I have spoken much earlier on the issue of the fact that not following simple guidelines is a problem towards progress, now it's time to address another problem. I observe that it's a problem that many Filipinos tend to be divided for the wrong reasons and they tend to be united for the wrong reasons. When it comes to joining a crowd or splitting from them, it's a case to case basis. Ever heard of the statement of being united in truth and divided in error? Now it's time to talk about the respect for individual differences of the Filipino.
In the Philippines, it's a sad fact either a lot of Filipinos suffer from the bandwagon mentality or the crab mentality. The bandwagon mentality occurs when people just ride that bandwagon out of fear of being rejected which can also accompany the lynch mob syndrome. The lynch mob syndrome is when you hate something because somebody hates it and they all rally behind that person or group. For the crab mentality, it's a problem that when one Filipino seeks to get out of the stupid system that they are so united into, they want to drag him or her down. I see it often happening to Filipino athletes who work hard on their own, to Filipinos who decide to do stuff that are considered "anti-Filipino" by the stupid crowd and to Filipinos who choose to stick to facts even when they are unpopular and choosing to stick to the rule of majority instead of the rule of right and wrong resulting to a democracy of stupidity. I guess the fact that a lot of Filipinos fail to respect individual differences and different opinions is rooted from the prevailing problem of anti-intellectualism.
Most people just choose to conform to the majority rule even if everybody is heading towards the straight road to oblivion. Whether you like it or not, we all do need complementary differences. I mean can you eat properly with two spoons together? Even when a chopsticks have to meet the same size and shape to work properly, even if both are held by the same hand, you cannot deny that there is a pointed end to each which is the opposite of the blunt top. A plug would never work with another plug, it must fit with the outlet designed for it. You can see the differences are there but they are indeed complementary. What should be opposed is any difference that does not work together like unjustifiable tax rates vs. non-justifiable tax rates.
Different opinions are needed because they are not always right. Opinion is defined as a view or judgment formed about something but it's not necessarily based on fact and knowledge. Like criticism, you have constructive criticism and destructive criticism and the same can go for opinion. Any well-to-do critic starts off with a careful judgment based on the facts to make judgment of the good, the bad and the ugly then they also share their opinions. When people share their views and they learn to do it maturely and professionally in the light of facts, any wrong opinion can be corrected. At the same time, it must be remembered that just because a person has a different opinion on the matter does not automatically mean that they are rebels or anarchists.
Looking at history, the need for respect of individual differences and different opinions actually do shape history if done right. If you think if it, it took somebody to have beneficial differences have shaped society. I always asked myself what if the great contributors of science and technology chose to hate their individual differences and just flow by with public opinion? They would have not tested their valid opinion if they didn't want to at least test their opinion, how would they know that they are right or wrong? Somehow I still think that Bill Gates' being different is what made Microsoft... he was simply ahead of the University that he chose not to pursue that degree but self-study what he needed to know to start his own company. In short, he may have no diploma but he was not anti-intellectual either, if not, he would have not hired his friend to be his engineer. Besides, weren't businesses built on complementary differences? Bill Gates was the head of Microsoft, his best friend became his engineer and so on and so forth... they all needed each other or Microsoft wouldn't exist. With different opinions and modifying them when need be, we get better results.
I could also mention that a lack of respect or failing to see through people's individual differences and different opinions contribute to the rise of political dynasties. For example, I really hate to think that people fail to see this... President Nobita Aquino is not his father the late Ninoy Aquino. Whenever I think of the failure to see that the son is NOT his father or that just because you two are blood relatives does not make you alike, most people fail to see it and that's what also caused the rest of the Aquinos to just pop into power like how after President Nobita, you have Senator Bum Aquino riding on the late Ninoy. At the same time, you have the problem of Noytards left and right having a huge dose of their PNoy Pride, they are prone to automatically label you a villain even if you were simply providing a better alternative like Gilberto Teodoro or Richard Gordon, they may even accuse you of trying to assassinate their beloved leader as their possible next course of accusation.
When I'm asked why do I go against some popular opinion? I don't want to keep my bad habit of bandwagoning with others. I want to like something popular because I like it. I follow rules because I want to follow rules. If people only develop a passion for doing what's right and for progress, we can have a better sense of democracy than we have now.
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