I was browsing through The Daily Tribune today when I came across an article by Ken Fuller, entitled "No Pinoys Hurt". Here, he basically criticizes the Philippine media's nasty habit of focusing their news reports on the number of Filipinos hurt or killed (if any) when a disaster (whether natural or man-made) occurs in another country. I mean, just try Googling "No Pinoys Hurt" right now, and instead of getting links to Ken Fuller's article, you would most likely get linked to news reports by local newspapers or TV stations informing people if there are any Filipinos hurt or killed in the London riots or the horrible shooting rampage that happened in Norway recently. Sure, the local media may say that they are only doing this to inform the relatives of those Filipinos who may be based in those countries, but focusing or caring only about that alone seems insensitive, don't you think?
Following the shooting and bombing incidents in Norway on July 22, The Philippine Star ran a headline that goes: "No Pinoys Hurt in Norway Attacks". Errr...that's it? Is that what's important? What about the scores of Norwegians killed or wounded? Don't they matter too? Weren't they the ones who had to endure the gunman's wrath? Weren't they the ones who got hurt or died fleeing the scene?
This insensitivity by the local media only shows the Filipinos' indifference to what is happening around them. Filipinos aren't exactly aware of what is happening in other countries, unless other Filipinos are involved. If the news report isn't about Charice appearing on Glee or doesn't involve any Filipinos getting caught in a civil war abroad (as in the case in Libya), Filipinos would say, "Why should we care?" If you've noticed, our evening news programs usually devote only a minute or two to report on world news. The rest of the 1.5 hour air time would be spent reporting on Filipino politicians, petty crimes in Tondo, or car accidents along EDSA. I mean, the media knows their viewers. Their viewers, upon seeing a news report of a car bombing in, say, Baghdad, would most probably go: "Meh. As long as my dad in Dubai who sends my family money isn't affected by this, then I don't really care." It's as if those who aren't Filipino do not matter--we don't really have to show sympathy for the 77 Norwegians killed in the attacks. Bahala sila sa buhay nila.
This form of insensitivity is just one of the other ways that the local media is influencing the Filipinos negatively. The point I would like to raise is how the media also somehow instills an "anti-intellectual" and "anti-elitist" mentality among the people. Have you noticed how the usual antagonists in local dramas are the rich, smart or clever ones who know how to work their way around things, while the protagonists are the poor and helpless ones? In news reports on demolition operations in slums here in Metro Manila, the sympathy is directed towards the squatters who aren't even supposed to be living in that piece of land in the first place. The people who actually own that land are portrayed as merciless and ruthless. But, come to think of it, these land owners are the real victims here. They bought that piece of land to be able to use it in the future and to be able to capitalize on it, but all their plans have to be put on hold because these illegal settlers have moved in. This media portrayal of the elite, in my opinion, is one factor that contributes to many Filipinos' "pwede na 'yan" mentality, where they choose to settle with mediocrity. Instead of aiming high, many are left to be content with mediocrity because they are afraid that others may look at them negatively. Religion actually also plays a part in this ("Blessed are the poor"), though I won't talk about that now.
Come to think of it--is it really so wrong to aim to be smart and, for a lack of a better term, rich? Aren't we supposed to be aiming for that? Our neighbors, the Singaporeans, work their asses of in school and at work, which is why Singaporean students consistently top Math and Science in world rankings, and of course, Singapore is known to be a very prosperous nation. A lot of Singaporeans enjoy a lifestyle that many Filipinos can only dream of having, because they are aware of the negative portrayal that the intellectuals and the elitists here face and are afraid of it. It's the local media who makes "elitism" seem so wrong. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "elitism" as the following: 1.) leadership or rule by an elite, 2.) the selectivity of the elite, and 3.) consciousness of being or belonging to an elite. Elite, meanwhile, is defined as, among others, the best of a class. I don't really see anything wrong with "elitism" and being an "elite" based on these definitions. Don't you?
This anti-intellectual, anti-elitist mentality of Filipinos could possibly still be an effect of 300 years of Spanish rule, in my opinion (aside from media influence) . The leaders in the Philippines during that time, of course, were of the upper class and were feared by the people. The Filipinos at the time were mostly uneducated, while the Spanish were otherwise. Filipinos, as we all know, suffered under Spanish rule, and some attribute this suffering to the Spanish who used their intelligence to manipulate the natives. However, it's already 2011, and in this day and age we live in, we have to be able to use our smarts to be able to weave through daily life. We have to open ourselves up to new information if we don't want to be "eaten alive" by other people around us. It's a survival of the fittest, as they say.
Remember this: not everything you see on television may hold true in real life. Just because smart people are often portrayed negatively on drama shows, it doesn't mean that you have to dumb yourself down in real life. It is with the use of one's wit that we are able to overcome our daily struggles and triumph in the end. I'm sure the likes of Mark Zuckerburg or Bill Gates weren't easily swayed by what the media shows them. I'm also pretty sure that their current success hasn't really stopped them from caring about others around them, either--they could be great examples to many Filipinos.
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