 2011April 10, 2011 benign0 7 Comments

Willie Revillame is on the defense. And like a cornered mad dog, he is lashing out snarling with bared teeth. Revillame cited several celebrities as, in his opinion, being guilty of “prejudging” him. Some headlines count them among people that Revillame intends to sue for libel. An Inquirer.net report, lists the following celebs as having…

Culture, Education, Society

Does Filipino Society treat Children Poorly?

April 3, 2011June 20, 2013 ChinoF 39 Comments

Many were outraged when Willie Revillame goaded a child named Jan-Jan to dance in a macho dancer style. Even while he was already crying, he was still goaded to dance. Needless to say, it already caused a Net Rage and it revived initiatives to permanently censure the long-notorious Revillame, who had smears on his name…

Culture, Media