In 1939 , Kenneth B. Clark and Mamie Phipps Clark , a
husband-wife team , both African-American psychologists , investigated the
effects of segregation on black American children. In their experiment , they
showed two dolls to 253 black kids , whose age ranged from three to
seven. The dolls looked almost exactly alike --- the same size , the same
hairstyle , the same shape of eyes , etc. ---except for the color . One was black , one was white . The children were asked different questions . For questions like “ Which doll looks nice ? “ and “ Which doll
would you like to play with ?” , almost all children chose the white doll. One child
justified his choice with “ Because the white doll is clean.” When they were asked questions like ,” Which
doll looks bad ? ” or “ Which doll is
not nice? ” , majority chose the black doll.
The final question was : “ Which doll looks like you ? ”.
Many of the children became emotional as they pointed to the black doll. Immature as they were , they realized that
they rejected the doll that looked like them , and that they were , in fact ,
rejecting themselves. One boy said “ I am actually white , but I got a suntan
last summer .” Crying so hard , two of the children ran
out of the experiment room.
The experiment was
done at a time when African Americans
were denied so many rights and were struggling for equal treatment . The Clarks concluded that the responses were a
clear sign of self-rejection and a feeling of inferiority brought about by the political
and social environment. The effects , based on their expert opinion , may even be irreversible . The
results of the Clarks’ experiment were
eventually used as a basis by the US
Supreme Court to declare segregation in
public schools as unconstitutional.
This doll experiment had been replicated several times. One was
done in 2005 by film maker Kiri
Davis. The result was the same .
Seventy-one percent of the 21 black
children said that the white doll was prettier. Imagine , that was 66 years later , a time
when black Americans were supposed to
enjoy full rights and privileges as the whites. Those sixty-six years saw the rise of people like Martin Luther King Jr. , Maya Angelou , Oprah Winfrey , Michael Jordan , Will Smith
, Tyra Banks ---and yet , black
children still felt inferior .
In 2009 , a
media company in the US conducted the same experiment for the show “ Good Morning America”. The percentage of black girls who showed
preference for the white doll was lower , 47 % , but this is still significant . Many of the boys said both were pretty. The change can be attributed to the fact that early that
year ,January 2009 , Barack Obama
assumed the presidency of the US , bringing the positive spotlight to him , his wife and two daughters.
We're half-way through 2016
. Dark-skinned children born and living in many parts of the world are still made to feel that they are not pretty or handsome or good enough . Stereotypes and prejudices are being perpetuated in so many ways .
Racism still persists even in advanced , culturally diverse
countries . Even among members of the same
ethnic groups that are naturally
endowed with dark or brown skin , there is colorism : a form of bias in favor of lighter-skinned
ones .
Colorism is
prevalent in Southeast Asia . Brown-skinned children are bullied in
school. They are called all sorts of names . Dark-skinned employees are usually the butt of jokes in the office , together with the fat ones .
These things will persist for a long , long time –but it does not mean
that we should keep quiet about it .
Obviously , the effects
of European colonial conquests have remained in the minds of many
people. Western-centric or European-centric mentality holds that almost everything
from the West is superior and worth emulating , including skin
color. People in former colonies have not been able to disentangle themselves from this mentality , despite being technically and
officially free from their former
masters.
Colorism is also being indirectly perpetuated by billion-dollar corporations that sell beauty products. Their advertisements are relentless because they know fully well that the public mind is malleable . In Southeast Asia ---particularly in the Philippines , Thailand , Malaysia ---- mainstream media and
online media are full of advertisements for whitening products . Billboards show
models and endorsers flaunting their white complexion. Some of the
ads go too far , insulting people with dark skin. From dusk till dawn , wherever they look , young children in these countries are bombarded with propaganda that dark skin is inferior. The sad thing is , ordinary adult members of their societies are taking the lead. Social media is rife with verbal insults against brown-skinned people. Recently , in the Philippines , there was an uproar when a six-month old baby , a child of a celebrity , was bashed online as " ugly " and " negra " because she is " morena " ( brown-skinned ) The despicable behavior of some people , the biases and the brainwashing will not go away . They will continue for a long , long time . But that does not mean that we have to keep quiet about it.
Of course , changing one’s skin color is ultimately a personal choice . One is free to buy all the products
she wants , or to undergo all the medical procedures , if she really wants to
have a whiter complexion .But that is
not the thesis of this article.
As proven by the doll experiments , socially-toleratedforms of prejudicedo a lot of damage to children.Segregation by color , of course , is no longer the
issue , but we know racism still exists . Also , there are other things . Media-brainwashing and consumerism are just as harmful .Bullying is just as
damaging . For a kid who is a constant victim of bullying , going to school is a daily torture .
If you are a parent with dark-skinned children , you have
to assure your children that their skin is
nothing to be ashamed of. Build their
confidence and teach them how to deal with bullying. If you are a teacher , do not allow any dark-skinned child ( or any child for that matter ) to
be the object of cruel banters. Show your class that you will not allow
bullying and any form of harassment your class. If you are a responsible adult , explain how businesses and the media work , and how they can affect
people’s mind –set and behavior. Do not tolerate racism and colorism , even in the name of " fun."
It took a pair of dolls to move the US Supreme Court to make a historic decision that paved the way for integration ( white
and black kids studying together ) in
American schools. May these two,
inanimate dolls remind people
in different countries what Martin Luther
King Jr. said in 1963 :
I have a dream
that someday, my four children will be judged , not by the color of
their skin , but by the content of their
character .”
" Do not speak of your happiness to one less fortunate than you are."
-Plutarch -
Terrorist attacks .... Airplanes crashing ... Hurricanes lashing ... If you or your loved one survived a disaster --- and others did not --- a silent prayer should be enough. Don't go to social media saying " Thank God for saving me . " or " Thank you Lord for taking care of my son ! ".The families of those who died --- how are they supposed to feel when they read your posts ? Are they less loved by God ? Are the victims not deserving of a second lease on life ? Many questions on human existence will never be answered , like " why God saved one person and why he let a child die a horrible death ." We'll never know the answers. But one thing is for sure : God can hear everything , even the silent prayers we utter to ourselves . Therefore , there is no need for Facebook or Twitter. Pray in the privacy of your heart . Respect other people's grief.
This is how I describe the statement : “
English is just a language ... not a measure of intelligence.”
It seems we need to brush up a little on psychology. Firstly , let’s tackle the definition of “ intelligence”.
Actually , experts offer various definitions of the term. However , we will find three recurring points : the ability to solve problems , the ability to adapt to situations
and the ability to create a product that will be useful in a
certain culture . Secondly , for about thirty years now , the theory of
multiple intelligences ( MI ) has been accepted ( though not without counter- arguments ) in the fields of psychology and education.
According to Dr. Howard Gardner , a
renowned developmental psychologist and a Harvard University professor , there are
nine types of intelligence and one of them is verbal-linguistic , under which English ability falls. Verbal-linguistic intelligence refers to the
ability to understand the complexities
of a language ( its grammar , vocabulary
, sound system and other aspects ) and
to use that understanding to communicate well and eventually, to achieve a goal.
If a student was able to get a high grade in an English class because he
participated well in the discussion , or because he wrote good
essays , isn’t that achieving a
goal ? If a licensed Filipino nurse is able to get the required score in the IELTS or TOEFL , and if because of that , she is able to work in the
US or UK , isn’t she solving a problem
--- the problem of poverty ? If a new graduate , knowing that the odds are
stacked against him because of his lack
of work experience , uses his English
fluency to impress the interviewers , and then gets the job --- isn’t that adapting to the situation and solving his
unemployment problem ? Based on the definitions given by experts , these examples show the application of intelligence.
Authors , script writers , journalists , TV hosts , English teachers , language trainers , copywriters , bloggers and call center agents use their language ability in ways that show resiliency and solve problems .
It takes intelligence to write a story ( that's a product ) that will make people think. It takes intelligence to createa brillianttag line that will ignite the consumers’desirefor a certain merchandise . It takes intelligence to deliver a stinging
rebuttal in a debate .It takes
intelligence to explain a Shakespearean poem to a bunch of high school kids. It takes
intelligence to be able to say what is exactly in your heart .
Millions of people around the word have
food on their table because someone in
their family knows English. Debts are
paid because a smooth-talking salesman managed to close a deal . An unknown,
rejected author rises to fame
for writing Harry Potter .
Valuable information is being spread
around the world by passionate bloggers . Dying cities in the Philippines and India are brought back to life by the business
process outsourcing industry that
demands English-smart people .
Great
people in history had or have used their
linguistic gifts to achieve noble
goals. Mohandas Gandhi used this skill to liberate his native
country India from colonial bondage , and to tell
the world about the power of non-violent struggles . Nigerian
writer Chinua Achebe brought to the fore the clashes between African culture and European culture through
his English novels . Filipino writer Francisco Sionil Jose
wrote an English trilogy where he eloquently
chronicled the struggles of his
countrymen across generations .
Pakistani Malala Yousafzai , 2014 Nobel Laureate at the age of 17 ---- the youngest ever to receive the award
--- continues to draw
the world’s attention to the plight of many Muslim girls who are deprived of education because
of poverty and terrorism . Nowadays , she gives speeches to a lot of Western audience and solicits support for her cause . Her English
ability , of course , comes in handy .
If properly used , English can be a survival tool and an agent of social change . It is not " just a language".
The ability to communicate well in English is a nurtured gift . Even among native speakers , excellencein Englishis not that common . How many Americans can write like Ernest
Hemingwayandspeak like Martin Luther King Jr., or Joel Osteen, or Dr. Phil MacGraw ? How
many struggling British writerscan equal J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of
the Rings ? How many Canadians can speak likethe current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ?
Many of them can’t. Most of them can’t .It’s because above- par
linguistic expression does not come
naturally .Whether in asecond language
setting or native language surrounding , superb verbal-linguistic intelligence requires the developmentof natural potential through long hours of conscious effortto improve . There are many geniuses in math and science , but why is Albert Einstein so beloved ? Because he is linguistically endowed as well , and he explained difficult theories in ways that lay people can understand. Einstein himself was quoted as saying " you are not smart if you can not explain complex concepts in clear , simple language". Thus , Einstein himself believed that the ability to use language well is an indication of smartness. English is not an exact science . It is an irrational and treacherous playing field . It is a bloody fighting arena where the rules are laid out but are ignored eighty percent of the time. People who can maneuver around this language have some gray matter in their heads.
To insist that English is not a measure of intelligence is , in a way , to disrespect the efforts of Gandhi , Sionil Jose , Achebe , Malala , Osteen , Hemingway , Tolkien and other people --- whether famous or anonymous , whether native speakers or second language users --- who devoted countless hours in developing this ability and using it to improve their lives or the lives of others.
"English is not a measure of intelligence ." Where does this insulting statement come from ? Let me guess.
Some people have this “ exclusive ” view of intelligence.
To them , intelligence is manifested only in two domains --- math and science. These are
indeed difficult territories not many can access . People who excel in
these fields are smart . Accountants , engineers , doctors, scientists ---yes , they deserve praises and compliments . However , we should not tolerate them when
they publicly underestimate other people’s
ability and careers . They --- or rather ,
all of us actually ---should keep our biases to ourselves .
On the other hand , some people are just like the fox in Aesop’s fable. “If youcan’t get it , trash it.” mentality . Some people can never learn the difference between “ your and you’re” , or “ they’re
and their ”. Despite efforts ,
some people can not develop the spontaneity needed in conversational English , or the competence to write an essay . So , they shrug their shoulders,
walk away and say “ What the heck ! It’s
just a language . Not a measure of intelligence.” Sour grapes , anyone ?
Here is another reason . Many of us have
had unfortunate encounters with conceited
English-smart people. These people flaunt
their English skills to attract
attention , to throw their weight
around or to shame other people . We have seen that many times , and that’s
really annoying , if not disgusting ! Nobody
likes that . But that’s another issue . The arrogance of some English-smart
people does not validate the claim that “English is not a measure of
intelligence.” Arrogance and intelligence are two separate issues.
Stop saying that English ability is not a
measure of intelligence . IT IS .
But we have to emphasize : English is NOT THE ONLY measure of intelligence . As Dr. Howard
Gardner has espoused , there are nine different types of intelligence. We
have already mentioned verbal-linguistic. The rest are logical-mathematical , bodily-kinesthetic , visual-spatial ,
musical-rhythmic , naturalist , intrapersonal , interpersonal and existential. Most of us possess several types of intelligence , but usually , there is
one type where we excel the most.
We should celebrate , not underestimate ,
what others can do. Every person is
intelligent in his own way . We complete
each other . We need people like John Cena to show us
the extent of physical power
, but we also need people like The Beatles to , as they say , tame the
savage beast in us . We need people like Thomas Edison and Albert
Einstein to make strides in technology ,
but we also need people like William Shakespeare and Nicholas Sparks to make
us swoon . Imagine how dull
this world would be without Romeo and Juliet and The Notebook !
Our " pasalubong mentality" is not good for our financial security
( Note : OFW stands for Overseas Filipino Worker )
It’salready 2016 , kabayan !
May I suggest a
list of things we should ( and should not )
do this new year ?
1.“ Stop Acting Rich ”. This is actually an important piece of advice from
a renowned financial expert Thomas J. Stanley .Many people fall into the habit
of overspending because they derive
happiness from expensive things , and they want to impress other people. Thus ,
after many years of hard work , they
still end up as financial failures. This is very true with many Filipinos
---especially OFWs and their families. So , this new year ,
buy fewer things and choose less expensive stuff. You are not Kim Kardashian ! You are an OFW trying to get
a better life for your family . And you
have to limit your pasalubongs or gifts . You are not Santa Claus. People who truly love
you don’t care about pasalubong. They care about YOU.
Self-discipline , according to
Stanley , is key to building wealth . Stanley has proven throughhis research that most millionaires don’t buy expensive things , and yet , so many ordinary people still refuseto believe it . Millionairesput
their money on investmentsand
businesses so that they can help other people.
Pope Francis himself has spoken strongly against
consumerism and materialism. Indeed , too much attachment to material things has moral consequences as well. Materialism causes
people to steal from each other . Materialism causes people to lie , like when
you can’t pay your loan because you’ve
spent the money on a smart phone – what do you do ? Invent lies . Materialism
pushes a businessman to make false promises. Materialism also makes it easy
for people to sell their bodies .
Sex with strangers in exchange for nice
clothes .
2. Re-assess your goals and achievements. Are you moving closer to your goals ?
How’s your monthly savings ? If
you are not hitting your target savings , you have to do things differently .
Maybe, you need to further simplify your
life or you need to find a part-time job
or a “ raket” , as we Pinoys say.
Here is another question
: Are your goals realistic ? Or are
they too ambitious ? Here are typical
OFW goals : save for the education of two ( or more ) children or
siblings AND build a house AND save for a business capital .( Okay ,
add a tricycle or car ) . Frankly speaking , you will not be able to fulfill these multiple
targets . How much do you earn ? You will need to work abroad for
about 20 years to achieve two of these things . A
report from a financial institution says that most OFWs need ten to
thirteen years to save one million pesos
. ( That’s about P10,000. savings a
month ) Do the math and you’ll realize
that your remaining life is not enough to get all that
you want .
Therefore , be humble
and realistic . Trim down your goals. And explain to your
family that everyone’s cooperation is needed to fulfill those goals. For example
, the family should have a simpler
lifestyle and capable adults should
work.
3. Improve your knowledge and skills . We live in a challenging world. If you want to
survive , you’ve got to have the knowledge and skills that will serve as your
bread-and-butter . If you are good at what you do , your employer will keep you
. Whatever your age is , you have to
keep on developing your mind and hands. Whether
it’s white-collar know-how such as
teaching and accounting , or vocational skills
such as cooking and computer repair ---- improve yourself. Also , gain new knowledge and skills that will be useful as you get older. Do research about trends in
business and investments. To rephrase a statement from Stanley , if you have the right
knowledge and skills --- you don’t have
to look for money . Because MONEY WILL FIND YOU !!!
4. Build good relationships. And I mean , good , healthy
relationships. Working overseas is
stressful and emotionally draining .
Choose friends who will have a positive
influence on you . Find time to be with
them . On the other hand , avoid people who cheat their wives or husbands. Avoid mean , conceited and
selfish people .They will contaminate
your soul .
With the use of
technology , communicate more often with friends and family back home. Start chatting with friends whom you have ignored on Facebook. Always ask your children how they are . Assure
them that you are open to listening to
childish or teenage problems. Be romantic with your spouse . “Sweet nothings”
are not nothing ; they are something .
5. Take care of your health . Your body is the vehicle that
carries your knowledge , skills , strength
and abilities .If that vehicle breaks
down , so do all the power that you have . A disease will most likely stop you
from achieving your dreams . To be
healthy , you already know what to do : eat more fruit and
vegetables , have more fish and less meat , be active .We all know these things but many of us still fail . Again , it’s the
lack of self-discipline . Well ,
this 2016 , let’s be kinder to our bodies. As Scottish
philosopher Thomas Carlyle says :
“ He who
has health , has hope;
And he who
has hope ,
Has
everything.”
4.Do small acts
of kindness but avoid drawing attention to yourself . It doesn’t have to involve money . Help someone fix a
machine . Hold the door open for the person behind you .Listen to someone’s problems. And when you have done it , don’t
talk about it . Actually , there
is no shortage of “kindness” in this
world. What I mean is , many people do nice things – and then post it on social media . For what
? For FB " Likes " , praises recognition . It is okay to go public
if you need crowd funding or you need the intervention of a remote organization
--- and even so , the “ helper ”
should divert the attention away from himself .For other types of help we give to others , MUM IS THE
WORD.
6. BE HAPPY ! No matter
how far you are from your loved ones , strive to be happy. Find humor and joy in little things : your mother’s voice on the phone , your
favorite song , a chocolate bar , the gentle wind on your face , the sand in your mouth after a
sand storm . Life won’t get any easier if you
frown and sulk. If you’re at the lowest point of your life right now
--- remember , kabayan --- that , too ,
will pass. All storms do.
That’s it , kabayan . You can add
more to the list . Let’s all have a
prosperous and happy 2016 !
My two cents on a recent issue in the US : about 200 Somali Muslim immigrants refused to go to work over a misunderstanding on prayer breaks . They were subsequently fired by the company , Cargill , a meat packing company. First of all , from what I gathered , the company ALLOWS its Muslims workers to take a break from work so that they could pray . However , last month , the company began a new policy stating that Muslims should pray in small groups of three. It's because if they leave the work station in big groups ( ten or more ) and then pray , work is disrupted and their product ---meat --- may get spoiled. The new policy was misinterpreted by the Muslims as discriminatory and a barrier to practice their faith . As a sign of protest , they did not report for work for a few days. The company decided to fire them. Let me tell you something . I have been working as a teacher in the Middle East for more than five years now. Many of my co-teachers are Arab Muslims . Here is what I observed . They don't leave their classes in order to pray . They pray before or after teaching . Thus, there is no work disruption. I can say the same thing about my students all of whom are young adult Muslims . Only very few of them leave the class to pray . In fact , last semester , out of the total 120 ( plus ) students I had , only two consistently asked for permission to go out and pray . The rest stayed in the class the whole time . They told me that they pray before or after classes. My Muslim co-teachers and students have all the right , the power and the freedom to take a break from classes and pray .They are in their own country . They can easily do that . But they don't . They adjust their prayer time to avoid work interruptions. Now , if my Arab Muslim colleagues and students ( all very faithful to Islam ) can make adjustments ---- why can't these Somali Muslims who chose the USA as their second home do the same thing ? I don't see the new policy as a form of religious discrimination . It's a reasonable business decision. Overall , the actions of the Somalis will be detrimental to many Muslims in the USA . Many companies will now think that hiring Muslims is bad and risky for business. As a result , this will jeopardize many employment opportunities for Muslims . Besides , accommodating workers' religious practices can unsettle a business . Okay , you allow the Muslims to take a break in order to pray because they insist it's a fundamental right . Now, what if the Catholic workers ask for a break to pray the rosary ? It's their fundamental right too ! Remember , the USA has a big number of citizens with Asian and Latino Catholic background. And it's a country where individual freedom is so vigilantly guarded . Hundreds of lawsuits are filed every day because of accusations of violating freedom of expression , freedom of religion and so many other freedoms . What if every Muslim , Christian , Jew , Hindu or Buddhist asks for a prayer time at work ? What's the company gonna do ?
