Welcome To The Little Voices In My Head

How many Filipino philosophers are there?  One: Pilosopo Tasyo. 

Ours is a culture that does not value intellectual work.  Celebrity is valorized, but intelligence is not.  We gaze at the beautiful, listen to the glib; we don’t care for the thoughtful and profound.  Our movie stars and pop singers become famous, but our thinkers, artists with astute insights do not. 

                                                                                       Exie Abola, Philippine Star (9/20/09)

                Wow, the first thing that came to my mind?  I’ll never, never get to write like that.  I may have the insight, but I’ll never write like that.  That’s great stuff.  If you want great writing…you’ve come to the wrong site. 

I’ve seen what’s out there:  Filipinos at the margins with something to say.  Am hoping this blog would be at the fore: People willing to share their well thought-out ideas and not be afraid to do so.  Bumper stickers, I believe, are a great indicator of the intellect of a culture.  The rarity of it here is a barometer of our mind-set.  What we have, instead:  Basta Driver Sweet Lover, Tama ang Hinala ni Mrs., Katas Ng Saudi, No Fear II.

Okay, let’s start…

Whew!!  Ready kayo for this?  Here goes….

The artist is a prophet.  Not because he can see the future but rather because he can see what’s in the heart of man.  
                     Can’t remember who said it.  Honest, I’ve tried to Google it. 

                At this point, I‘m probably turning off about 73% of my Filipino readers.  I’m probably being elitist about this but, yes, this is not intended for the Wowowee crowd.  In contradiction, I’m hoping to get more Filipinos like you to start thinking.  That’s what I’d love to do:  Smack you in the face and say, “Wake up and get off that merry-go-round na kinagisnan mo on and start thinking.”  Would I think it be great if the time came that stuff like this would not be considered “elitist”?  Yes, of course.   

Why

                Ahhh, yes, that great question.  I suppose I was encouraged by family to do this.  I guess they’ve grown tired of my rants.  “Just shut up and write them,” they’ve probably thought.  So, what do I think it should be about?  It should be an archive of thoughts, opinion and ideas – not just by me – that’s not common in the Filipino setting.  Taboo subjects? Check.  Controversial ideas?  Check.  The subjects we’ll cover?  Just like those disquieting thoughts in my head?  They should be all over the place:  Politics, health, society, parenting, film, media, human behavior, humor, activism, spirituality, history, etc., etc.