Wazzup Pilipinas!
It's ironic that in this age of highly developed information technology, most people speak confidently about issues they are really ignorant of.
A survey revealed that the Philippines is one of the most ignorant countries in the world regarding issues about the nation. But it doesn't mean we're dumb. Our country placed 3rd because we just choose to ignore, and forget, stuff. And that's worse.
Perhaps the questions are biased? I'd like to see the questions/methodology before believing their conclusion. Further I'd blame TV. Better that they measured idiocy levels of audience on TV because it has been dumbing the masses for so long already with all thise predictable teleseryes and noontime shows.
Sadly, we are also exposed to an oppressive political environment (specifically systemic suppression of education) which is the more likely cause. It's been around since the Spanish colonial days. Ever wondered why education is still not the top prioriry? Because knowledgeable constituents are more difficult to control. But that only goes so far. We might not have created the problem, but we're at least partially culpable if we don't address it.
"Ay yay yay….. Most uninformed yet most confident…. dangerous combination.
My thoughts: I think we are too emotional when we engage national issues. The more emotions we have, the more we feel we own an issue. But come to think of it, ownership really means understanding root causes and the dynamics of the issues. Sadly, we stop with the emotions and judge without truly understanding. This is probably why we are left demanding too much of ALL our leaders without adequately making them truly accountable. This is a strong indicator of our great lack of social accountability.
This is a form of entitlement."
Be prepared to laugh, roll your eyes, shake your head, and maybe even shed a tear or two. Our Best and Brightest are seemingky "ignoramus" when it comes to the expected skills and wisdom since just about anybody popular and with influence could become a leader.
It is the Dunning-Kruger effect. "Confidently ignorant."
What is Dunning-Kruger effect?
It is a phenomenon where people with little knowledge or skill think they know more or have more skill than they do. This occurs while simultaneously overlooking and/or underestimating the knowledge and skills of those involved in the task at hand.
Did we get worse after one year? Tell us who to blame.
"'It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.' attributed to Mark Twain who also campaigned for our sovereignty back in the day."
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
