Ethics

1
Filipino Culture and Morality

Module 7 Filipino Culture and Morality

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. To understand the meaning of cultural relativism
2. To prove why cultural differences are not applicable to Ethics
3. To make a comparison between Filipino psyche and Asian thinking

Cultural Relativism
Culture relativity is a concept that cultural norms and values must be understood based on
the culture he is adhered to. As the saying goes, “different strokes for different folks” which simply
means that if I am to understand a situation the explanation must primary begin with my own
culture. According to William Graham Sumner, in his book entitled “Folkways” written in 1906
culture can only be understood in its own value and content. Example is December 30 to the
Filipinos it is of value for it is Rizal Day but is worthless to the Americans and the Japanese. On the
other hand, February 22 is Washington’s Birthday to the Americans but of no value to the Filipinos
or the Japanese. Same is true every February 6 which is the Foundation of the Japanese Empire but
is just an ordinary day to Filipino and American calendars. The example reflects the significance or
insignificance of these dates reflecting a national holiday to some and an ordinary day to others. In
the first place who is Jose Rizal to the Japanese and Americans but he is adored in the Philippines.
Conversely George Washington is just a face in a one-dollar bill as far as Filipinos and Japanese are
concerned but a revered persona in America.
Ethics and Cultural Relativism
Before we delve into that let us define ethical relativism, it is the theory that holds that
morality is related to the tenets of his culture. Right or wrong a certain belief that prevailed in a
culture is shared by everyone. In a nutshell, everybody thinks the same way considering that
anyone who belongs to a certain society subscribed to every norm they dictated. This is
universality in a culture for as what everyone believed, culture is shared by everyone and denial of
their practices is a pariah among their ranks. However not everyone shared their beliefs because
blind obedience denies man his fundamental right of his freedom of choice. With his free will, he
can decide what is right or wrong but he is aware of what his culture dictates him what to obey.
For example During the Second World War, NAZI Germany believed that the extermination of Jews
is the “final solution” that may be akin to ethnic cleansing. The dictates of their Fuehrer Adolf
Hitler has to be taken into account by every German and is expected that every German must obey
it to the letter. But not all Germans believed in this among them was German industrialist and war
profiteer Oscar Schindler who saved twelve hundred Jews from the Auschwitz Concentration
Camp to work in his metal factory. This proves that ethical relativism is untrue. To discuss further,
although Communist China Party Chairman believed in the apogee of communism of human
development and abhorred western culture his successors believed otherwise among them were
Deng Xiaoping who even went to the US and begin China’s rise to industrialization –the worst
enemy of the communist/socialist ideology.
Course Module
Filipino psyche and morality
Being a nation of multi-cultural race, Filipinos are also cosmopolitan that our hospitality
extends to almost every nation in the world. Filipinos are a happy people that are known for their
hospitality, subtleness, patient and fun-loving. Despite coming from a third world country,
personal and family honor are given priority if given a choice. They value education highly that
poverty is not an excuse to get a scholastic degree. At an early age Filipinos consider shame as the
worst among the negative trait they avoid they value dignity as an important value in life that they
cannot live in a society that consider them as outcast. Spanish and American colonial rule that
lasted for more than four centuries are the major ingredients in the Filipino psyche.
Comparing Filipinos to other Asian nations they are generally more easy-going than their
Asian counterparts. In a study conducted by the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk
Constituency (PERC) the Filipinos are "the easiest people in Asia to get along with." Being a happy
people that is understandable. In the 2006 Happy Planet Index (HPI), the Philippines ranked 17th
out of 178 countries with the progressive United States at 150. This means to show that
materialism is not a primary source of Filipino happiness. In a study conducted by Howard, he
described Filipinos as nice, cheerful and open people, everyone is welcomed even social misfits
being the most nonjudgmental and the least racist country in Asia. Filipino negative traits in an
article written by Alisa Krutovsky mentioned that Filipinos have colonial mentality and are often
tardy during appointments.

References and Supplementary Materials

Books and Journals
1. Panopio, Isabel et al; Sociology focus in the Philippines; Ken Inc.; Quezon City

Online Supplementary Reading Materials

1. Filipino character and Personality; http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-
asia/Philippines/sub5_6c/entry-3867.html; June 2015
2. Ethical Relativism; http://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-
making/ethical-relativism/; August 1, 1992

Written by:
Christopher S. Espiritu
AMACC Caloocan Campus