A Mirror and a Shadow



 The Silent Sacrifices movie is very timely whatever generation we are in. It depicts problems that are rarely brought up and thoughts that are not talked about. Even though the film was made a long time ago, we know that this is still happening and will happen as long as there are still immigrants coming and living here in the United States. The only difference is that it'll be easier for the coming generations to adjust; there will be more Filipino’s around them that can help in fixing their problems and talk about it.
            When the show started, we’re all focused and listening on the movie. Though we can see that this film was kind of old based on the effects that were used, it is still well made because of its contents. The quality of the movie is also not that clear because maybe in that time, there were limited electronics or gadgets that could be used, but as long as we can see their faces and hear their voices, it’s enough. The film was very good because it showed 2 sides of a story; most of the movies show only one side. This film was also good because it is a reality; we can see their real facial expressions and hear their own feelings. On the side of the teenagers, they are more pressured by society because they need to change themselves in order to fit in. If teenagers resist change, it would be hard for them to find someone who they can’t talk or bond with especially in that time, Filipinos were not that many. It’s hard for them to maintain their parent’s traditions and beliefs while wanting to change for others and themselves. It’s hard for them to be happy when their parents are not around to bond and have fun with them. They don’t have anyone around to talk to. They know that their parents love them through their actions, but they want to hear it because they need it especially when they are going through something; they want to know that there is always a person around them.

On the parents’ side, the thing that is difficult for them is working so hard day and night and still maintaining their relationship with their families, especially their children. It’s hard to keep the balance between these two even though there is only on reason why they do this; they want to give their child a better future. It’s hard because even though they want to have a rest sometimes and bond with their families, they still need to work hard because if they stopped it might be a wasted opportunity for them to earn more money.  They don’t even have time for themselves. They understand that their children need them but it’s hard for them to say it so they just show it through their actions.

         I think children’s ways and beliefs on how to cope with these pressures and stress depends on the way the parents raise their child and the child’s capability of handling and understanding the situation.

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A Puppet Mind


          Doll face is about a woman who was at first lifeless, but when she started seeing the television, she become curious and amazed at the same time. Being amazed by the 
 “beauty” that she sees, she tried to copy it. As time passed by, improvements came and the gap between her and the media grew, but still she copies it to fill these gaps and be closer to the media. She forced herself to go beyond her capabilities and limits in order to consider herself as a beautiful. She probably made what she sees on the television as a base to what the definition of what beauty is.
            The Doll Face video has a very powerful message, especially that through the years media has taken over our minds that sometimes it limits us on thinking outside the box. It would be easier for us to believe what the media is telling us rather than opposing to what the majority believes in. Sometimes, opposing others’ beliefs might make you look bad. They won't even listen to you. You don’t know if they really understand what is happening or they're just one of those people who just go with the flow and listen to what the media is feeding them.
             As an effect to what we see and hear daily, we began to imitate the media thinking that if we will be like them we will become better. We we’ll be more accepted by the society as long as we become part of the trend. Media is pushing us to be all the same that sometimes, and when we like a person we forget to be ourselves. We keep on pushing ourselves to do things that are beyond our limit like buying clothes that are too expensive, wearing make-up that itches our skin or even changing our skin color. We forget that not everything we see should be imitated. We forget to establish our own self and identities because we depend on what we see. We were blinded by the beauty we see outside.
It is like this, when a child watches a violent show, we wouldn't want them to copy it, but rather learn that they should not be doing that. It is sad on how after all of the changes that have been done, we still continue to ask for more. We were never really contented and continue to copy others, so that we didn't even think about what if I continue to be me? Will I become happier than I am now?


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Free in Deed but not in Mind

          Ibarra is a Filipino American artist who makes poems or songs that are mostly about the problems that most Filipino Americans have. Two of her works that talk about the Filipino or Filipino American problems, the colonial mentality, were the ChingChong Asian and Who am I. Ching Chong Asian is about an Asian trying to accept her Asian American identity despite the difficulty in the situation. It describes battling in establish one’s identity despite discrimination and prejudice around, while Who am I Is about how Filipino history of being colonized affects the way the present generation think of themselves and other people.   

            In both of Ibarra’s works, the Ching Chong Asian and Who am I, it showed one of the biggest problems for Filipinos, the colonial mentality. Colonial mentality is a way of thinking that the colonizers are better than us, Filipinos. Colonizers are people who conquered other groups, in the case of Filipinos, it is the Spaniards and Americans. Like what Ibarra mentioned on her work, Ching Chong Asian, “when I was
thirteen and I couldn't accept why didn’t look more like my white friends”.  We look up to the colonizers as "idols" and copy them. Those who don’t fit with the criteria of having the looks and values of an American are looked down upon. Beautiful is defined by how you look and act. If you speak English very well, then you are well educated. If you have white skin and a nose like them, then you are better than anyone.  On the contrary, having the Filipino characteristics means there is less possibility of you achieving your dream. You may even experience discrimination in your own country. Individuals who are closer to the colonizers’ ways (education, language and religion) are viewed as more superior and valued than others (Nadal, 2012). Colonial mentality is an important topic not only for Filipino-Americans, but also for the Filipinos in the Philippines.
It is important because we became used to this kind of thinking without the knowledge that this isn’t right. We become more prone to identity crisis so that we even come to the point that sometimes, we try to deny our own race and we lose our ethnic attachment. We need to know what the colonial mentality is in order to decolonize.

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