“What the heck were you thinking?”

[Why is ours a damaged culture? Then consider: We are too weak to face a pandemic and the 21st century. How can we then make Juan de la Cruz thrive? Recall the story of creation.]

What the heck were you thinking?

Six years ago, the writer, to guide his Eastern European friends to elevate their enterprise to an even higher plane, started to use the title “Thinking” to frame the annual planning and budget cycle. And since then, “Thinking” became its “brand.”

To those familiar with the blog, they were an MSME that had lost money for eight years, and yet to get them onto a different playing field – shift their paradigm, if you will – the writer challenged them to become a $100-million enterprise. And six years ago, they had already surpassed the mark handily that the EU Competitiveness Commission recognized them as a model.

But they were gearing up to become a global player and needed the next rocket booster. That meant as far as human development is concerned, they had to move up to relativism because there is where metacognition is present, i.e., thinking about thinking.

But that’s a buzzword that gets in one ear and out the other. Enter: Yoda. “No. Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.” It recalls the “fast-fail” model of Silicon Valley and the imperative of innovation: speed and continual learning, i.e., rapid prototyping. But then again, that sounds too complex. It presupposes a higher level of development.

Recall the characteristics of relativism: (a) A considerable change had taken place in the individual; (b) Knowledge became qualitative and sophisticated; (c) As one gains more information, the outlook may give a new perspective; (d) Something is not good or bad, but rather, one answer is better or worse than another; (e) Metacognition (thinking about thinking) is present in this stage.

On the other hand, the square-one of development is dualism: (a) Considers the world to be dichotomous, e.g., black and white, good and bad, right and wrong; (b) Knowledge is quantitative; (c) That the only way to get things in this world is through hard work and adherence to authority.

Let’s bring it back home to the Philippines.

Here’s a quote from an earlier posting: “For the last several years, we have been celebrating the nation’s GDP growth rate of 6%-7%, the international standard for a fast-growing economy. Yet, Juan de la Cruz always says that numbers don’t mean much when he is hungry.

“That all [the interventions we’ve been pursuing] come down to the need to keep to the 6%-7% GDP growth. What are we missing? That it will take a generation before we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Then consider: “We need a thousand of our close to 800,000 MSMEs to forward-think and craft a game plan to attain a global benchmark, $100 million enterprises. And simultaneously, our large enterprises must collaborate with Arangkada, AmBisyon, and Tatak Pinoy to raise our export receipts by $100 billion.

“That equates to an incremental GDP of $200 billion and will put us ahead of Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. That must be the vision for us to overcome the label of regional laggard – and why Juan de la Cruz is hurting.

“[But] we cannot get 1,000 MSMEs altogether to each become a $100-million enterprise. We must toss the crab mentality and respect Pareto. The problem Juan de la Cruz has is we hate MNCs that we don’t have up our sleeves, managing or even selling a multi-brand portfolio in a multi-country universe. 

That is the root of the crab mentality and why we are yet to internalize Pareto and learn to prioritize. And that’s why the blog tirelessly speaks to our lack of experience in development, unlike our neighbors. Think of our failings in the basics of water and electricity, rapid infrastructure development, and in parallel, moving from a service-consumption economy to an industrial-investment economy.

“This posting builds on the efforts of the blog for us to shift our paradigm. With due respect to our economic managers. Social progress and development demand dynamism and innovation. And collaboration, one discipline alone will not cut it.

“It will take lots of doing before we can undo our paradigm. Still, whatever we believe is our North Star, if we cannot relate the ‘here and now’ and the ‘must-do’ to the ‘context,’ we are most likely to fail than succeed.”

Enter: metacognition. “A simplified definition of metacognition is ‘thinking about thinking.’ Metacognition also encompasses the regulation of these thoughts – the ability to change them. It is a step further than a pure awareness of thought processes, incorporating the ability to alter thoughts and behaviors. What seems to be important is to teach metacognitive strategies explicitly and about specific tasks. Not as an abstract, but teach learning skills by applying them to real challenges.” [Bold expert; thinking about thinking]

Think of “Pinoy abilidad,” as in quick fixes. Or “madali lang yan.” The blog has repeatedly pointed out that we now own the “Dutch disease,” given our celebration of the OFW phenomenon and the BPO industry. And the GDP growth rate of 6%-7% that we likewise cherished the past several years that turned the disease into a “social cancer.” And why we are the regional laggard with the highest poverty rate among the neighbors.

With due respect to the CB governor. “Our dollar stash is expected to top $90 billion by the end of 2020.” That sounds like Trump, “We are doing COVID-19 testing in the millions, more than any country in the world.” Who wants to raise a question to the Governor?

Recall how in America, Fortune 500 companies took matters into their own hands because higher education needed to be responsive to the real world. 

And since we have the same challenge in the Philippines, even worse, given we’re the regional laggard, the blog discussed how the classroom environment could move away from its superior-subordinate dynamic, reinforced by the lecture method. 

That means doing workshops instead and encouraging students to participate and direct the learning process. And that can be done via the development of skills that apply to real tasks.

Then consider: Who is calling the shots in Philippine society? Folks like the writer, not the younger generation. And the blog never tires of pointing out that his age group is toast. One more time with feeling: We are parochial and insular. We value hierarchy and paternalism that we rely on political patronage and oligarchy that ours is a culture of impunity.

That’s why within the family, the writer purposely raises the profile of the nephew, still shy of 30, that co-owns a restaurant. He instinctively engages himself and those around him in “dynamic thinking.” He forward-thinks and seeks models outside his comfort zone and way beyond Makati and the Philippines.

Can this generation still be influenced by Yoda? As those familiar with blog know, the writer worked for eight years with a Philippine oligarchy. And speaks to political patronage and oligarchy from experience, not some hypothetical, theoretical perspective.

“True social change has little to do with politics. To unmoor ourselves from the burdens of the past, we must be engaged in the act of continual and conscious self-renewal. All men are partially buried in the grave of custom. Even virtue is no longer such if it is stagnant.

“Change begins when we finally choose to examine critically and then recalibrate the ill-serving codes and conventions handed down to us, often unquestioned, by the past and its power structures. It is essentially an act of imagination first.”

That’s a philosophy, recall Thoreau, but we also know that we haven’t changed. Think of the generation that we lived through from the time of Marcos to today, Duterte.

Consider: “No martial law yet but ‘call-out’ continues,’ Artemio V. Panganiban, WITH DUE RESPECT, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 26th Apr 2020. “[While] the President’s invocation of his ‘call-out’ power is constitutional (see Art. VII, Sec. 18, Constitution), its wrongful or abusive implementation in ‘as applied’ cases may be declared unconstitutional.” [The ‘call-out’ to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to help discipline those who blatantly disregard the rules on the prevention, suppression and transmission of the dreaded disease.]

Then recall Eden. Adam and Eve had the choice to pursue and create a virtuous circle – a world that they had to develop. Or wait for manna from heaven. Think of the old world and the new world that became America. 

How do we make it instinctive, to create a virtuous circle? Think of our failings in the basics of water and electricity, rapid infrastructure development, and in parallel, moving from a service-consumption economy to an industrial-investment economy. 

Indeed, it is a hierarchy of needs. 

It mirrors the imperative that is yet to become our national agenda, to respect human dignity. Then think of our caste system, our value of hierarchy and paternalism. 

For example, we in the elite class were the cheerleaders of the war on drugs, aka EJKs. But Padre Damaso doesn’t give a hoot about human dignity. There is no more Padre Damaso, says a cleric because we are it!

Let’s pause here and internalize what “inclusive” is and is not, because we throw it around as though we own it. How a nation responds to the hierarchy of human needs is the essence of “inclusive,” not the knee jerk of a dole out, as in paternalism. 

Recall it also translates to “innovation,” and why it is not inherent in Juan de la Cruz. Or why our manufacturing sector isn’t globally competitive. 

Beyond our limitations as third-party providers, more profound is our value of hierarchy and paternalism. And we have an apt tag line for it, “serve the bottom of the pyramid.” 

Shouldn’t we provide the basics of water and electricity – and mean what we say? 

At the heart of it is our caste system. We are a market of over 100 million consumers. A wealthy producer can win the local market by creating cheap products for poor Juan de Cruz, the bottom of the pyramid, and still rake it in because of economies of scale. The producer laughs his way to the bank, proud that he had served the poorest of the poor. 

Sadly, we cede the global market to Samsung Vietnam, for example. Vietnam eliminates poverty and we don’t because our big boys don’t have to sweat it out in the global arena, as in begging for foreign money and technology – that we sorely need.

Isn’t that the mirror image of our mindset behind the war on drugs? How does our caste system connect to EJKs? The value of hierarchy and paternalism translates to: “poor Juan de la Cruz must be rescued from those drug pushers.”

And why is Juan de la Cruz poor – and what to do? No, not “inclusive.” Consider: To respect human dignity is to respond to the hierarchy of human needs by creating a virtuous circle. 

And why the drug pushers? Because of us, we perpetuate our culture of impunity. How? By creating a vicious circle. 

Where are the top eight listed companies in the Forbes list? How can one Vietnam enterprise run circles around them? Think of our caste system.

Why can’t our MSMEs move beyond livelihood undertakings? We are marginalized – no rights to such basic needs as water and electricity nor the right to aspire and be a wealthy nation – and we are resigned. Still, manna from heaven will rain upon us because we value hierarchy and paternalism.

It’s about human development as we know it. It may not be a given, yet we survived adolescence and why we educate our kids. It’s about personal responsibility.

It’s not a walk in the park as Americans, the supposed model in living out democratic ideals, know it. They can also elect a narcissist to the White House.  

Consider: “A simplified definition of metacognition is ‘thinking about thinking.’ Metacognition also encompasses the regulation of these thoughts – the ability to change them. It is a step further than a pure awareness of thought processes, incorporating the ability to alter thoughts and behaviors.”

“No. Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

Gising bayan!

“True social reform has little to do with politics. To unmoor ourselves from the burdens of the past, we must be engaged in the act of continual and conscious self-renewal. All men are partially buried in the grave of custom. Even virtue is no longer such if it is stagnant.

“Change begins when we finally choose to examine critically and then recalibrate the ill-serving codes and conventions handed down to us, often unquestioned, by the past and its power structures. It is essentially an act of imagination first.” [David Henry Thoreau; American essayist, poet, and philosopher; 1817-1862]

“Why independence, if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow? Moreover, that they will be such is not to be doubted, for he who submits to tyranny loves it.” [We are ruled by Rizal’s ‘tyrants of tomorrow,’ Editorial, The Manila Times, 29th Dec 2015]

“Now I know why Paul dared to speak of ‘the curse of the law’ (Galatians 3:13). Law reigns and discernment is unnecessary, which means there is little growth or change in such people. When you do not grow, you remain an infant.” [Faith and Science, Open to Change, Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation, 23rd Oct 2017]

“As a major component for the education and reorientation of our people, mainstream media – their reporters, writers, photographers, columnists, and editors – have an obligation to this country . . .” [Era of documented irrelevance: Mainstream media, critics and protesters, Homobono A. Adaza, The Manila Times, 25th Nov 2015]

“National prosperity is created, not inherited. It does not grow out of a country’s natural endowments, its labor pool, its interest rates, or its currency’s value, as classical economics insists. [A] nation’s competitiveness depends on the capacity of its industry to innovate and upgrade.” [The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Michael E. Porter, Harvard Business Review, March–April 1990]

“You have to have a dream, whether big or small. Then plan, focus, work hard, and be very determined to achieve your goals.” [Henry Sy Sr., Chairman Emeritus and Founder, SM Group (1924 - 2019)]

“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” [William Pollard, 1911-1989, physicist-priest, Manhattan Project]

“Development is informed by a people’s worldview, cognitive capacity, values, moral development, self-identity, spirituality, and leadership . . .” [Frederic Laloux, Reinventing organizations, Nelson Parker, 2014]