Some Filipino Psychology

While searching on the Internet for information on the Kapwa foundation I stumbled across a website dedicated to 'Filipino psychology'. Apparently, kapwa is a core value in Filipino psychology meaning 'togetherness'. Kapwa applies both to ibang tao (other people) and hindi ibang tao ('not other people' or people-you-know). In other words, one is expected to mix or bond with all people regardless of the type of relationship you have with them. Filipinos are indeed known for their hospitality towards 'strangers'.

Another interesting concept is that of hiya. Hiya is often loosely translated as 'shame' although 'propriety' seems a more suitable equivalent. Filipino people dread being put down in public and therefore it is considered immodest to publicly criticize other people or refuse requests. Hiya means refraining from doing acts that would harm other people's sense of self-esteem. This explains why 'yes' sometimes means 'no' or 'maybe' or 'who knows'. It is this sense of hiya that often makes tourists climb up the walls when they have difficulty decoding the message. Funny how a philosophy aimed at not offending people can stir such frustration among westerners. Apparently, the pervasiveness of hiya calls for a great deal of diplomacy and foreigners have to exercise themselves in picking up more subtle hints as overt discourse is often not quite what it seems.

Another funny thing: the Dutch word amok ('amok maken', to cause a row) derives from Malaysian and refers to a specific kind of mental illness found in South-East Asia (including the Philippines). People suffering from amok suddenly go into a killing frenzy, start hallucinating and eventually faint. Afterwards, they are incapable of remembering what happened during their frenzy. We might be tempted to call this a hangover, though I am quite sure it is not exactly the same thing :)