Module 7: Social Justice
According to the article, “Defining Social Justice,” by Michael Novak, the trouble with the term social justice is that no one has been able to provide a clear-cut or
ambiguous definition to it. In fact, countless books have been written about “social justice” without ever giving it a real meaning. Social justice is the virtue which guides us in creating those organized human interactions that we like to call institutions. In turn, justly organized social institutions provide us with access with what is good for the person, both individually and in his associations with others. Additionally, social justice imposes on each individual a personal responsibility to work with others to design and continually perfect our institutions as tools for personal and social development.
The origin of the concept of social justice concurred with two other shifts in human conciousness--the “death of God” and the rise of the ideal of the command economy. The “death of God” was when people began to believe in constructing a just social order and its “divinization of reason” found its extension in the command economy, which stated that “reason would command and humankind would collectively follow.” Should this line of reasoning be followed, then social justice would have its natural end in a command economy and its function would be to keep the individual from being held responsible for the relative position that he was holding. Instead, social justice would work to blame someone else--such as the system or whoever was in control--rather than the victim.
The virtue of social justice is considered ideologically neutral as it is as ““open to people on the left as it is to people on the right or in the center.” Social justice allows for people of good will to reach different and even opposing practical judgments about the material content of the common good and how to get there. Individuals may not ignore or neglect the virtue of social justice because many moral consequences would ensue and disarray would transpire.
Contradictory to social justice is the idea of social injustice. Social injustice is defined as a situation in which not all people within a society have equal access to the facilities, services or systems within that society. Social injustice may occur due to reasons such as poverty, which can mean that people are marginalized and therefore have minimal say and influence on decisions which form and shape their lives. Another reason why social injustice might occur is because of political systems that may treat some people less fairly then others due to their ethnicity, gender, or religion.
In addition to poverty and corrupt political systems, forms of social injustice such as racism are critical factors in creating and maintaining disparities in a society. For example, the history of a given racial group can be a powerful determinant of the current socioeconomic status of that group. To correct social injustice, I suggest that people see, value, and behave as if there is no such thing as race or class. Too many people today regard race and class as great determining factors of socioeconomic status, when really, it isn’t. Racial profiling is a part of social injustice as it aims to classify people into groups according to their race. Too many a time have occurrences such as those involving cab drivers bypassing certain passengers and policemen searching people with no probable cause happened that we need to put a stop to it--and fast. False assumptions based on views regarding race have had overwhelming effects on the unequal treatment of different racial classes and its time we put an end to it.
In the face of social injustice, one must be willing to step forward and say such things as, “No! you don’t have the right to do that to me because I’m black/hispanic/etc…”. One must be willing to stand up for himself and not allow anyone to push him around if he wants to stop social injustice. Way too many people are scared of the consequences that may ensue should they decide to speak out, and for that reason, their ability to push through the barrier of social injustice is hindered. We must remember that it takes only one person to step forward and speak his opinion, in order to trigger hundreds of others to muster the courage to do so too, and that is how we would be able to take a step towards beating social injustice.
I personally think that it is possible to commit an unjust act in order to come up with a just result. This is because I think that sometimes people have to push the law and break a few rules in order to get their voices heard by people who would otherwise choose to ignore them because of their skin color or simply because of their class and socioeconomic status. It is imperative that we not be afraid to challenge people who are much higher up on the socioeconomic ladder than we are because no matter how poor or poverty stricken you may be, you have the right to get your voice and your opinions heard by people in your community. Therefore, should one feel that he has to commit an unjust act in order to be recognized and get his point across, then I say, so be it, let him do what he has to do for the common good of his people.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Module 6: James Ramos
Reaction Paper: Module VI Readings & “Bata, Bata Paano Ka Ginawa” Movie
Highlighted in the readings of module six are such ethical principles as: free will, determinism, moral responsibility, libertarianism, justice, fairness, and virtue. Of the six principles were discussed, I personally found libertarianism, justice, fairness, and virtue the most appealing as I felt that I could best relate to and understand these principles the most. In addition, I felt as if I could actually see how they were applied in the articles as well as in my life. For this reason, I will summarize what I have learned from the Module six readings and explain the correlation between the principles of the article to the movie, “Bata, Bata Paano Ka Ginawa.” I will also describe my reactions about the movie and discuss how gender inequality in many societies, such as the Philippines, continue to be an issue in many ways, such as inhibiting many independent women from moving up the social ladder and gaining the same respect and dignity as their male counterparts.
One of the many concepts discussed in the readings is libertarianism, which is often also referred to as indeterminism. Libertarianism is a combination of liberty, which is defined as the freedom to live one’s life in any peaceful way one chooses; responsibility, which is the ability to not use force against others, except to defend; and tolerance, which is defined as appreciating and respecting the peaceful choices of others.
Another concept discussed in the readings is justice, which the writers of the article, Manuel Velasquez, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, and Michael Meyer, define as “giving each person what he or she deserves or, in more traditional terms, giving each person his or her due.” What the authors also state in their article is that the concept of fairness is closely related to justice in that the meanings of both are used interchangeably in society today. In my opinion, justice exists in modern societies today in order to regulate conflicts that arise as a result of disagreements between people with conflicting ideas and interests. The role that justice then plays is to construct an acceptable and reasonable solution to the problem. Furthermore, justice would produce “fair standards for determining what people deserve.”
The last concept I found most interesting while reading the article was virtue. Unlike the two moral principles--utilitarianism and the Kantian principal--which mainly focus on people’s actions and doings in society, he concept of virtue emphasizes the importance of “what people should be.” Virtues are characteristic traits, attitudes, and attributes that help individuals to be and act in ways that develop that potential. Self -control, humility, fairness, integrity, generosity, and honesty are examples of virtues. Furthermore, the development of virtue in individuals does not happen alone but “at the heart of the virtue approach to ethics is the idea of community.” A persons attributes are associated with the society s/he belongs to- family, church, school, and other formal and informal groups, growing accustom to the norms of that society so that to be socially accepted and continue the cycle of what is socially valued in that community.
Using the concept of virtue and applying it to the film, “Bata, Bata Paano Ka Ginawa,” I noticed that Lea, the main character, struggled a lot to maintain an acceptable role with her peers, but due to her marital status of being a single mother with two children of different fathers it was very difficult for her to be socially accepted. In addition, she presented herself as a non-religious individual in a country where over 80% of the population was comprised of Catholic believers. Although she was perceived differently, her occupation as a counselor and coordinator of a non-profit organization, which functioned to help domestically abused women and broken down families, displayed one of the utmost humane things that one can do for ones society. Lea’s ability to assist women in her community during times of family and domestic crises shows the type of person she is, thus proving her as a virtuous woman in that sense.
Despite the problems that Lea faced with her own family in the film, her overall contribution to her community as a domestic abuse counselor is, in my opinion, a virtuous act for the betterment of humanity. Without women like Lea who strive for gender equality and equal rights in a male dominated society such as the Philippines, I think that we would still be set back to the period wherein women were viewed as being subordinate to their male counterparts. Women were, and to some degree still are, believed to be inadequately fit to fulfill the same duties that men continue to carry out in today’s society, and that is a belief that must be put to a stop. Popular beliefs regarding women today, however, are gradually changing as we see more and more women stepping up to the podium and proving to everyone that despite their gender, they are qualified to fulfill their duties.
Highlighted in the readings of module six are such ethical principles as: free will, determinism, moral responsibility, libertarianism, justice, fairness, and virtue. Of the six principles were discussed, I personally found libertarianism, justice, fairness, and virtue the most appealing as I felt that I could best relate to and understand these principles the most. In addition, I felt as if I could actually see how they were applied in the articles as well as in my life. For this reason, I will summarize what I have learned from the Module six readings and explain the correlation between the principles of the article to the movie, “Bata, Bata Paano Ka Ginawa.” I will also describe my reactions about the movie and discuss how gender inequality in many societies, such as the Philippines, continue to be an issue in many ways, such as inhibiting many independent women from moving up the social ladder and gaining the same respect and dignity as their male counterparts.
One of the many concepts discussed in the readings is libertarianism, which is often also referred to as indeterminism. Libertarianism is a combination of liberty, which is defined as the freedom to live one’s life in any peaceful way one chooses; responsibility, which is the ability to not use force against others, except to defend; and tolerance, which is defined as appreciating and respecting the peaceful choices of others.
Another concept discussed in the readings is justice, which the writers of the article, Manuel Velasquez, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, and Michael Meyer, define as “giving each person what he or she deserves or, in more traditional terms, giving each person his or her due.” What the authors also state in their article is that the concept of fairness is closely related to justice in that the meanings of both are used interchangeably in society today. In my opinion, justice exists in modern societies today in order to regulate conflicts that arise as a result of disagreements between people with conflicting ideas and interests. The role that justice then plays is to construct an acceptable and reasonable solution to the problem. Furthermore, justice would produce “fair standards for determining what people deserve.”
The last concept I found most interesting while reading the article was virtue. Unlike the two moral principles--utilitarianism and the Kantian principal--which mainly focus on people’s actions and doings in society, he concept of virtue emphasizes the importance of “what people should be.” Virtues are characteristic traits, attitudes, and attributes that help individuals to be and act in ways that develop that potential. Self -control, humility, fairness, integrity, generosity, and honesty are examples of virtues. Furthermore, the development of virtue in individuals does not happen alone but “at the heart of the virtue approach to ethics is the idea of community.” A persons attributes are associated with the society s/he belongs to- family, church, school, and other formal and informal groups, growing accustom to the norms of that society so that to be socially accepted and continue the cycle of what is socially valued in that community.
Using the concept of virtue and applying it to the film, “Bata, Bata Paano Ka Ginawa,” I noticed that Lea, the main character, struggled a lot to maintain an acceptable role with her peers, but due to her marital status of being a single mother with two children of different fathers it was very difficult for her to be socially accepted. In addition, she presented herself as a non-religious individual in a country where over 80% of the population was comprised of Catholic believers. Although she was perceived differently, her occupation as a counselor and coordinator of a non-profit organization, which functioned to help domestically abused women and broken down families, displayed one of the utmost humane things that one can do for ones society. Lea’s ability to assist women in her community during times of family and domestic crises shows the type of person she is, thus proving her as a virtuous woman in that sense.
Despite the problems that Lea faced with her own family in the film, her overall contribution to her community as a domestic abuse counselor is, in my opinion, a virtuous act for the betterment of humanity. Without women like Lea who strive for gender equality and equal rights in a male dominated society such as the Philippines, I think that we would still be set back to the period wherein women were viewed as being subordinate to their male counterparts. Women were, and to some degree still are, believed to be inadequately fit to fulfill the same duties that men continue to carry out in today’s society, and that is a belief that must be put to a stop. Popular beliefs regarding women today, however, are gradually changing as we see more and more women stepping up to the podium and proving to everyone that despite their gender, they are qualified to fulfill their duties.
Module 5: James Ramos
Critical Reaction: Dekada ‘70
Watching the lengthy movie, Dekada ’70, was an experience that kept my attention from the beginning to the end. The story mainly presented the lives of an upper middle-class Filipino family during the turbulent decade of the 1970’s. What caught my attention the most was Amanda’s role as the wife and mother of the Bartolome family. I noticed her role as a woman was very oppressed by her husband, Julian, and even by her five sons, Jules, Isagani, Emmanuel, Jason, and Benjamin. Being that she was the only female in the family, I already noticed from the beginning of the movie she presented a reserved role, as a wife, a mother, and nothing more. The movie really showed how women were viewed and treated in a Filipino society, and that inequality between the sexes was greatly accepted. For example, one part of the movie Jules proudly announces to his family, “this is a man’s world” during dinner. The sense of men treating women as property was observed throughout most of the movie.
Another paralleling effect closely related to the oppression of women was the empowerment of the Marcos administration over the Filipino people. During the 1970’s, the movie presents a series of events that occur throughout the decade, especially highlighting the proclamation of Martial Law. Due to the oppressiveness of the Marcos administration, many people became radicals against the government. One person who becomes a rebel against the Marcos regime, is Amanda’s eldest son, Julian. Being the eldest son, he was old enough to identify the underlying truth about the corrupt government, especially during President Marco’s declaration of Martial Law. In his college career, he becomes more exposed to radical reading material and frequently plays activist songs on his guitar. Furthermore, he begins complaining about the Philippine government putting their interest to the United States above the Filipinos. This results with him eventually becoming a guerrilla member, joining the communist New People’s Army (NPA).
Watching the lengthy movie, Dekada ’70, was an experience that kept my attention from the beginning to the end. The story mainly presented the lives of an upper middle-class Filipino family during the turbulent decade of the 1970’s. What caught my attention the most was Amanda’s role as the wife and mother of the Bartolome family. I noticed her role as a woman was very oppressed by her husband, Julian, and even by her five sons, Jules, Isagani, Emmanuel, Jason, and Benjamin. Being that she was the only female in the family, I already noticed from the beginning of the movie she presented a reserved role, as a wife, a mother, and nothing more. The movie really showed how women were viewed and treated in a Filipino society, and that inequality between the sexes was greatly accepted. For example, one part of the movie Jules proudly announces to his family, “this is a man’s world” during dinner. The sense of men treating women as property was observed throughout most of the movie.
Another paralleling effect closely related to the oppression of women was the empowerment of the Marcos administration over the Filipino people. During the 1970’s, the movie presents a series of events that occur throughout the decade, especially highlighting the proclamation of Martial Law. Due to the oppressiveness of the Marcos administration, many people became radicals against the government. One person who becomes a rebel against the Marcos regime, is Amanda’s eldest son, Julian. Being the eldest son, he was old enough to identify the underlying truth about the corrupt government, especially during President Marco’s declaration of Martial Law. In his college career, he becomes more exposed to radical reading material and frequently plays activist songs on his guitar. Furthermore, he begins complaining about the Philippine government putting their interest to the United States above the Filipinos. This results with him eventually becoming a guerrilla member, joining the communist New People’s Army (NPA).
Module 4: James Ramos
Critical Reaction to “Santa Santita”
The most recent movie we watched in class so far was titled, “Santa Santita.” The movie focuses on the life of a young and sassy teenage daughter, Malen, who becomes a miracle healer after experiencing stigmata. She is brought up by her divorced mother who works as a full-time prayer at the cathedral accepting donations as her way of making a profit. The relationship between the two ladies worsens as Malen becomes rebellious and disobeys her mother by deceiving her and running off to some guy. That guy is Mike, who disguises himself to be a taxi driver; however, in reality he also offers sex as a service with his clients. In addition, he is a single father with a sickly son, Ryan, whose health continues to worsen. Because of Malen’s disobedience, her mother dies of a heart attack forcing her to make a living on her own. The movie presents many ethical issues concerning social relationships, duty, and religion. As a result, I will express my opinion about the movie and explain several ethical dilemmas that I have noticed.
First of all, I actually liked the movie because it gave me yet another glimpse of how Filipinos, mainly lower class, go on to make a living in the city of Manila. Being informed that in reality there are prayer people in the cathedrals who pray for others to make a living, via donations, was fascinating to learn about. Furthermore, to think these women would be nuns by now for their dedication and strong religious beliefs, however, end up being justified as another kind of business to make a profit. I was amazed to think that God’s prayers came with a price in the Philippines. Although it may be optional for the person asking for prayer to pay a fee, I wouldn’t be surprised that these women would be outraged if you didn’t offer them any cash.
To find it even more interesting, the church allowed these women to offer their services at the church while the pastors and bishops offered their free services of prayers and confession to the people. It was as if some people believed these women prayers had a greater devout power since it cost them to receive one’s blessing. Or, like it presented in the movie, the curiosity of some individuals got the best of them and were either willing or desperate to see if these women could really fulfill their prayers. So, I asked myself if this was ethically appropriate for the church to allow these women prayers to use their area as some consulting office while personally receiving donations as payment for their services.
Another ethical dilemma that sparked my attention from the movie was Malen’s decision to continue her prayer services at her home. Due to her so-called prayers being answered to the individuals who asked for her blessings, she drew so much attention at the church that she was band from there. I found it odd that for a culture that is so engulfed in searching for miracles that some, mainly the people who work at the church, found it hard to believe that Malen could possibly be a higher calling from God. Instead of openly embracing her for her miracles, she was rejected and band from the cathedral. I guess realistically the church may have experienced many fakes and hoaxes in the past and because of that they viewed her as another person who continues to do it mainly for the money and attention.
However, what made it interesting was that Malen’s justification for continuing her services to the people was that she really believed and felt the power of God using her as tool to heal people. I guess anyone desperately in need of help for anything would resort to asking for Malen’s prayer in hope that she might miraculously answer them and receive positive results. A couple examples who went to Malen after doubting her ability in the beginning were the nun and Mike. Although the nun experienced a miracle from Malen with her scars being healed, trying to revive Mike’s dead son proved to Malen and everyone else that she does not make the choice of who will and will not be healed miraculously. Although Malen already knew that, she still tried to see if her prayers would be answered upon the dead boy.
I’m not the strongest believer when it comes to these religious miracles of healing, but I wouldn’t doubt that there are real people or person who can actually do these kinds of things. The problem is that there is more fakes than real miracle healer(s) that it negatively affects the image of these kinds of people. The question is how do we truly determine that they are real and not only another scam for our attention and our money? Also, is it ethically appropriate to accept these kinds of people and events since it is truly out of the norm of most societies to believe? Look, even societies that are extremely religious believers are skeptical and rejecting of that idea.
The most recent movie we watched in class so far was titled, “Santa Santita.” The movie focuses on the life of a young and sassy teenage daughter, Malen, who becomes a miracle healer after experiencing stigmata. She is brought up by her divorced mother who works as a full-time prayer at the cathedral accepting donations as her way of making a profit. The relationship between the two ladies worsens as Malen becomes rebellious and disobeys her mother by deceiving her and running off to some guy. That guy is Mike, who disguises himself to be a taxi driver; however, in reality he also offers sex as a service with his clients. In addition, he is a single father with a sickly son, Ryan, whose health continues to worsen. Because of Malen’s disobedience, her mother dies of a heart attack forcing her to make a living on her own. The movie presents many ethical issues concerning social relationships, duty, and religion. As a result, I will express my opinion about the movie and explain several ethical dilemmas that I have noticed.
First of all, I actually liked the movie because it gave me yet another glimpse of how Filipinos, mainly lower class, go on to make a living in the city of Manila. Being informed that in reality there are prayer people in the cathedrals who pray for others to make a living, via donations, was fascinating to learn about. Furthermore, to think these women would be nuns by now for their dedication and strong religious beliefs, however, end up being justified as another kind of business to make a profit. I was amazed to think that God’s prayers came with a price in the Philippines. Although it may be optional for the person asking for prayer to pay a fee, I wouldn’t be surprised that these women would be outraged if you didn’t offer them any cash.
To find it even more interesting, the church allowed these women to offer their services at the church while the pastors and bishops offered their free services of prayers and confession to the people. It was as if some people believed these women prayers had a greater devout power since it cost them to receive one’s blessing. Or, like it presented in the movie, the curiosity of some individuals got the best of them and were either willing or desperate to see if these women could really fulfill their prayers. So, I asked myself if this was ethically appropriate for the church to allow these women prayers to use their area as some consulting office while personally receiving donations as payment for their services.
Another ethical dilemma that sparked my attention from the movie was Malen’s decision to continue her prayer services at her home. Due to her so-called prayers being answered to the individuals who asked for her blessings, she drew so much attention at the church that she was band from there. I found it odd that for a culture that is so engulfed in searching for miracles that some, mainly the people who work at the church, found it hard to believe that Malen could possibly be a higher calling from God. Instead of openly embracing her for her miracles, she was rejected and band from the cathedral. I guess realistically the church may have experienced many fakes and hoaxes in the past and because of that they viewed her as another person who continues to do it mainly for the money and attention.
However, what made it interesting was that Malen’s justification for continuing her services to the people was that she really believed and felt the power of God using her as tool to heal people. I guess anyone desperately in need of help for anything would resort to asking for Malen’s prayer in hope that she might miraculously answer them and receive positive results. A couple examples who went to Malen after doubting her ability in the beginning were the nun and Mike. Although the nun experienced a miracle from Malen with her scars being healed, trying to revive Mike’s dead son proved to Malen and everyone else that she does not make the choice of who will and will not be healed miraculously. Although Malen already knew that, she still tried to see if her prayers would be answered upon the dead boy.
I’m not the strongest believer when it comes to these religious miracles of healing, but I wouldn’t doubt that there are real people or person who can actually do these kinds of things. The problem is that there is more fakes than real miracle healer(s) that it negatively affects the image of these kinds of people. The question is how do we truly determine that they are real and not only another scam for our attention and our money? Also, is it ethically appropriate to accept these kinds of people and events since it is truly out of the norm of most societies to believe? Look, even societies that are extremely religious believers are skeptical and rejecting of that idea.
Module 3: James Ramos
Module #3: Rights and “American Adobo”
After watching the movie, “American Adobo,” it made me realize how important cultural values are in a sense that it is impossible to erase and have them completely replaced with another. In the movie, we watched five Filipino-American friends living in New York and the events that unfold through a year. Although they are living in the United States and are accustomed to the lifestyle, they continue to present pieces of their Filipino cultural identity: Filipino cooking, catholic religion, and Filipino language. The cast consists of Terry, a religious middle aged single women who is a fabulous Filipino cook, especially pork adobo; Marissa, an extroverted lively woman with a cheating boyfriend; Raul, a playboy; Mike, a Filipino newspaper editor who is considering of leaving his self-absorbed wealthy wife and return to the Philippines, and Jerry, a closet homosexual.
In my opinion, I enjoyed watching the movie because I could more or less relate to it in an American and Filipino sense. Although I watched the movie several years ago when it first came out, I’ve never grasped the film in a more cultural and ethical standpoint until watching it again in class. Being aware and more knowledgeable of the Filipino cultural history and values really helped me understand the movie in a different perspective. For example, I’ve never understood how much social impact the Filipino people had with Catholicism until taking IP273E and IP368B. In my experience growing up, religion was the usual weekly Sunday sessions where my mother would normally force me to attend. However, I’ve never had to go through any type of Sunday school or any other religious activity.
From watching the film again, I finally understood what the small statues were when Terry performed her daily prayer rituals. Prior to my studies here at UH Manoa, I’ve always recognized the virgin Mary and the adult Jesus Christ statue, but I never knew who the baby boy was until recently, Santo Nino. It was fascinating to see her perform these rituals because it symbolized a Filipino practice that was adopted by Spanish Catholic missionaries.
One scene I really enjoyed the most was the conversation between Mike and Chris in the vehicle. Jerry’s explanation of how 300 years of Catholicism influenced many Filipino decision-making and values was one that stuck out to me the most. It was relieving to finally understand what he meant by that because I’ve never really learned the history of the Philippines and its people until attending UH Manoa. So in a sense, I felt as if I could comprehend to the movie more from a Filipino perspective.
The social dilemma I found most controversial in the film was Jerry’s decision of finally telling his mother about his homosexuality. From the American standpoint, which I notice is more of the ‘rights approach,’ I would have done the same thing that Jerry did if I were gay. I would have justified the situation that it was my right to free myself from this hidden discomfort any longer and convince myself that it was more important than any other person’s opinion, even if it were my mothers. It seems as thought it was Jerry’s justification that finally gave him the courage to admit to his mother other then his boyfriend’s support. However, in the end it did not turn out the way he expected his mother to receive it. I guess it was expected for her reaction to end up that way since she kept insisting him to find a wife already.
My question then is, was it appropriate for him to finally admit to his mother about is homosexuality? Or, was it not? As much as Jerry’s actions may have satisfied several aspects of the ‘virtue approach,’ such as honesty, courage, and compassion for his own self, he also went against it by lacking self-control with his religious beliefs, and fairness with his mother’s feelings and expectations. As it explained in the article, the five approaches do not provide any automatic solution to moral problems and dilemmas. They are only “meant to help us identify the most of the important ethical considerations.” It is up to us to decide in the end. It is imperative for us to be aware of both the facts and ethical considerations involved in our moral dilemmas.
All in all, the film was very entertaining compared to the previous films we watched, excluding Imelda however. Furthermore, the situations each character dealt with challenged me ethically with choices I would have made if I were put in their situation. But then again, there is no right or wrong decision; it is just the choices we make and the consequences that come along with them that affect the people around us and ourselves.
After watching the movie, “American Adobo,” it made me realize how important cultural values are in a sense that it is impossible to erase and have them completely replaced with another. In the movie, we watched five Filipino-American friends living in New York and the events that unfold through a year. Although they are living in the United States and are accustomed to the lifestyle, they continue to present pieces of their Filipino cultural identity: Filipino cooking, catholic religion, and Filipino language. The cast consists of Terry, a religious middle aged single women who is a fabulous Filipino cook, especially pork adobo; Marissa, an extroverted lively woman with a cheating boyfriend; Raul, a playboy; Mike, a Filipino newspaper editor who is considering of leaving his self-absorbed wealthy wife and return to the Philippines, and Jerry, a closet homosexual.
In my opinion, I enjoyed watching the movie because I could more or less relate to it in an American and Filipino sense. Although I watched the movie several years ago when it first came out, I’ve never grasped the film in a more cultural and ethical standpoint until watching it again in class. Being aware and more knowledgeable of the Filipino cultural history and values really helped me understand the movie in a different perspective. For example, I’ve never understood how much social impact the Filipino people had with Catholicism until taking IP273E and IP368B. In my experience growing up, religion was the usual weekly Sunday sessions where my mother would normally force me to attend. However, I’ve never had to go through any type of Sunday school or any other religious activity.
From watching the film again, I finally understood what the small statues were when Terry performed her daily prayer rituals. Prior to my studies here at UH Manoa, I’ve always recognized the virgin Mary and the adult Jesus Christ statue, but I never knew who the baby boy was until recently, Santo Nino. It was fascinating to see her perform these rituals because it symbolized a Filipino practice that was adopted by Spanish Catholic missionaries.
One scene I really enjoyed the most was the conversation between Mike and Chris in the vehicle. Jerry’s explanation of how 300 years of Catholicism influenced many Filipino decision-making and values was one that stuck out to me the most. It was relieving to finally understand what he meant by that because I’ve never really learned the history of the Philippines and its people until attending UH Manoa. So in a sense, I felt as if I could comprehend to the movie more from a Filipino perspective.
The social dilemma I found most controversial in the film was Jerry’s decision of finally telling his mother about his homosexuality. From the American standpoint, which I notice is more of the ‘rights approach,’ I would have done the same thing that Jerry did if I were gay. I would have justified the situation that it was my right to free myself from this hidden discomfort any longer and convince myself that it was more important than any other person’s opinion, even if it were my mothers. It seems as thought it was Jerry’s justification that finally gave him the courage to admit to his mother other then his boyfriend’s support. However, in the end it did not turn out the way he expected his mother to receive it. I guess it was expected for her reaction to end up that way since she kept insisting him to find a wife already.
My question then is, was it appropriate for him to finally admit to his mother about is homosexuality? Or, was it not? As much as Jerry’s actions may have satisfied several aspects of the ‘virtue approach,’ such as honesty, courage, and compassion for his own self, he also went against it by lacking self-control with his religious beliefs, and fairness with his mother’s feelings and expectations. As it explained in the article, the five approaches do not provide any automatic solution to moral problems and dilemmas. They are only “meant to help us identify the most of the important ethical considerations.” It is up to us to decide in the end. It is imperative for us to be aware of both the facts and ethical considerations involved in our moral dilemmas.
All in all, the film was very entertaining compared to the previous films we watched, excluding Imelda however. Furthermore, the situations each character dealt with challenged me ethically with choices I would have made if I were put in their situation. But then again, there is no right or wrong decision; it is just the choices we make and the consequences that come along with them that affect the people around us and ourselves.
Module 2: James Ramos
Module II: The Common Good and “Imelda”
The movie, “Imelda” was considered to me as one of the most entertaining and yet, most awkward documentaries I have ever watched regarding the former Philippine first wife. For her to explain and opinionate her husband’s role and actions as president during the 70’s to mid 80’s are even more amusing to witness as she puts into her own words about their reasons behind their supposedly contributions to the common good of the Filipino people. Although Imelda may have helped the Filipino people become well recognized around the world, it was both tragic and relieving to see the reaction of the people’s revolt end their long term reign during the video. As a result, I will discuss my opinions about Imelda’s actions during her husband’s presidential reign in the past, her philosophy of beauty, and explain from my perspective upon whether or not the common good of the people were really fulfilled during the time of the Marcos administration.
In my opinion, I thought some of Imelda’s accomplishments, such as influencing the Philippine people in her support of her husband’s campaign’s, discussing foreign policies with other nations, and attaining international recognition for the Philippines have been extraordinary. What makes it more astonishingly unique is that she was the first wife of the president who took care many of these events and international affairs. That was one I admired about her the most because I would think such responsibilities for a women would be very difficult especially dealing with many cultures that are mainly male dominated.
On the other hand, I felt that many of her actions also resulted with a negative impact on the Filipino people, mainly in its economy. Not to say that Imelda should take all the responsibility of what occurred, but their handling of the money borrowed from the international bank and world wide bank were obviously used illegally. From my understanding, when countries borrow money from the WWB, its purpose is to provide financial aide to a country in need of development and in strengthening its industries economy. However, from witnessing the video it showed that much of the money were being misused with lavish and glamorous parties, buildings which were not needed at the time, and other miscellaneous things which could have been used in another way to provide aide to the Filipino people. Seeing president Marcus and her wife spend the money mainly for themselves and their so called “cronies” was also shameful because the people who would be most affected with the loans borrowed would be no other then the Filipino citizens of the country.
Just thinking that the money was mainly for the common good of the people bothers me because seeing the reactions of the Filipinos during the peoples revolt showed that they have been suffering for a long time and that the Marcus administration weren’t really doing their job. As a result, they reacted with such feelings that to me were extremely difficult to describe. Watching the video made me empathize over their courage to get back what they owned, which is their right to live an equally comfortable life and to remove someone, President Marcus, from hindering their ability to.
I believe to some degree the common good for a society is imperative, especially in the case of the Philippine people. For a country that has been colonized numerous times, it just hurts to think of its own people treating its own people unfairly too. Furthermore, by having power as president and dictating citizens of that country was outright unethical because the consequences showed an oppressed society.
Although I may be for the common good, I’m still unaware and uneducated of the entire truth about the Philippine society. I feel that I’m not obligated to judge upon them because I haven’t lived in the Philippines before and haven’t grasps the reality that they live in today. I feel that it is important to have equal rights to many things such as education, health service, financial welfare, but it is difficult to sustain this equality among everyone if money and the mindset of many people differentiate. Look at the United States for example, we still struggle to sustain these services and yet we are one of the most developed countries in the world.
As for Imelda’s philosophy based on beauty, I found it abruptly ridiculous with her drawings. I mean beauty is important but I think she mainly reflected that more upon herself rather than the people of the Philippines. I found her ways of influencing people very manipulative and silly too. However, it did work for some time and I can’t say that people to this day don’t’ believe in her philosophy. It’s just that I find it amazing about how her influence has spread through out the world with her collection of 3000 somewhat shoes to her “it’s all about Imelda” catholic church back into her home town. In addition, I even find it very creepy that they still have President Marcus’s body unburied and covered in a glass covered case for people to see as if they were in a museum.
All in all, I think the documentary about Imelda shows the power she has over the Filipino people still exist in people, particularly Manila, and that during her husbands reign in the Philippines was an experience witnessed by everyone around the world, especially for the Filipino people who had to live with his dictatorship. I just hope that the people of the Philippines learn from their history and decide not to have another president like him.
The movie, “Imelda” was considered to me as one of the most entertaining and yet, most awkward documentaries I have ever watched regarding the former Philippine first wife. For her to explain and opinionate her husband’s role and actions as president during the 70’s to mid 80’s are even more amusing to witness as she puts into her own words about their reasons behind their supposedly contributions to the common good of the Filipino people. Although Imelda may have helped the Filipino people become well recognized around the world, it was both tragic and relieving to see the reaction of the people’s revolt end their long term reign during the video. As a result, I will discuss my opinions about Imelda’s actions during her husband’s presidential reign in the past, her philosophy of beauty, and explain from my perspective upon whether or not the common good of the people were really fulfilled during the time of the Marcos administration.
In my opinion, I thought some of Imelda’s accomplishments, such as influencing the Philippine people in her support of her husband’s campaign’s, discussing foreign policies with other nations, and attaining international recognition for the Philippines have been extraordinary. What makes it more astonishingly unique is that she was the first wife of the president who took care many of these events and international affairs. That was one I admired about her the most because I would think such responsibilities for a women would be very difficult especially dealing with many cultures that are mainly male dominated.
On the other hand, I felt that many of her actions also resulted with a negative impact on the Filipino people, mainly in its economy. Not to say that Imelda should take all the responsibility of what occurred, but their handling of the money borrowed from the international bank and world wide bank were obviously used illegally. From my understanding, when countries borrow money from the WWB, its purpose is to provide financial aide to a country in need of development and in strengthening its industries economy. However, from witnessing the video it showed that much of the money were being misused with lavish and glamorous parties, buildings which were not needed at the time, and other miscellaneous things which could have been used in another way to provide aide to the Filipino people. Seeing president Marcus and her wife spend the money mainly for themselves and their so called “cronies” was also shameful because the people who would be most affected with the loans borrowed would be no other then the Filipino citizens of the country.
Just thinking that the money was mainly for the common good of the people bothers me because seeing the reactions of the Filipinos during the peoples revolt showed that they have been suffering for a long time and that the Marcus administration weren’t really doing their job. As a result, they reacted with such feelings that to me were extremely difficult to describe. Watching the video made me empathize over their courage to get back what they owned, which is their right to live an equally comfortable life and to remove someone, President Marcus, from hindering their ability to.
I believe to some degree the common good for a society is imperative, especially in the case of the Philippine people. For a country that has been colonized numerous times, it just hurts to think of its own people treating its own people unfairly too. Furthermore, by having power as president and dictating citizens of that country was outright unethical because the consequences showed an oppressed society.
Although I may be for the common good, I’m still unaware and uneducated of the entire truth about the Philippine society. I feel that I’m not obligated to judge upon them because I haven’t lived in the Philippines before and haven’t grasps the reality that they live in today. I feel that it is important to have equal rights to many things such as education, health service, financial welfare, but it is difficult to sustain this equality among everyone if money and the mindset of many people differentiate. Look at the United States for example, we still struggle to sustain these services and yet we are one of the most developed countries in the world.
As for Imelda’s philosophy based on beauty, I found it abruptly ridiculous with her drawings. I mean beauty is important but I think she mainly reflected that more upon herself rather than the people of the Philippines. I found her ways of influencing people very manipulative and silly too. However, it did work for some time and I can’t say that people to this day don’t’ believe in her philosophy. It’s just that I find it amazing about how her influence has spread through out the world with her collection of 3000 somewhat shoes to her “it’s all about Imelda” catholic church back into her home town. In addition, I even find it very creepy that they still have President Marcus’s body unburied and covered in a glass covered case for people to see as if they were in a museum.
All in all, I think the documentary about Imelda shows the power she has over the Filipino people still exist in people, particularly Manila, and that during her husbands reign in the Philippines was an experience witnessed by everyone around the world, especially for the Filipino people who had to live with his dictatorship. I just hope that the people of the Philippines learn from their history and decide not to have another president like him.
Module 1: James Ramos
“Nailed,” & “Bontoc Eulogy” Critical Reflection Paper
In the film, Nailed, it tells the story of an American women’s journey to the Philippines as she witnesses and documents religious rituals performed by the Filipinos. The main ritual she primarily highlights throughout the duration of the film is the reenactment of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Being that Catholicism is the primary religion in the Philippine’s, this film explains how fixated Filipinos are with their faith with God. One part of the film she portrays is their obsession with the Santo Nino and Virgin Mary statues. They would be seen touching and caressing these statues as if somehow it made them feel connected with the sacred, God. In addition, they also showed Filipinos performing religious ceremonies at the cemeteries celebrating the death of their ancestors. And lastly, Filipinos would hold parades dressed in costumes depicting the life of Jesus Christ, carrying great big statues of the Santo Nino and the Virgin Mary, and have selected people reenacting the crucifixion.
As for the other film we watched, Bontoc Eulogy, it explains the story of the Filipino tribes in the Philippines, mainly the Igorots, traveling to the United States of America. From there, the selected Igorot’s who took the so-called opportunity to experience the outside world are displayed and observed by other cultures; particularly the more developed ones at the world exhibition fair held in St. Louis. Once the Igorots arrive, we watch them go through several emotional stages as they witness and experience a culture completely different from their own. We see them astonished by the different tools the U.S. possesses, the vast structures they have built, and the different lifestyles they have valued and grew accustomed to. They are also amazed when they discover different kinds of animals such as, the flamingo and elephant. As the honeymoon period diminishes, the Igorots go through many difficulties adapting to this new culture and realize they want to go back to their homeland. However, it doesn’t seem too easy for them to accomplish.
My reaction towards the first film, Nailed, was very disturbing and very uncomfortable to watch. In the beginning, I was confused when they kept switching clips of a pig being killed by a group of Filipinos to images of American companies in Manila such as, McDonalds, Coca-cola, Adidas, etc. Then, immediately they would show images of cathedral church and statues of the Santo Nino, alternating video clip to video clip in this order. Gradually, I learned to understand the message they were trying to send and it was how two cultures, U.S. and Filipino, were greatly contradicting one another. Although I could see the increasing influence of the American culture in the Philippines, the film primarily focused more upon the religious aspect of the Filipino culture, mainly Catholicism. Watching some of the ceremonies and rituals they performed were very awkward and kind of entertaining at the same time. For instance, I found it amusing to see them in costumes such as, Roman soldiers, Jesus, Mary, devils, demons, and prostitutes’ who were mainly men marching in parades. From my understanding, these parades symbolized a reenactment during the time of Christ called, ‘Folk Catholicism.’
Although it was interesting to watch this part of the film, it seemed as though they were very serious about their religious rituals as it continued. Their reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the most disturbing scene to view. I remember grinding my teeth and covering my eyes when they finally started nailing the woman, Lucille, to the cross. For the first 15 seconds, I couldn’t even bare to look at the screen until they completely nailed her to the cross. Seeing the nails pierced into her hands and feet made me angry towards everyone including the woman. I felt that it was ethically wrong to perform such acts, and that people go too far with their beliefs. I even felt embarrassed of my own ethnicity during that moment.
On the other hand, I had to understand the history of the Filipinos and that the missionaries who came some 400 years ago greatly influenced their religious beliefs. Furthermore, I had to understand that this was only a film, and that I am only here to analyze and understand the Filipino culture. Even though I may be Filipino myself, I know I’m Americanized and accustomed to the American way.
As for the other film, Bontoc Eulogy, it was interesting to learn about the Filipino tribes, especially the Igorots. The idea of primitive Filipino tribes in the Philippines intrigued me the most because I was never taught about them growing up. Watching this film helped me appreciate their lifestyle because they lived very simple lives. I enjoyed watching that part of the film, but I disliked the parts that showed them being treated like lab animals. It showed Filipinos as if we were experiments for the white race.
All in all, the films were quite interesting to watch and very much of an eye opener. For some odd reason, I’m actually looking forward to the other films, even though they might be even more discomforting to watch. Maybe it’s my curiosity.
In the film, Nailed, it tells the story of an American women’s journey to the Philippines as she witnesses and documents religious rituals performed by the Filipinos. The main ritual she primarily highlights throughout the duration of the film is the reenactment of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Being that Catholicism is the primary religion in the Philippine’s, this film explains how fixated Filipinos are with their faith with God. One part of the film she portrays is their obsession with the Santo Nino and Virgin Mary statues. They would be seen touching and caressing these statues as if somehow it made them feel connected with the sacred, God. In addition, they also showed Filipinos performing religious ceremonies at the cemeteries celebrating the death of their ancestors. And lastly, Filipinos would hold parades dressed in costumes depicting the life of Jesus Christ, carrying great big statues of the Santo Nino and the Virgin Mary, and have selected people reenacting the crucifixion.
As for the other film we watched, Bontoc Eulogy, it explains the story of the Filipino tribes in the Philippines, mainly the Igorots, traveling to the United States of America. From there, the selected Igorot’s who took the so-called opportunity to experience the outside world are displayed and observed by other cultures; particularly the more developed ones at the world exhibition fair held in St. Louis. Once the Igorots arrive, we watch them go through several emotional stages as they witness and experience a culture completely different from their own. We see them astonished by the different tools the U.S. possesses, the vast structures they have built, and the different lifestyles they have valued and grew accustomed to. They are also amazed when they discover different kinds of animals such as, the flamingo and elephant. As the honeymoon period diminishes, the Igorots go through many difficulties adapting to this new culture and realize they want to go back to their homeland. However, it doesn’t seem too easy for them to accomplish.
My reaction towards the first film, Nailed, was very disturbing and very uncomfortable to watch. In the beginning, I was confused when they kept switching clips of a pig being killed by a group of Filipinos to images of American companies in Manila such as, McDonalds, Coca-cola, Adidas, etc. Then, immediately they would show images of cathedral church and statues of the Santo Nino, alternating video clip to video clip in this order. Gradually, I learned to understand the message they were trying to send and it was how two cultures, U.S. and Filipino, were greatly contradicting one another. Although I could see the increasing influence of the American culture in the Philippines, the film primarily focused more upon the religious aspect of the Filipino culture, mainly Catholicism. Watching some of the ceremonies and rituals they performed were very awkward and kind of entertaining at the same time. For instance, I found it amusing to see them in costumes such as, Roman soldiers, Jesus, Mary, devils, demons, and prostitutes’ who were mainly men marching in parades. From my understanding, these parades symbolized a reenactment during the time of Christ called, ‘Folk Catholicism.’
Although it was interesting to watch this part of the film, it seemed as though they were very serious about their religious rituals as it continued. Their reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the most disturbing scene to view. I remember grinding my teeth and covering my eyes when they finally started nailing the woman, Lucille, to the cross. For the first 15 seconds, I couldn’t even bare to look at the screen until they completely nailed her to the cross. Seeing the nails pierced into her hands and feet made me angry towards everyone including the woman. I felt that it was ethically wrong to perform such acts, and that people go too far with their beliefs. I even felt embarrassed of my own ethnicity during that moment.
On the other hand, I had to understand the history of the Filipinos and that the missionaries who came some 400 years ago greatly influenced their religious beliefs. Furthermore, I had to understand that this was only a film, and that I am only here to analyze and understand the Filipino culture. Even though I may be Filipino myself, I know I’m Americanized and accustomed to the American way.
As for the other film, Bontoc Eulogy, it was interesting to learn about the Filipino tribes, especially the Igorots. The idea of primitive Filipino tribes in the Philippines intrigued me the most because I was never taught about them growing up. Watching this film helped me appreciate their lifestyle because they lived very simple lives. I enjoyed watching that part of the film, but I disliked the parts that showed them being treated like lab animals. It showed Filipinos as if we were experiments for the white race.
All in all, the films were quite interesting to watch and very much of an eye opener. For some odd reason, I’m actually looking forward to the other films, even though they might be even more discomforting to watch. Maybe it’s my curiosity.
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