Tag: consumerism

Philippines, the sick man of Asia “again”? No. It ALWAYS HAS been sick!

March 18, 2021 benign0 26 Comments

Certain “thought leaders” are issuing shrill commentary on the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns aimed to mitigate its effects. The fact is, most if not all countries are suffering from economic crises in varying degrees thanks to the brittle world order of intricately interdependent and interlinked economies created by “globalisation”….

Culture, Development, Economy

COVID-19 economic collapse is the crisis the Philippines had to have!

August 7, 2020 benign0 7 Comments

Filipinos can no longer rely on their traditional gravy trains — OFWism, work outsourced from the First World, foreign investment, and foreign aid — to prop up their labour-added-value economy. Foreign workers are coming “home” by the droves, the First World is rapidly repatriating its offshore work, and governments all over the world are diverting…

Business, Economy, Government

The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a reality check on globalisation and wanton consumerism

April 16, 2020 benign0 19 Comments

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the folly in how entire generations had been indoctrinated in the concepts of hooking up to the bigger global market rather than maintaining local self-sufficiency. Even the United States with its decades-long wanton “outsourcing” binge ultimately shot itself in the foot. It created manufacturing powerhouses like China that are now racking…

Business, Lifestyle

Icarus crashing and burning: Where are the social media “influencers” now?

March 25, 2020 benign0 38 Comments

Back in the day (just weeks ago, before COVID-19 came to be regarded as a force of social disruption to reckon with) the familiar social media “influencer” call to action would echo out into the social media ether on late Friday afternoons: “Weekend starts NOW!” Today that call to action would sound quaint at best,…

Business, Glitz and Glamour, Lifestyle

Will IKEA be good for the Philippine economy?

November 20, 2018 benign0 12 Comments

Filipinos are excited about news that Swedish furniture retail giant IKEA will soon be opening in the Philippines. The question is, where will IKEA be sourcing its merchandise? “Activists” have been denouncing how China is supposedly slowly taking over the Philippine economy, yet many of these snowflakes seem to fail to realise how IKEA reportedly…

Economy, Lifestyle, Money Talks

Prices beyond the reach of poor Filipinos because of “woke” millennials promoted by Rappler

October 8, 2018October 8, 2018 benign0 26 Comments

The term “millennial” does not have noble origins. It is actually a concept cooked up by marketers and brand managers several years ago who wanted nothing more than a convenient catch-all for the next generation of suckers to sell useless stuff to. Millennials — specially in the setting of prosperous East Asian economies — are…

Lifestyle, Media, Money Talks

Excitement over Panda Express arrival exhibits the power of brands over Filipino consumers

September 28, 2018 Kate Natividad 62 Comments

Over the last several days, social media’s been abuzz over the coming of Chinese food restaurant chain Panda Express. Funny that as it comes in the middle of all the bad press businesses are getting over their employment practices. Contractualization is now a dirty word thanks to the SJWs (social justice warriors). Beyond the rhetoric…

Glitz and Glamour, Lifestyle

Upgrades, anyone?

September 24, 2018 joeld 36 Comments

As I type this on my old T420 laptop, annoyed about how its performance has greatly diminished with age, I have my iPhone 6s plugged into it charging for the 2nd time today, also annoyed at how its battery capacity has greatly decreased over the last three years. I am convinced that I will need…