Category: 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

A quiet dignity

April 9, 2011May 10, 2011 Ms. Mike Portes 4 Comments

Why did I hesitate? The cynicism in me took over but I was drawn to him and for every word that was exchanged in that early morning jeepney ride, my fondness in him grew stronger. It was a fresh Saturday morning in a soothingly windy Metro Manila suburb that made me want to take a…

Willie Revillame and how we got the reform strategy so wrong since 1986

March 28, 2011 benign0 9 Comments

Stare into the eyes of Willie Revillame and you look right into the soul of the Filipino. Willie Revillame is The Filipino — the personification of the dreams and aspirations of the majority of the 100 million Filipinos who inhabit our little planet. In our condemning Revillame for his latest act of infamy, perhaps we…

Civics, Culture, Media, Society

Filipino TV shows like Willing Willie make Filipinos dumber

March 28, 2011July 15, 2013 Ilda 113 Comments

Filipinos are fond of engaging in activities to escape reality such as by watching television. The reason why Filipinos want to “escape” reality is because reality for them is such a harsh thing to face that the only way to help them forget about their problems is to be entertained. For the poor and uneducated,…

Culture, Education, Media, Society

Earth Hour: too little too late

March 26, 2011March 27, 2011 benign0 4 Comments

Contrary to popular belief, “little things” can’t change the world. Many scientists believe that Planet Earth could already be past the point where human activity is the prime mover of climate change. Evidence is trickling in that we are nearing the point where further change in the Earth’s climate could continue even without human activity…

Environment, Science, Society