Postmodernism and Filipino Identity

Introduction

• The text explores the implications of postmodernism on Filipino sociological discourse regarding self and identity
• The text argues that postmodernist critiques of Western rationality necessitates a re-examination of Filipino self and identity
• The author aims to explore the impact of post-modernism on Filipino sociology and the search for Filipino identity

Post-modernism and the Crisis in Sociology

• Post-modernist thought challenges the foundational assumptions of sociology
• Foundationalism, the belief in incorrigible and self-evident truths, is attacked by postmodernists
• Postmodernists reject the idea that science has exclusive access to external reality, emphasizing the contextual nature of knowledge
• The idea of human knowledge being culturally universal is challenged as disguised eurocentric ideology
• The belief in progress towards a final convergence point of truth is questioned

The “Post-modernization” of Sociology

• The author argues that the core assumptions of modernist sociology are under attack from postmodernism
• This has significant implications for sociology, including the recognition that sociology is not value-neutral, but inherently values-laden
• The concept of "objective" sociology mirroring social reality is considered a myth
• The idea of sociology modeling itself after "hard" sciences is deemed misguided
• The author highlights the critique of modernist sociological concepts as tainted by eurocentric biases, rendering them anachronistic

Grounding the Crisis in the Non-discursive

• The author explores the sources of the crisis of the self in social psychology outside the disciplinary framework
• The author emphasizes the influence of feminist and queer movements in questioning the essentialist construction of self
• The author highlights the return of the body in social theory, challenging Platonic-Cartesian definitions of the self

The Impact of Technology and Social Change

• The author argues that technological advancements are dramatically reshaping the concept of self in late modernity
• The rise of the internet and cyberspace has created new social spaces and altered the notion of physical space
• The self becomes a simulacrum, an illusion without a fixed source or reality, due to the influence of technology
• The author discusses the impact of online communication on identity, noting the proliferation of virtual personas and the digitalization of identity
• The author highlights the role of surveillance and databases in shaping identity in the digital age
• The author observes the influence of biotechnology, particularly organ transplantation and cloning, on the concept of self

The Influence of Technology on Filipino Identity

• The author argues that technological advancements, specifically the internet and mobile phones, are significantly re-shaping Filipino identity
• The internet provides access to a vast array of information and cultural content, blurring traditional boundaries between cultures
• The Philippines is identified as the "texting capital of the world," highlighting the ways mobile phones are transforming traditional social practices and identity

Conclusion

• The author emphasizes the need for sociological research to investigate these technological developments and their impact on Filipino self and identity
• The author calls for mapping out the intersections of power, knowledge, and information flows that shape Filipino identity in the global context
• The author emphasizes the need to analyze the impact of migration and family dynamics on Filipino identity in light of these changes