#title elitism

[wack-ashimself]

It's so funny to see these big, long, complex, meaningless titles everybody has for their jobs.

Cause almost every time you ask them what they do in their day to day obligations, it's actually quite repetitive, mindless, and simple if shown the right steps.

It's kinda why I regret college. Cuz....I have learned so much more experiencing life outside school than ever in it, in any form.

Education should make you curious, not memorize 'facts'. Especially when we find out our government, media, rich, and banking communities are FUCKING LIARS! So these facts are more approved narratives than ways to identify, adapt, THRIVE and exist in reality.

<one of my fav stories from college? For my theater degree, I was required to do a directing class. I disliked the teacher. She was 'my way or the highway.' Anyways, she had rules. And one of the MAIN ones was 'never put your actors behind set pieces.' Which is a fucking dumb ass rule. So I ignored it. I can't remember the scene I picked (it was OLD. HOLY FUCK! I just remembered it. Hello from Bertha.) but it was a woman owner of a building waking up a tenant prostitute, and trying to get her life on track. My thought was simple: have the older stronger woman tidying up the house while the prostitute, on the couch in the front, wakes up. I thought 'tho the whole scene is the manager talking, mostly, I want the other girl front and center cuz the scene is about her primarily.' So the older woman was in front, back, sides, etc. My actors (who were AMAZING) loved the concept. We performed it, my teacher RIPS me a new one but....2-3 people in the class raised their hands and said my choice worked. They liked it. It felt real. Most of the crowd did like it. So FUCK TEACHERS; we all can learn, we all can teach. If you ain't learning, you ain't living.>

[kyemeruthie]

Un “titled”

Two separate incidents this week made me realize how much the Philippines is a “titled” society. For all our egalitarian / equality mantra, we can’t get over the fact that titles make us more important and respected. I have no qualms with meritocratic accomplishments, in fact, I am pursuing one. I guess, my beef stems from our demented idea that title = respect and that higher title = greater leeway to look down on people. Experienced it a lot of times in academia, including this week.

Did I feel bad? More disappointed, actually.

I thought we can move past these and listen to people because of their ideas and their expertise, not because they served longer in position or are higher in rank. Would have wanted to argue during the meeting, but thought it would be futile because I would most likely be ganged up by people who find students who rant online = entitled. It could be both true and false. But I’ll get to that later. The point is, our ability to effectively engage and craft policies / decisions are significantly hampered by our deference to “authority” and “seniority.” While our authority and seniority, and even the titles we hold, lend increased credibility on our part, it should not be used to impose our often outdated ideas on our peers or choose not to listen to equally valuable advice from our juniors.

Our years in service indeed provide us with institutional memory, with helpful reflexes, with rapport. It should not however, exclude young and emerging scholars / public servants from offering alternative insights. For one, our age does not give us the monopoly of knowledge. And two, there would always be something new and valuable to learn from listening intently. Finally, I find it deeply important that we respect people regardless of their status in life or the merits they achieved. Cleaners and admin staff deserve our smiles and nice “good mornings,” the same way we trip over ourselves greeting our seniors or executives. When we see beyond titles and respect people because of their humanity, our society may just be much better.