#Filipinos too averse to intellectual discussion to make #democracy work!

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I believe that Filipinos are in a terrible bind. I used to think that a federal/parliamentary system of government will work well for the Philippines, and I still do, but I now think that no matter what system of government we have, it won't work if the people are not interested in how the government and the country are run.

I observed that so many Filipinos don't really want to be vigilant of the government's actions; to them, that's work, and work is tiring. They just want to vote for whoever they think will run the country well (many in fact couldn't care even to do that) and then leave that person to do whatever he wants to do, trusting that he'll have their interests in mind. For many Filipinos, thinking and debating are work and not play (not second nature to us, unlike to the people of many advanced countries), and anything that has to do with those is shunned.

It doesn't help that many don't think in terms of what's good for their fellow Filipinos, especially for the marginalized among us, only for themselves and their families. My FB friends, almost all of whom belong to the educated class, don't want to talk about anything even remotely connected to politics; it's like they just want to pretend nothing of consequence is happening in the country. It sometimes baffles and disorients me, pretending that nothing's happening. It's like there's an elephant in the room and no one wants to talk about it.

Unless the Filipinos, including the educated (or miseducated?) class, become a different kind of people, which is a long shot, this country, sad to say, is doomed to fail.

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http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2015/02/why-democracy-does-not-work-in-the-philippines/comment-page-1/#comment-1107419

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 27, 2015 at 7:49 AM

    In my opinion, the Philippines has a LOT to offer, once the government is controlled ( Corruption )
    You will have to start this process from the new borns of TODAY.

    Voting should only be by people who are * Educated * and * Tax Payers * don't allow villages / provinces to be * bought *

    * Families * should not hold many seats in any government dept.

    But, as with a lot of educated people, if they can see easy way for money, they may take it. ( Then back to the start we go )

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 27, 2015 at 3:37 PM

    You're right and it's frustrating. Most people in our current society are just so-family/clan-oriented, so individualistic.....usually any specific event would mean to a Pinoy, "what's in it for me or my family?" If none for both, then withdraw/don't participate. And thus, the politics of dynasty, too.

    ReplyDelete

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