Anonymity and the Filipino people's obsession with credentials

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In a land where people are obsessed with credentials, I chose not to divulge a lot of information about myself because I don't want the readers to get distracted. I want the readers to concentrate solely on the message of my articles.

Michel Foucault, a well known french intellectual who died in 1984 eventually sought anonymity in his writings later in his career. He explained his reasons well:
In our societies, characters dominate our perceptions.... Why did I suggest that we use anonymity? Out of nostalgia for a time when, being quite unknown, what I said had some chance of being heard. A name makes reading too easy.

The exercise in anonymity is a way of addressing the potential reader, the only individual here who is of interest to me, more directly: Since you don't know who I am, you will be more inclined to find out why I say what you read; just allow yourself to say, quite simply, it's true, it's false. I like it or I don't like it. Period.

I started publishing my thoughts because I consider myself someone who is still searching for the truth. While doing so, I want others to join me without feeling the need to ask who am I and what qualifications do I have in writing my articles.

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 4, 2011 at 1:20 PM

    Anonymity gives us the freedom to send our opinions out into the wild without fear. In some cases, that anonymity tends to get abused.

    In any case, credentials will matter if you present yourself as a leading expert on a subject matter. I don't think you've ever presented yourself as such in the topics of your choice.

    Cheers!

    btw, did you used to frequent an internet forum "where bright minds meet"?

    ReplyDelete
  2. IldaNovember 4, 2011 at 10:27 PM

    hi brianitus

    I am a leading expert on PNoy. I don't need to show credentials for that...hehe ;-)

    No, I did not go there. I didn't even know that such a forum exist. I don't really go out of GRP network that much.

    ciao

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousNovember 6, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    Ilda,

    Maybe I should refer to you as PNay na lang. LOL

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete

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