Colonial Mentality

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INTRODUCTION

 

         Colonial Mentality is one of the problems faced by the Philippines. It is the feeling of inferiority within the society that has been subjected to colonialism of foreign power. Colonial mentality also is related to the values and actions of that foreign power. The concept of colonial mentality is the acceptance, by the colonized, of the culture of the colonizer as more superior.

In the Philippines, colonial mentality is the main reason why people prefer foreign ways and imported things. It also results to copying and possibly the downfall of Philippine economy.

         According to the Filipino Youth Study in 2001, 75 out of 100 people prefer to be Filipinos. However, when the Filipino Youth Study conducted a survey last 2005, only 50 of those 75 remained. Most of those 50 people, who prefer other nationalities, think that they can succeed more if they are foreigners because they see that other countries are progressing and developing. That’s how colonial mentality brainwashes the Filipino mind. Because more and more people prefer foreign nationalities, they would prefer imported things rather than the local ones. And because there is a greater demand for imported goods, it would have an effect in the Philippine economy because there would be a bigger expense to import these foreign goods compared to just producing one’s needs inside the country. Another is that because more Filipinos prefer imported things, there is less demand for buy locally made products and it bankrupts local companies eventually. The cost of importing foreign products is greater than the revenue collected from selling local items. Thus, it pulls the economy downward.

        This study aims to discuss colonial mentality and its effects on the Philippine economy, culture and social behavior. It will help people to be aware of the worsening condition of colonial mentality in the Philippines. It will also help them realize the effects that take place in the Philippines’ economy, the way people, especially the youth, talk and interact with one another, the way they perceive things and the way they dress.

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CHAPTER I

COLONIAL MENTALITY: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

 

        Colonial mentality refers to systemic feelings of inferiority within some societies or people who have been subjected to colonialism, relative to the mores or values of the foreign powers which had previously subjugated them. The concept essentially refers to the acceptance, by the colonized, of the culture or doctrines of the colonizer as intrinsically more worthy or superior.

           Colonial mentality has been very present during the time of the American regime. The Filipinos were blinded by the Americans because of the western models they established, the different culture and their good-life status. The Filipinos may have associated power and superiority with them because with their help, they were able to drive the Spaniards away and with their help also, defeated the Japanese fleets. A proof of colonial mentality during this period was the birth of the Amerasians. Amerasians are children whose fathers had relationships with Filipinas which resulted to pregnancy and they promised to take responsibility to take good care of the children but didn’t. Filipinas at that time believed that having their race mix with the so-called superior race will help them succeed in life.

Throughout history, the Filipinos have been continuously colonized by other stronger countries. When a foreign colonial power is too strong for the natives to be resisted, the colonized country has no option but to accept the rule of the foreigners. As time goes by, the colonized natives would perceive the differences between the foreigners, who colonized them, and themselves, between the foreigners’ ways and the native ways. Oftentimes, this leads the natives to copy and follow the foreigners in power as they begin to associate power and success with the foreigners’ ways. This then eventually leads to the foreigners’ way being regarded as the better way.

        The Philippines has been constantly colonized by different foreigners. Because the Filipinos were oppressed and out powered, they had no choice but to follow their rules and live under their command. As time went by, the Filipinos have developed into thinking that foreigners are better than they are because they are able to conquer and colonize other countries. They saw that these foreigners are capable of doing what they wish to do. With this, they associated power and superiority with the foreigners leading that their ways are better and thinking that if they imitate or try to be like them, they too will achieve power and superiority. Their confidence in their native ways of doing things was fading away and is being forgotten. For example, when the United States of America conquered the Philippines and later established a new economic system which paved the way for new ideas, they introduced western models of educational and health-care systems which brought about colonial mentality because the Filipinos or the natives, seeing that life has improved since then, they thought that the Western way of doing things is actually better. They started doing things the Western way and imitated almost all of their methods. If not, they modified it but the smell of Western culture is still apparent. That way of thinking is still evident even up to today.

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CHAPTER II

EFFECTS OF COLONIAL MENTALITY

 

Economic Effect

        Since the Spanish and American colonization, Filipinos were glued into their perception that imported things are better than the local ones made in the Philippines. They prefer to buy imported things simply because they are made in other countries. Whenever they see things that are foreign, they see it as more superior than locally made products. The thought and perception of foreigners as superiors is still intact in this sector. They see that the imported things are better than those that are locally made. Because of this, its effect on the economy is visible.

Without a doubt, the economy will go down because the Filipinos do not buy their own products which do not require expensive import fees which eats a lot of portion in the income earned. Plus the fact that the Philippines is still a developing country, the value of dollars may increase, the import fee, which is in dollars, will also increase and the Philippines will lose more peso. Thus, making their economy weaker and decreasing the assets of local businessmen. However when the Philippines will be able to secure a stable currency between peso and dollar, there would be no problem in the economic effect because imports will be cheaper.

        An example of a modern colonial mentality in the Philippines which can still be seen nowadays is the preference of the Filipinos to watch Hollywood movies rather than the local ones. Filipinos support foreign movies more than they support Filipino movies. Because of this, it is slowly killing the Philippine movie industry because if less people watch their movies, sooner or later, they won’t have enough money to budget their films anymore and won’t be able to produce films anymore. Buying foreign films is paid on foreign money, and if the peso currency is not doing well, movie houses will be paying more than they should. This also slows down the income of the government. With this, there would be lesser funds to spend on the advancement of the country or even provide basic needs to the poor thus, increasing the rate of poverty in the country. If a country has no advancement, then there would be no reason for people to invest and start business in the country, therefore, also weakening the Philippines’ business sector.

Colonial mentality may not totally decrease the economic growth of the country because of her stable dollar-trade today, however, it still casts a negative light in other aspects like culture and social behavior.

 

Cultural Effect

           Culture refers to the traits and personalities of a certain race. The Filipinos are known for their helpfulness or what they call bayanihan. It is the practice of helping a person when he is in need. An example is when a car gets a flat tire, the bystanders would help the driver fix his wheel. However, lately, when a car breaks down in the middle of the road, instead of helping, they would beep their horns and curse because of the traffic. But a different scene happens when a famous foreign personality’s car breaks down. Bystanders would immediately help him because of the concept of colonial mentality, referring to the foreigner as a more important person.

            Another famous culture of the Filipinos is the utang na loob, or debt of gratitude. This is were Filipinos would owe someone who has helped them overcome trials. However, because of colonial mentality, it somehow distorts the concept of owing someone. Sometimes, people do not want to have a debt of gratitude to someone who they think is lower than them. Because of colonial mentality, there are people who rank others according to their standards. A person with colonial mentality would not want to owe someone from the squatter. Because of colonial mentality, it destroys the Filipino’s culture of pakikisama or harmony.

Another case is that colonial mentality strikes in the confidence of the Filipinos. An example most of the time would be the inferiority complex. This is the reason why people in one country disregard their own culture in exchange for the culture of the other country. Just like in the Philippines, whenever they are compared to a foreigner, they most of the time feel inferior and lose their confidence. They think that foreigners have always been better than themselves. The reason for this dates back to the history of the Philippines where the natives were often discriminated for their physical appearances like their skin color and English proficiency. Some were even treated as slaves and prisoners and that’s one of the reasons why the thought of foreigners as superiors came in to the Filipino minds.        

Another example is during the time of the Philippine Republic, the political system of the Philippines is mainly patterned after the US, with a bicameral legislature and a president elected every four years, limited to one re-election. Clearly, it can be seen that even after the US set the Filipinos free, they still followed their political system proving that they are still thinking that if they pattern their political system to theirs, they might be able to succeed and progress too.

Another proof that colonial mentality exists in the Philippines is that in their entertainment industry, one can generalize that Filipino mestizos (especially those with white ancestry) are given more attention than those who are not. They become famous and well-known more easily. Clearly, the reason why the entertainment industry is giving much interest to the mestizo actors and actresses is because they have more profit in them. What happened to the Filipino’s culture of iba ang pinoy? They find more profit in them because the Filipinos adore them and to the extent of even idolizing them and becoming like them. Those mestizo actor ands actresses become instant hits in our society because of colonial mentality.

        Moreover, because of colonial mentality, most Filipinos see that having white skin makes them look better. They have been blinded into thinking that foreigners are better even in physical appearances that’s why they try to copy them and look like them. An example is the use of skin whiteners. The demand of skin whiteners in the Philippines is high and is continually increasing because more and more Filipinos want to be white to achieve the much desired foreign look.

        Some Filipinos continuously pinch their noses to make them less flat and look more European. They also stay away from the sun or use skin whitening products to look whiter and regard English proficiency and levels of Americanization as yardsticks of intelligence and status.

        Colonial mentality not only affected the Filipinos mentally but also psychologically. An example of the psychological effect of colonial mentality is the condition of internalized oppression, which is very common. There is also a tendency and the desire to distance himself/herself to his/her culture just to be able to become alike with the colonizer. Because of this, it is slowly killing the so-called rich culture of the Filipinos.

 

Social Effect

        It is evident how people prefer or show favoritism in foreigners. The way they socialize with them, though some natives cannot speak their language very well, they still try. Why? Because they have this thinking of having foreigner friends will make them better or more superior than the other natives. Their purpose in showing care and affection to them is not for hospitality but for them to be closer, thus, conclude into thinking that it will actually lift their status in life.

        Furthermore, because of colonial mentality, some Filipinos tease and discriminate their fellow Filipinos who cannot speak English very well and regard that having a foreign blood or race is more attractive than those who are full Filipinos. The way they interact with the common people is different compared when how they talk with foreigners. This is slowly killing the Filipino ties that the Filipinos were once proud of.

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CONCLUSION

 

The colonial mentality flaw is partly to blame for the country’s failure to fulfill its potential, solve its basic problems, stop continually shooting itself in the foot and finally come into its own.

Seeing the negative effects of colonial mentality in the Philippines, one way to fight it is to try to counteract them with radical paradigm shifts that will make Filipinos or the natives view themselves as who they really are, rather than as second-hand clones and merely followers of foreigners.

        One way is by informing people not to be like somebody else, know yourself so you can be confident about being yourself. Now, this is the hard part because it requires you to face up to the good and bad aspects of yourself and that takes some time. Self actualization is a very important stage for one to know his or herself truly. However, for those people who are used to foreign ways which they think is always right, then this way will be hard for them because realizing his or herself means knowing his/her weaknesses and thus, it’s always right.

         Another way is for the country to make her own products more appealing to the eyes of the Filipinos because it’s not always the consumers’ fault that they don’t buy local products, sometimes the producer does not make high-quality products. So in order to lessen colonial mentality in the country, producers must create products, matching or surpassing the quality of foreign made products that are appealing to the consumers without slavishly imitating styles from foreign countries.