I signed up for this, with all the buzz it has created this weekend. But I was quite disappointed by the things people have been committing themselves to doing. Sure, by all means, let us pay our taxes, register to vote, obey traffic rules, sweep the floor, pray, smile at others, be nice, be proud to be pinoy! Aba, dapat lang. Isn’t that what one is supposed to do regardless of any campaign for social change? Isn’t that what we are already doing? Let’s not stop doing it, fine. But please, it reeks of great naivete to think that doing things we are already doing will change Philippine society.
I don’t wish to offend anyone. I have friends from many advocacy campaigns of this type. But let me explain my reservations whenever I’m invited into these campaigns. My problem with “Ako Mismo” and the dozens of other “I” campaigns that have been initiated (and have flopped) these past years, is that it fosters an illusion that mundane individual efforts to do good, and nothing more, is enough to change society. These are well meaning campaigns, but I don’t think they actually call for positive action or call for change. These are calls for neutral action–to do things we’re supposed to be doing anyway.
What I think is dangerous about campaigning for this is that it neutralizes a person’s capacity to do more than what one is supposed to do in the first place. It’s like, fine, just pay your taxes, smile at people, sweep your backyard, do things within your comfort zone and that’s enough to change society. It’s not. Let us not justify the laziness or the inability of the middle class to get out of their comfort zone to change society.
These are the types of campaigns, believe it or not, that people in power or in government and big businesses employ to maintain the status quo, simply because doing ’simple everyday good things’ do just that and nothing more. It effectively cloaks their part in the equation as to why we are where we sadly are. It makes you forget their role in sustaining the rotten order of society. It makes you think of questioning their policies or their authority as simple pagrereklamo. And worse, it demonizes those who do that. “Forget about the corruption and the repression we commit, just do your own little nice things!” And even worse, it blames the individual Filipino for all the problems he is experiencing!
If the campaign was “Tayo Mismo”, I would’ve considered it worthwhile. Pero hindi talaga, this is all about the individual, the me, the I, the ako. Notice how it’s become a trend these days–all these campaigns that begin with “I”. Its always about the individual. It’s never about the collective. It’s never the “We”. Collective action is too dangerous for the status quo. It’s all about pacifying the individual to be content with the things he already does and to buy a dog tag, a t-shirt, or a bracelet to show it off.
Millions of Filipinos are poor not because you don’t smile at others, or you don’t obey traffic rules. Millions of Filipino farmers don’t own the land they till not because you buy imported products. Millions of Filipinos are jobless not because they are lazy or they are not proud to be Pinoy. Millions of Filipinos are uneducated not because you refuse to become a teacher. It’s not about the individual you! Hence, you smiling, obeying traffic rules, buying Filipino, being proud to be Pinoy, though they are nice little actions, will not change the prevailing order maintained by the same people employing these “I am change” campaigns.
Really, there is no net effect if you commit to doing something you’ve already been doing, or you should be doing in the first place regardless of any social problem. It’s a neutral force. We stay where we are. Do something more. Do something out of your comfort zones. Social change is never comfortable. Do something collectively. Do something with other sectors of society. Social change is never about the individual doing things for personal growth and expecting the rest of the process to fall into place.
Ang mali-mali lang talaga ng pagsisi sa problema ng bansa sa individual Filipino. We are not just challenging the individualistic problems of hopelessness or apathy. We are challenging a systemic order that maintains the sad state of affairs we all find ourselves in.
a film school graduate, a former law student and student council officer in UP Diliman, currently part of the legislative staff of the sole youth party-list in Philippine Congress.
Pingbacks to “On “Ako Mismo””
87 comments to “On “Ako Mismo””
san po ba makakabili nang dog tag
ako boboto ko yung tamang mamuno sa ating bayan para umunlad ang ating bansa ^_^
I understand your point. Let us see kung effective ang ako mismo campaign. Buti nga naka-isip ang DDB ng ganung campaign para magkaroon ng social change at umunlad ang bayan. Gawa ito ng pinoy, at suportahan natin.
Peace be with you!
election na naman. im sure its a partylist candidacy.
san pwede makabili ng dog tag?asap reply kayo thanks
wer i can buy akomismo necklace? /////
babaguhin ko ung mga maling pananaw ng mga taong nakakasalamuha ko sa araw-araw
where do i buy the ako mismo necklace? is it for sale?
AKO MISMO SUSUNOD SA BATAS TRAPIK
hi san ba makukuha ang ako mismo dog tags? sa d fourt daw e sabi ko baka sa d fift binibenta ba yan? replay nmn dyan asap ty
ako mismo ang tutulong sa mga tao na nangangailangan ng tulong…..
ako si mathew,glynies,jely,michell,nancy,charmane, dhez,…..at si becky…..kami mismo ang susunod s batas….
Sana binasa mo muna ng mabuti ang blog at inusisa ano ba ang sinasabi niya.
Ako Mismo!: Why this fad attracts predating politicians and hungry businessmen..
Ako Mismo, is an advocacy w/c is supposed to lead the Filipino nation’s awareness to the country’s situation as well as their inherent desire to draw out an optimistic change. Their renowned dog tags portray as a symbol of hope and commitment on what its members should do for their country.. w/ all things positive..
However, just like the earth-hour advocacy turned fad.. this cult-following ako mismo, only attracted predating politicians into their lead.. Although these officials gave their best sugar coated words and support, we may not be sure if one day we’ll realize we’re just like their dogs.. having us on our collars and in this case.. dogtags…
Business corporations also took advantage of the advocacy.. since they were adept at money-making, they knew that it’s members are potential customers and soon will take hold as an abusive mopolist… SMART, anyone?
I pity this Ako Mismo Fad..
its sad how they can make something so good into something dirty. tsktsk. Its things like this that make you think that the Philippines has a long way to go.
Let us just do what we can to help our country. See my post about this.
meron na po ba bnebenta necklace ng AKO MISMO sa ZAMBOANGA city?w8 ko po ung reply
First of all, you are stupid. Everyone hates you, you get kicked out or ganged up on every forums or community na sinalihan mo. Your music sucks, and I bet my ass na hindi kayo sisikat. You always stress your pointless points para lang hindi ka mapahiya pero at the end napahiya ka pa rin. Mahilig ka magpapansin at magpasikat kahit walaka naman ibubuga. Wala ka na sa kalendaryo pero asal high school student ka pa rin.
AKO MISMO ang hindi susuporta sayo at hihila sayo pababa.
MABUHAY LAHAT NG TAONG GALIT SAYO!
Ikaw, amu bang ginagawa mo??? May nagawa ka na ba para sa bansa???
Wala. Para sa akin fad lang to. I feel karamihan habol lang naman yung dogtags eh.
bikoy at che,
KAYO lang pala ang tama at lahat ng tumangkilik sa ako mismo mali? KAYO ang magaling at ung tumangkilik sa ako mismo tanga? Bukod tanging KAYO din lang pala ang nakakaalam kung paano umasenso ang bansa natin?
why you are using that word’s, haven’t you know that theres a lot of people an read this letter!!!!!!!!!
tnx……..
hi!!!! gusto ko lang malaman yung tungkol sa AKO-MISMO kasi isusulat ko sya sa news paper namin1!!!!
pards. pde ba ko magpaalam sau na kumuha ng detalye sa blog mo para sa newsletter namin? ok lang ba sau?
pare hindo ko na nahntay reply mo.. kumuha aq ng idea tsaka konting phrase d2 sa blog mu para makagawa ako ng newsletter project.. iaacknowledge nlng kita ha..
My take on this: I view Ako Mismo and similar social formations as manifestations of disenchantment. I think that unless these social formations become harnessed towards definitive, as you have said, collective action, then they will most likely end up, well, doing nothing but maintain the status quo. Yet I think it’s part of a development, a process. The failure of such social formations will only bring further disenchantment and the realization that such ventures are not enough. Experience in such movements are part of consciousness development. They may prove and disprove what changes may be generated by individuals, and how far those changes go. On the other hand there is so much potential in this group of individuals to become inspired (captured) and moved by the motivations of one or two individuals from the same group. There are certain ideas that spread like wildfire, and putting individuals under one banner, makes it easier to spread those ideas. If you look at Ako Mismo its constituency are the beginnings of a collective. What is needed is a unifying thread to synthesize what are as of now disparate motivations. But in any case, the failure of such formations will only make the disenchanted realize that they will have to step up if they truly want change. So I think such formations are still valuable. They are beginnings. They are stirrings of things yet to come, and if one pays attention to history closely, then one will see that the disenchantment is growing, and this disenchantment can be channeled and directed towards change by the people who know how to respond to history, especially those who can discern underneath the disparate statements the people’s underlying motivations and desire. I truly believe people want change, but as yet they do not know how.