Asia's Rising Powers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiK5-oAaeUs

Our colonial mentality is very evident now more than ever. Everybody seems to look up on the western culture: wanting to imitate and to emulate. Everything western seems to be luxurious and most of the time, legit western products are only for the elites and those with high social status. In fact, all the mimicry is even enough for the Americans to call the Filipinos as their “little brown brothers.”

                While I am a proud Filipino, I cannot deny that there are some points when colonial mentality strikes me --those days when I crave for an Iphone, when I am more comfortable in listening to foreign music than OPM just because I think foreign music is “cooler” than ours, and many more.

                This video of Hans Rosling shows that not too long from now, this point of view will be altered. It is not anymore a world controlled by the western powers but a world with weight of powers balanced on east and west.

                As said in the video, the Asian power is not new to the world. Asian countries have once been the superpowers especially before the colonization period. There is no reason why would not Asian countries be powerful countries because they have the richest land in terms of resources. Look for oil, raw materials, hard wood, fruits, variety of edible sea creatures, spices; name it, and you will find it in Asia. In fact, it is not the first time for me to hear predictions that Asia will be, one day, greater than America and Europe. However, what made me afraid about that happening are the wars that would probably come out because of countries’ selfishness and desire for power. Given these predictions, America and Britain are probably watching Asian countries’ every move: looking for possible threats and fouls. As feared by the speaker, it is a big question now if India and China are ready for wars against the countries that have been the superpowers and been used to the mightiness and glory for years.

                Nevertheless, this prediction showed by Hans Rosling not only motivated India and China to strive harder but also shed light to other Asian countries and indirectly told them that it is possible for them to have their economies grown like merciless tigers. It shows that as India and China make their ways to power, they are also giving other countries, like the Philippines, hope to aim high as well.

                As for the video itself and Rosling’s way of delivery, it is very informative and entertaining at the same time. His unconventional way of graphing made it more comprehensible for laymen viewers like us. The separation of “bubbles” also gave accurate information and more weight on what he is emphasizing. In general, the video is advisable to watch esp. to those students doing research on the world’s economy. 

Good Citizenship

Election is now coming and everybody’s eyes are now set on the politicians; whether they did well in their previous terms or did well as a citizen if they have never been in a position, and if they will do better if they were elected. Being a politician is hard in such a way that they are given the responsibility to decide for the people in national and international issues, it is their job to budget the government’s money effectively and efficiently for their people’s benefit and many more. But what made it harder are the expectations that are given to them by the people and if they are not met, controversies and complaints will arise. It is correct to evaluate the politicians’ services regularly but as we evaluate them, is it not necessary for us to evaluate ourselves too? To see if we are doing what is best for our country and for other people and not being corrupt and selfish in our own ways as well.

            Being a citizen gives us rights that can protect us from any harm and can give us privileges that should be used to encourage us to be good citizens and to be used for greediness. Since we are in a democratic country, the weight of being a good citizen is very heavy because given the freedom; we are expected to be accountable for our own actions and decisions. Since the demand for us to be good citizens is high, what can we do and what competencies do we need to have in order to satisfy this demand?

            A good citizen has to have these to live out good citizenship: love for country, concern for others and productivity as an individual.

            Firstly, as one is a member of a state, his country takes care of him, shelters him, provides laws for him, and many more. A citizen is loved by his mother country as a son; and as a son, it is just right to give love for his mother country in return. In order to express one’s love for his country, he should be nationalistic at heart. He, as much as possible, should patronize his own countrymen’s products for this is not only good for a race’s pride but is also good for the country’s economy. He must minimize his colonial mentality in as much that he should be proud of himself, his race and his country. He should not think of other races to be superior to his own race because this will only increase one’s inferiority complex.

            Secondly, one has to love other people as he loves himself. Not only it is right because it is written in the Bible, it also eradicates apathy and indifference in people’s hearts. It is our responsibility as good citizens to be concern for others. We should help other people because the betterment of everyone’s lives will be reflected in our lives as well --improved welfare will minimize crimes such as robbery and snatching. In addition to that, we should also participate in programs that promote advocacies that aim for anything good for humanity and environment. However, we should be careful in helping –we should make sure that it will be for a long-term betterment and not to make them dependent on other people’s help. Instead, what we should do is to help them to stand and provide for their own.

            Thirdly, being a productive professional is neither only our responsibility to ourselves nor for our family, but also for our country. Productivity enables us to pay taxes thus, contributing to our country’s budget. Not only that, being able to earn money also gives us the capability to help other people. Concisely, having a regular income makes us adept to do the other requirements of being a good citizen. Not that it is all about the money because there really are certain things that can be done to make us good citizens without any expense such as being well mannered and care for environment, it is just that we are more capable of sharing if we have something to share to begin with.

            Sometimes we think that we are still young enough to be careless and apathetic. Some may also think that we are too young to help. But I believe it is only right to say that it is never too late nor too early to be a good citizen. The fact that we are learning how to become a good citizen is good citizenship in itself. Aside from that, as a student, we are now skilled and intelligent enough to do things that are good and beneficial to the society such as respect, care and desire to help. Being a good citizen can start anytime as long as one commits himself to be one.