We beg to differ.
 In 1844, a young German philosopher wrote a book entitled “The Philosophic and Economic Manuscriptsâ€. The said writer is no other than Karl Marx. In that work, Marx begun to examine, analyze and scrutinize the concept of alienation (entausserung). The other term that he used is estrangement (entfremdung). Marx’s central thesis is that: The…
Read More “Alienation and Estrangement: In Defense of Humanism” »
Political dilettantes talk about “enabling steps” because that’s all they know. Most people can’t tell how a chess game will go simply just by looking at the opening game. Â I think it’s actually the middle game that determines a great game from a mediocre one and the greatness of the game is not seen in…
Can a change in system of government really change the development trajectory of an entire nation? Perhaps so, but the complexity of any causal link that might exist between a system of government and the future success — or failure — of a country does not allow us a straightforward way of determining just how…
Read More “Will the Philippines prosper if we change its system of government?” »
[Any major occasion in the Philippines is always a good time to re-visit this most seminal of Nick Joaquin’s works. It encapsulates the character of the Philippine Nation and remains relevant today as Filipinos continue in their efforts to attain the elusive greatness they nonetheless feel is their ultimate destiny. I humbly present, “A Heritage…
Workers unite! But then ask the question: Unite to do what exactly? That slogan has been around for more than two centuries now, and though many “activist” elements out there might want us to believe that their “fight” was what put iPhones in our hands, WiFI signals in our living rooms, and Hong Kong vacations…
Read More “Should we junk the minimum wage law in the Philippines?” »
My first reaction to the “Sunset View Block Condominium” Billboard on CCP’s lawn would have been outrage, if I didn’t know better. If I didn’t take to heart GMA TV New’s Howie Severino’s slogan, “Think Before You Click”, I might have clicked SHARE or TWEET immediately without reading the article, checking the facts, or thinking…
Read More “Outraged Over A Misleading BillBoard On The CCP Lawn?” »
In his seminal book, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905), Max Weber, widely known as the father of modern sociology, provided (arguably among the first and most compelling) arguments on the relationship (or correlation) between ‘culture’ and ‘economic productivity’. As an established economic analyst, Weber was interested in understanding why protestant nations…
Read More “Why the Philippines Failed? A Developmental Perspective” »
It is probably welcome news to environmental activists but a disappointing turn of events for anyone who likes the idea of tapping the Philippines’ imposing stockpile of mineral resources to attract tangible industrial investment and create jobs: Some subtle hints have recently been made by the companies behind the most promising planned mining operations that…