Carvajal: Fatal obsession

MORE and more I am convinced that the quintessential Filipino is obsessed with power. Centuries of colonization seem to have etched into his subconscious that personal advancement comes by power. He noted how colonial masters had everything because they had power while powerless he had next to nothing.

Political, business and even religious lords exemplify today the use of power for self-advancement. But petty national, provincial, municipal, and barangay government officials and bureaucrats, policemen, etc. also routinely use their symbols of power (gun, badge or uniform) to abuse and make money out of powerless ordinary folk.

This obsession, I believe, is what prevents us from working together to solve our nation’s problems.

Like we’ve always had a two-tiered justice system that does not convict the powerful rich or, if convicted, releases them from prison early as what is happening now. But we have never gotten together to right this wrong. Instead, opposition and administration parties merely take turns blaming each other for injustices done under their respective terms of office.

We’ve always had a nasty illegal drug problem. But now that it is being directly addressed, instead of contributing with positive suggestions, the opposition criticizes the way it is being done, insinuating, not too subtly, that if they are put back in power they will do a much better job of it.

Corruption has always plagued us but we’ve never really worked together (in a bi-partisan manner) to wipe out this social evil. No political opposition has ever cooperated in addressing the problem. Instead they have always criticized whatever the administration was doing. Again the underlying message to voters is they would do a better job if they are put back in power.

The bottom line is that nobody really cares to solve our national problems. If we cared we would get together, pool our analytical minds and concerned hearts to solve problems. But no, as individuals and as political, religious, business and civic groups, we just want to advance our own narrow interests on account of which we aspire to have the power to do it our way.

What is most worrisome is that religion (Catholicism mainly) and education, twin pillars of a nation’s culture, are not doing much of anything to free the Filipino from the prison of his obsession. Religious leaders overpower members into submission to their dictates while educators promote skills and knowledge primarily as a source of power to climb up the social ladder.

Psychic obsession with power can be fatal. Unless we are rid of it we will never amount to anything more than selfish individualists who refuse to see the way into coming together to solve common problems.

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