Not In Our Lifetime

[Old55]

Lee, I wish Commissioner Henares to be wrong but he is in a position to know just how deeply the rot goes. Sure would be nice to think there is hope for Philippines. P-Noy seems ineffective but fairly honest in his anti-corruption intentions, perhaps there is hope.

[ekimswish]

Thanks for the book title. To be honest I would have a difficult time keeping an open mind as to the books motives. Not to go negative but let me suggest a book that includes a small bit on Philippines.Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Not a happy ending seen for RP.[

Lol... I think the motive was to write a book from the viewpoint of the author based on how he interprets the statistics, which are definitely open to debate. I'm a young, gullible guy, so my opinion seems to change with whatever I read or listen to last. I'm aware of this gullibility of mine, so I remind myself that whatever I'm reading at the moment could be countered convincingly by something else out there. But something else I've learned from my gullibility is that there's not an idea out there in the world that can't be made to sound true. If there were, Tom in Texas would be out of work. I think that there are some places where capitalism should be applied, and some places where socialism should be applied, and those areas differ from country to country, and situation to situation. There are times when government intervention is needed, and times when it needs to mind its business. No easy answers. I don't think the book I'm reading is against neo-liberal ideology itself, but more against the wan ton application of it, especially when not reciprocated by the other side. For example, why should the Philippines lower tariffs on US agricultural products when the US and/or EU don't lower their subsidization of such products. Without the tariffs it's a subsidized American farmer VS a non-subsidized Filipino farmer. We all know who wins that battle, and who ends up sending their daughter to work in the bar. Every situation calls for a unique approach.

[Old55]

You make some great points. I find the older I become its harder to keep an open mind. Having an open mind and being gullible are not the same... I think you have a wise aditude.

Lol... I think the motive was to write a book from the viewpoint of the author based on how he interprets the statistics, which are definitely open to debate. I'm a young, gullible guy, so my opinion seems to change with whatever I read or listen to last. I'm aware of this gullibility of mine, so I remind myself that whatever I'm reading at the moment could be countered convincingly by something else out there. But something else I've learned from my gullibility is that there's not an idea out there in the world that can't be made to sound true. If there were, Tom in Texas would be out of work. I think that there are some places where capitalism should be applied, and some places where socialism should be applied, and those areas differ from country to country, and situation to situation. There are times when government intervention is needed, and times when it needs to mind its business. No easy answers. I don't think the book I'm reading is against neo-liberal ideology itself, but more against the wan ton application of it, especially when not reciprocated by the other side. For example, why should the Philippines lower tariffs on US agricultural products when the US and/or EU don't lower their subsidization of such products. Without the tariffs it's a subsidized American farmer VS a non-subsidized Filipino farmer. We all know who wins that battle, and who ends up sending their daughter to work in the bar. Every situation calls for a unique approach.

Edited November 4, 2010 by Mr. Lee
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