A specter is haunting the Philippines today.
In this age of microchip technology where almost everyone is dependent on computers and the internet we have come to a position of unequal opportunities for our children. To those that are adept at understanding the complexities of a computer and the power of information presented by the internet, they shall be aptly called gifted. While those that are inept and incapable of realizing the power of those above shall be relegated to the dustbins of history.
This specter is now manifested in the recent wiretapping case against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. That, while her satisfaction rate is evidently plummeting still the expected behavior from the masses are simply of the opposite.
Filipinos were able to answer accordingly whether they like GMA or not. But the reason behind “why they don’t like her” is yet to be established.
Allow me to expound more on the matter.
The instrument used for acquiring the said information from GMA was through the use of complicated computerized devices.
The means of communicating between GMA and the people mentioned in the tapes were all from the use of computerized devices.
The means of proving if the above-mentioned communication and wiretapping took place can only be proven through computerized devices
As a result, people who don’t know anything about computers may either stand in awe of the things that it is capable of and eventually forget about the crime perpetrated, or leave the matter to those people who are well versed in computers thus surrendering their power of opinion by virtue of plain ignorance. As the proverbial saying goes “What you don’t know, can’t harm you” is being practiced by the millions, ergo the power of knowledge is relegated to a certain few who in their self-serving manner may continue doing so as long as the masses are not given the opportunity to learn by virtue of poverty.
It is the task of this author to explain and explore the phenomenon in terms of the three major forces in psychology: Behaviorism, Psychoanalytic, & Humanistic.
The Behavioral approach, which emphasizes the scientific study of behavior and its environmental determinants. (Santrock, 2000) is a major factor in explaining how we are able to arrive at this situation. It can be explained by the concept of learned helplessness.
Learned helplessness-A condition that occurs in individuals who are exposed to aversive stimulation over which they have no control. The inability to avoid such aversive stimulation produces an apathetic state of helplessness. (Santrock, 2000) In this case our repeated exposure to the harsh realities of corruption and poverty brought upon by the government had led us to eventually arrive in a state of utter helplessness. We have come to look at cheating as a way of life, a culture perhaps to be exact and we have come to the conclusion that we can never be greater as peoples in terms of intellect for they can only be accessible to those people who have access to higher learning. In talking about access the author means privilege to earn a diploma by being able to pay the skyrocketing amount of tuition.
The Psychoanalytic perspective, views personality as primarily unconscious (that is, beyond awareness) and as occurring in stages. Most psychoanalytic perspectives emphasize that early experiences with parents play an important role in sculpting personality. (Santrock, 2000) This perspective gives credence to the rationale stated in the Behavioral approach. It is innate in the Filipino psyche that the family is the microcosm of society and the most vital key element in the structuring of an offspring’s attitude and behavior. This is in light of the experiences acquired by the offspring’s followed by what the environment presents him/her. Following the line of thought that the personality of an individual develops through stages. (Though not necessarily compounded to the Freudian school of thought, being that different schools of psychoanalysis sprung forth after Freud.) The author would like to give credence to the framework developed (stages) rather than the different theories presented by the different theorists.
The Filipino offspring being an offshoot from the murk of poverty may unconsciously feel inferior and loose a sense of identity, given the presentation through media and unequal opportunities to education and employment. Poverty becomes as compared to India a level of a caste system or an untouchable though benign. This lost of self identity is evident through the loss of the offspring’s sense of worth and eventually social awareness/responsibility. In this case the identity of being a Filipino that is essential in having the political will to exact what is good for ones country ergo Nationalism. The Filipino offspring taking into account the inequalities in his/her homeland and the decrepit environment honing corruption and violence shall eventually be stressed and look at other countries as models in which he/she might dream his/her future offspring’s may never suffer.
It is in this regard that the author emphasizes the importance of Nationalism in playing an active role in creating counter-consciousness in a rampantly self-terrorized society.
The Humanistic approach stresses a person’s capacity for personal growth, freedom to choose his or her destiny, and positive qualities. (Santrock, 2000) While this approach may ring true as with regards to a Filipinos determination to survive. The author in explaining the phenomenon took the opposite view instead, yet sustaining the tenets of the Humanistic perspective.
Filipinos are not necessarily naïve when most of them answered that they don’t like GMA. But what is alarming instead is the behavior not answered by the survey. It is the apathetic stand of the Filipino that could be answered by either the Behaviorist perspective or the Psychoanalytic perspective. Understandably the third force in psychology which is Humanistic may deem too positive. Yet the author found the conclusion lying underneath its basic assumption of the person’s capacity to choose his/her destiny.
By answering the survey Filipinos were able to air out a certain moral dilemma that they find worthy of ponder. The answer that they don’t like GMA rings true to almost everyone (it was stated in the survey that 70% don’t like GMA.) But the reason why they don’t like her and the behavior that they are exhibiting is far from what’s expected. This is where the Humanistic perspective comes in. The author is more than convinced to conclude that having the veracity and moral ascendancy to condemn GMA’s actions may yet prove that Filipinos want a decent and moral society thus exacting their power of will to still maintain and choose positive qualities. But Filipinos would rather choose to keep him/herself out of harm’s way to be able to correct a morally deprived ascent to presidency. Self-preservation comes first and with this the thought of having a decent meal a day than contest another presidency that would either jeopardize the status-quo or make it better. Following the basic tenets of the Humanistic perspective the Filipinos already made a personal choice to control his/her own destiny than to be controlled by what they think is morally right or wrong and act upon it.
The Humanistic perspective is the binding factor that may make or unmake our nation.
In the final analysis the specter is neither the existence of people knowledgeable of computers and the internet. Neither is it the power that it holds in the realms of information and information gathering. Both just become a subset of a larger and more terrible haunting, which is the consequence of our actions today.
Reference:
John W. Santrock Psychology Interactive E-source, sixth edition (2001, McGraw-Hill Comp. Inc.)
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Written last September 21, 2005
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