A Damaged Culture in James Follow

Repleksyon, analisis at Kritika sa pahayag ni Fallows

At first, I was shocked and feeling insulted by this arrogant James Follow, I asked myself who the hell is
James Follow in the firs place. Who gave him the right to insulted our Philippine culture? And then I
remember that’s our freedom of speech, that’s how democracy work. But after reading his article, some
are realization for me and he was not wrong.

He is right that culture can make a naturally rich country poor, because that’s how our culture is right
now. In this time of era our culture and identity, little by little it fades and some are lost a long time ago.
We were influenced by Western and other Asian countries external culture.

I am now torn between my pride as a Filipino and James Follow’s blunt but honest remarks. I am not
sure whether to side by reality or continue being blinded by a hope for our countries progress. Yes, we
love our country but what we are doing for its well – being? Nothing. In reality, we are contributing to its
downfall. I would like also to emphasize is that Filipinos are rapidly adapting the white culture. As he
mentions that Filipinos with fair skin and foreign accents are given preference in society. Many of us
want to go to abroad for whatever reasons. Because we believe that’s what we deserve and the only
way to improve our way of living. The Filipinos are dependent on the countries we are allied with. We
have somehow forgotten in order to achieve stability and economic success; we should work together
towards that and not the economic success of other country. It is simply saying, leaving behind the
colonial mentality. And in the conflict perspective this may be viewed as simply an effect of social
classed. Since we are now a developing country, it is inevitable for us to be dependent on the developed
ones.

Nationalism for me is all about loving your own country. The message is very simple but in reality, we
can’t do it. James Follows stated in his article that Filipino has no sense of nationality. It may not be as a
whole, but the identity of Philippine has been lost for a long time. But right now, many Filipinos have
accomplished so much internationally and the government is doing his effort to working and achieving
our national pride.

If everybody would work for a better Philippines, then it will never too late for the Philippines to mends
its damaged culture. Let’s not deny that we have a damaged culture. Either we begin working now and
achieve national pride and unity or blindly sit while our nation walks towards its worse possible state. If
you think about the next generation, then you can do a lot of change.