Small efforts to improve personal decency at grassroots can build a better Philippines

As a Filipino, I had to fight and resist the urge to gape, gawk.. even pry into events that do not involve me in any way. For the most part, I seem, now, to be winning this game. I also strived to overhaul my sense of propriety.. in conduct, conversation and sense of humor.. and tried to be more reserved and respectful of others' privacy.

In this, the effort is still a struggle. I tend to think that this effort is not so much to be just like a refined European, Asian or American, (Central and South Americans included), but rather, to be somewhat more thoughtful and civilized myself. I also tend to think that this is not a bad thing to aspire to.

Would it be presumptious to think that we all should learn how to be more reserved and just keep off of others' space? Would a crowd, so disposed, have laughed at Mr. Duterte's sick jokes.. or, would Mr. Duterte himself have attempted such a cheap trick if he were similarly disposed? Filipinos of a bygone era, for the most part, were such people as I wish we all could become.

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http://www.getrealphilippines.com/blog/2016/04/pinoy-style-morality/#comment-1654784

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