Reflection Paper

VALUES- a principle, standard, or quality that has been freely chosen from alternatives and acted upon which is considered worthwhile or desirable.
FILIPINO VALUES (the 1987 constitution is a formal document embodying social values deemed desirable for the nation. It has been claimed that the Philippine Constitution is the only constitution in the world which mentions the two words ‘God and Love”. The Preamble states; we, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of almighty God, in order to build a just and humane society and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and the regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality and peace, do ordain and promulgate this constitution.
The Fourfold Base of Filipino Values: 1. Universal to all human beings but with distinctive Filipino flavour. 2. It has similarities with other cultures but different in priority. E.g. in china, honesty and hard work may rank highest; Chinese and Japanese cultures give great value to politeness and beauty: American culture to promptness and efficiency; and Filipino culture to trust in God and family centeredness. 3. It varied in how it is applied, through the norms and traditions. 4. Through historical accounts and influences, how it changes throughout each generation.
AMBIVALENCE OF THE FILIPINO VALUES * HIYA (shame/ sensitivity)- * Negative, because it arrest or inhibits ones action. This trait reduces one to smallness or to what Nietzche calls the ‘morality of slaves’ thus congealing the soul of the Filipino and emasculating him, making him timid, meek and weak. * Positive, because a person considers other people’s feelings and avoids arguments or offense to others. * NINGAS-COGON (procrastination) * Negative, by all standard, because it begins ardently and dies down as soon as it begins. This trait renders one inactive and unable to initiate things to persevere. * Positive, in a way, because it makes a person non-chalant, detached, indifferent; nonplussed should anything go wrong, and hence conducive to peace and tranquillity. * MANANA OR BUKAS NA (procrastination) * Negative, because one constantly postpones action and accomplishes nothing. This aggravates a situation, a problem grows beyond correction, a leak or a small break becomes a gaping hole. This arises from an indolent mentality that a problem will go away by itself. * Positive, because one is without stress and tension; one learns to take what comes naturally. Like the Chinese wu-wei, this trait makes one live naturally and without undue artificiality. * PAKIKISAMA (group loyalty) * Negative- because one closes one’s eyes to evils life graft and corruption in order to conserve peace and harmony in a group at the expense of one’s comfort. * Positive- because one lives for others; peace or lack of dissension is a constant goal.
Pikiusap (appear), palakasan (show of power), sipsip (bribery), palusot (alibi), lagay (bribe), bata system (nepotism) * BAHALA NA (resignation) * Negative- because one leaves everything to chance under the pretext of trusting in Divine providence, this trait is really laziness disguised in religious garb. * Positive, because one relies on a superior power rather than on one’s own. It is conducive to humility, modesty, and lack of arrogance, * UTANG NA LOOB (indebtedness) * Negative, because one overlooks moral principles when one is indebted to a person. One who is beholden to another person will do anything to please him, thinking that by doing so he is able to repay a debt. One condones what the other person does and will ever censure him for wrongdoing. * Positive, because it is a recognition of one’s indebtedness. This trait portrays this spirit behind the Filipino saying, “he who does not know how to look to the past will never reach his destination.” * BAYANIHAN (cooperation) “being a heroes to each other) * Palabra de honor (word of honor) * Delicadeza (finesse) * Paggalang (honouring) * Pagdadamayan (comforting)
(We talk a lot and talk pretty well about race but we don’t listen enough. And I’m hoping that if we listen to each other we can begin to make this society of ours into less and less of a country of strangers. -david shipler, 1997)
(Appreciation of our differences starts with the acknowledgement or our similarities. –peter reese)
CULTURE - The customary ways in which humans live. E.g. diet, family forms and processes, social orgs and religions.
ETHINIC GROUP OR CULTURE GROUP – the culture heritage, or aspects of culture, that a group shares and attemps to hand down from one gen. to the next through learning.
12 ASPECTS OF CULTURE OR ETHNICITY
HISTORY – time period and conditions under which a group migrated or immigrated.
SOCIAL STATUS FACTORS – education, occupation, income.
SOCIAL GROUP INTERACTION PATTERNS: intra-group (within group relations) and Inter-group (between- group relations)
VALUE ORIENTATION – standards by which members of a culture judge their personal actions and those of others.
LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATIONS – verbal and nonverbal
FAMILY LIFE PROCESSES – gender roles, family dynamics
HEALING BELIEFS AND PRACTICES – attitudes and beliefs about health
RELIGION – spiritual beliefs and practices
ART AND EXPRESISIVE FORMS – art, music, stories, dance, etc.
DIET/ FOODS – preferred foods eaten by group
RECREATION – activities, sports for leisure, etc
CLOTHING – types, styles and extent of body coverings,
PERSONAL CULTURE- CORE IDENTITY * Includes everything an individual finds meaningful, beliefs, values, perceptions, assumptions, and framework about reality. * Developed through social interaction with family and others in your environment, CULTURAL COMPETENCE SKILL AREAS * Awareness and acceptance of differences * Self awareness * Dynamics of differences * Knowledge of client’s culture * Adaptation of skills SELF AWARENESS * “ it is impossible to appreciate the impact of culture on the lives of others, particularly clients, if one is out of touch with his or her own cultural background” * “many people never acknowledge how their day-to-day behaviours have been shaped by cultural norms and values and reinforced by families, peers, and social institutions. How one defines ‘family’, identifies desirable life goals, views problems and even says hello all influenced by the culture in which one functions” * Requires self knowledge of own culture in order to know when cultural limits are likely to be pushed, foreseeing potential areas of tension and conflict with specific client groups. ETHNOCENTRISM * The belief that one’s own group or culture is superior to all other groups or cultures. * The tendency of most people to use their own way of life as a standard for judging others; now also indicates the belief, on the part of most individuals that their race culture, society etc. are superior to all others. ETHNORELATIVISM * These people have gone from being neutral about difference to being positive. They not only accept cultural differences, but are willing and able to adjust their own behaviour to conform to different norms. They are able to emphasize with people from different cultures, in many ways, they become what is known as behaviour to suit the culture of people they’re with, “style switching,” in other words. They do not give up their own or birth culture’s values and beliefs, but they do integrate aspects of other cultures into it.