Smartphones have ruined the Philippines
The Philippines suffers from a serious lack of seriousness. I am really not sure why this is. But I suspect that, if pressed, Filipinos will likely blame the Spanish occupation. But no one does press the issue; it is part of their culture. I would say lack of seriousness is their culture.
Just to give some examples. Driving is a mess in the Philippines. Why? Many drivers are not licensed and there is little serious traffic enforcement. They are predominantly Christian, but have few serious (actual practicing) Christians. They are a nominal democracy, but vote buying is common and openly public. Many people own dogs and cats, but serious (responsible) pet ownership is rare. We are surrounded by rice farmers, yet the Philippines still must import about half of its rice needs. It's a topic for another post, but a little seriousness applied to farming would go a long way.
Pick any topic or cultural dynamic, and you'll find something Filipinos are not serious about. In fact, I challenge you to find anything they are actually serious about. Well there is Jollibee. Filipinos are quite serious about Jollibee; and rightfully so.
Enter the smartphone. First introduced by Apple in 2007, and followed by numerous competitors, today these devices are ubiquitous.
For what? I mean, for what purpose is everyone using these devices nonstop? Have you noticed? It is all nonsense. While they have any number of possible productive uses, for most people, smartphones are sophisticated toys. This is certainly true for the people who use them the most. In fact, I would argue that there is an inverse relationship between device usage (time) and device productivity. This is simply the world we live in; clearly true for both the United States and the Philippines.
So problem number one is this: The introduction of smartphones has been devastating for the Philippines. A less-than-serious society inundated with relatively cheap sophisticated toys. Can you imagine? These toys are a national distraction.
Which brings us to problem number two. The Philippines has a unique smartphone usage habit: They use the bloody things everywhere, but no one uses headphones or earbuds.
Okay "no one" is too strong. But earbud usage is maybe one in a hundred. Everyone else inflicts their smartphone noise on their surroundings. And of course, it is the kind of noise that reflects the nonsense they are using their smartphone for. Utter stupidity.
And they do not even try to do this quietly. I mean hey, if you are going to forgo earbuds and inflict this on others, you clearly don't care enough to try to keep the sound down.
In fact, noise in the Philippines, any kind of noise, comes in two, and only two, variations. Off and full blast. In passing, it is worth pointing out, that noise, mostly but not exclusively, outrageously loud music, is just another sign of the cultural lack of seriousness. I read recently that "culture is what a society tolerates." Filipinos tolerate inane noise everywhere which is a primary contributor to the lack of seriousness.
And smartphone noise is omnipresent: Public transportation, elevators, doctors' waiting rooms, restaurants. Yes, fancy restaurants. In fact, it has become impossible to have a nice quiet dinner with your spouse. Some clown, or group of clowns, will be seated near you, and immediately pull out their noisy toys. And it will not stop until they leave. We mostly get takeout for this very reason.
But it is not just others. If you go to dinner with a group of people, there will be multiple people in your group who will blast their smartphone throughout the meal. Don't bother asking why they are there? My advice: Don't go. And for God's sake, don't pay.
If you are walking around, do not be surprised if the clown in front of you just stops because he or she has been so captivated by their phone that they cannot move. Happens all the time; particularly at doors and the top of escalators, which require some minimal level of their attention. But it is too much for the smartphone zombie.
And all lines. If the grocery line is not moving and the clerk is just waiting for the next customer, it is because the customer is buried in her smartphone. It seems that her smartphone nonsense is more important to her that getting through the line and on with her day.
So this brings me to the final point. A question: Do Filipinos know that this is rude? My personal opinion is they do know. It is simply that in the Philippines there is another cultural dynamic at play: Little consideration; little appreciation. They know; they just do not care.
So is it still paradise? Only if and when you can avoid the culture.