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Last month, I gave a talk to high-school students about being proud
to be a Pinoy. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be.
I am proud of our country, but since I had just arrived from a long
overseas trip, I was guilty of being envious of other nations.
Although my first world versus third world comparisons had a
point—that we too can fulfill our dreams—I hope my message of
genuine pride for the Philippines reached the young hearts I spoke
to that day. In the spirit of Christmas and a new year
ahead, I wish this gift of Philippine pride gets heard again.
The recently concluded South East Asian Games in
Thailand saw us fall from defending champion to a meager sixth
place. But I’d rather not compare past glories with
today’s victors. It’s more constructive to focus on
individual efforts. There were many Filipino athletes who
didn’t win, but they performed despite obstacles and frustrating
limitations. These are the Filipinos I can be truly proud of
because they strive (and get in the ring, so to speak) no matter
what. Win or lose, being cheated or not, and without P.R. or
fanfare, they try their best.
Quiet determination is rare nowadays. Loud
accomplishments are the norm because if no one hears about it, then
it didn’t happen. Media-hyped success, global rankings, and
material wealth become the yardstick performances are measured by.
We are convinced an athlete returning home without a medal is a
failure. A painter not selling a painting is insignificant.
A university unable to be ranked worldwide has nothing to teach.
A poor nation, polluted and corrupt, has no self-worth. It’s
difficult to be steadfast with unclouded intentions in a
thunderstorm of formulas for fame and fortune.
The new Hollywood epic American Gangster
starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, about the true-to-life
rise of one of America’s most dominant drug lords, shows that
power can be truly seductive. The film was designed to make
you admire how Washington’s character, Frank Lucas, was able to
use his ambition, charisma, entrepreneurial spirit, intelligent
business sense, efficient management, leadership, and salesmanship
to gross $1 million per day selling heroin. In contrast,
Crowe’s honest cop, Richie Roberts, was poor, distrusted by his
peers, and was abandoned by his wife.
Anyone with a sense of reason will see the
morality tale screaming in the scenes, telling us that gaining power
and wealth by destroying countless lives is dead wrong. But
the good versus evil situations called for in parables to prove a
point are lost when fables are not our guide in everyday choices.
Our daily decisions are based on our children’s tuition fees,
bills, rent, needs and wants, and “I deserve this standard of
living.” Besides, we are not gangsters anyway. We are
good people, quietly determined to live simple lives and give a
better future to our children. But are we, and do we really?
The price for a better future is much higher
now, and the wages we earn to pay that price is pride. If we
are truly proud of our country, we will take care of it – today
and for the future. But we won’t gain pride if we continue
to compare. Let’s believe our value is through hard work,
sacrifice, kindness, and openness. We don’t need to be
rewarded for that because we are confident we are always doing our
best.
Professor Rene F. Concepcion teaches Sports and
Recreation Management and Culture and Arts Management at the De La
Salle Professional Schools Ramon V. del Rosario Sr. Graduate School
of Business. He also heads the school’s Marketing,
Communications, and International Networks office, and he also
coaches the DLSU varsity swimming team.
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