Cultural Influence on Moral Behavior

CULTURAL IN MORAL BEHAVIOR  WHAT IS CULTURE? Culture is a complex phenomenon. It contains nearly all aspects of shared human experiences. Culture possess five basic elements:  Symbols  Language  Beliefs  Values  Norms Culture  Is the way of life of a group of people...

CULTURAL IN MORAL BEHAVIOR  WHAT IS CULTURE? Culture is a complex phenomenon. It contains nearly all aspects of shared human experiences. Culture possess five basic elements:  Symbols  Language  Beliefs  Values  Norms Culture  Is the way of life of a group of people that includes their knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.  ROLE OF CULTURE IN MORAL BEHAVIOR  Moral values and behavior are acquired from one’s culture through communication and imitation from one generation to the next.  Cultural Relativism  Is the view that an action is morally right if ones culture approves of it.  “Different cultures have different moral codes”  “The right way is the way which the ancestors used and which has been handed down” – William Graham Summer  “moral rightness and wrongness are therefore relative to cultures” We cannot objectively judge any one society’s moral code to be superior to the moral code of another society.  ASIAN UNDERSTANDING MORAL BEHAVIOR  Human reason is capable of handling a variety of information. Unlike animals, human children have no difficulty learning about the world no matter how often they change or become DIFFERENT.  For example, in the Asian or Eastern culture particularly Chinese culture (in which Confucianism has influences of maintaining good relationships and showing loyalty, respect and honor), good business culture is about saving face for oneself and others and showing appropriate loyalty and honor. But in western culture, good business culture is about independent performance, risk-taking, and a better environment of discussion and democracy  Filipino understanding of Morality: Strengths and Weaknesses  With Southeast Asian tradition that is both tribal and animist Hispanic Catholic tradition and American and Japanese influences, Filipino culture became the foundation of Filipino morality.  Filipinos as Asians are also collectivists who identify what is good and bad through their relationship with their families, regional affiliations, and peer groups. A family determines moral behaviors and what a good Filipino is. The self-concept as a moral person and moral standards are strongly tied with the family’s interrelationship with others. PAKIKIRAMDAM The literal translation of pakiramdam is feeling. Pakikiramdam then is“having a feeling with,” which could also mean sensitivity and empathy. It is a Filipinonurtured skill to read or be with and in other’s feelings to maintain smooth relationship.But it is not just a feeling because it is also the willingness to understand the messagesof other’s indirect or bodily and spoken expressions. Others may consider this then as observation and emotional intelligence in order to do pakikisam  STRENGTH: This can start, maintain and end with smooth relationships if one is truly nakikiramdam. It is not easily learned but once it becomes a skill, one can easily size up people, understand their indirect and covert behaviors. Unlike Westerners, Filipinos can easily get along with other nationalities because they know how to makiramdam. This is best in relationships as one is always feeling for or considerate of other’s feelings and welfare.  WEAKNESS: But this can be very unsure because one’s pakikiramdam may be mistaken. Aside from the possibility that one may misinterpret behaviors because of fleeting emotions, it is difficult to make personal interpretations especially that behaviors do not necessarily reflect the person’s intentions. In serious cases such as when life and common welfare are at stake, one cannot rely on pakikiramdam to make moral and critical decisions KAGANDAHANG-LOOB The literal meaning of loob is inside which is also translated as will. Kagandahang-loob can be translated as beauty-of-will, purity mind and heart, goodness kindness, magnanimity, and generosity. It is actually the wellspring of theother Filipino values like hiya and pakikipagkapwa-tao. It is proving the beauty inside. This acquired and nurtured skill of sharing the beauty within only expresses goodness, and necessarily reflects outside values such as utang na loob and lakas ng loob. STRENGTH: Having a pure heart and mind, one is surely a good person. The mother who will do everything to protect and save her children is the best example to demonstrate one who has magandang-loob or magandang kalooban. As wise people usually say “no man can put a good man down.” One who has beauty of will is always good no matter what bad things happen. It is unthinkable that something bad can come out of it. WEAKNESS: Similarly, with the other Filipino values, this can be abused. Some do not deserve to be treated with kagandahang loob. People who intentionally killed innocent lives do not deserve expressions of kagandahang-loob such as special treatment but a deserved punishment. Applying kagandahang-loob does not have to be always fine and acceptable. Giving justice or fair punishment can be very undesirable but could truly reflect kagandahang-loob. UTANG NA LOOB The literal translation of loob is inside, which is also interpreted as will. The meaning then of utang na loob is debt of-will, the debt of one’s inner self, indebtedness, the debt of gratitude, and reciprocity. Utang na loob is a proof of one’s kagandahan ng loob. Being indebted or pagtananaw ng utang ng loob is the skill of willful response to other’s kagandahan ng loob.  STRENGTH: Pagtanaw ng utang na loob or being indebted is always admirable because it shows how much one is grateful to what one owes and to whom one has owed. As a self- imposed obligation, one does not have to be told to pay one’s credit because one pays back on time what he borrowed or honors his commitment in the contract. This strengthens harmonious relationships because people become both trusting and trustworthy. This also restrain one from doing bad to whom one owes. People often say to those who do badly despite the good thing done to them: “Wala kang utang na loob. “This means that the offender is so blind to recognize that he owes to his victims and do not know how to pay back.  WEAKNESS: This can be used sometimes by manipulative and criminals to blackmail people. Some leaders do special favors and even give money to invest utang na loob into the hearts and minds of their constituents. During the election, they remind them: “may utang na loob ka sa akin ha. “The people may also feel obliged that they have utang na loob to these leaders and should vote for them. This indebtedness can be sometimes misused and abused. LAKAS NG LOOB O BAHALA NA The literal translation of lakas ng loob is the strength of the inside and bahala na is ‘let it be’. They are used interchangeably to mean courage. Bahala na is claimed to have originated from Bathala na which means let God take his course so that it is considered as the skill of having the courage to face uncertainty. Lakas ng loob or bahala na is Filipino’s essential skill to do pagkamaasikaso sa bisita  STRENGTH: Filipinos often proudly express that lakas ng loob s their only remaining weapon and advantage in worst situations They may lose everything but not with lakas ng loob that keeps them survive and move on. They often sigh with the invocation of “Bahala na!”to express how much they believe in God so that they entrust everything to Him. As they entrust everything to God, they do everything depending solely on their human capacity. “Bahala na!” exemplifies the lakas ng loob of every Filipino  WEAKNESS: When one said: “Bahala na!” some foreign researchers and observers thought it to be a fatalism or resignation. It had been considered a negative Filipino trait until Filipino thinkers defended it to be an expression of moral principle- moral courage. One who says this must have lakas ng loob or courage and determination to do everything to either reach his goals or destination. A Filipino is willing to die or do self- sacrifice even if he is unsure of the future. He is not afraid of uncertainties because his strength inside can be identified as Bathala or God who certainly answers everything. HIYA The literal meaning of hiya is shame or embarrassment so when people say: “Mahiya ka naman” it means “you should also feel shame” or “be embarrassed.” It could also be translated as a feeling of lowliness, meekness, inhibition, modesty, and fear of losing face or damaging reputation. It is the skill of controlling or restraining one’s selfish desires or interest and doing it for the sake of the kapwa- tao (fellow human) or utang na loob. STRENGTH: Hiya as fear of losing face is very helpful to Filipinos because it can promote morality. People who have hiya are good because they are afraid to do bad things that may damage not only their reputation but also their family. So when one does something it is like the family is also the one doing it because it is the family who suffers if it has bad effects. WEAKNESS: Too much of hiya, can be having little confidence This can be detrimental to the person especially if it is not necessary or could only deprive him of better opportunities Fear of losing face can sometimes be so trivial. It may lead to an inferiority complex just like what normally happens to some who choose to deprive themselves of their rights and do not fight for what is right because of overthinking that what they are doing are nakakahiya. Some people can easily take advantage of this and the more that this is encouraged when people do not assert their rights because they are nahihiya.