I’m getting quite the indoctrination in jeepney riding. After almost 4 months I’m not the pro that many natives are, but I’ve picked up a few tips and have continued trying new routes. At the rate I’m going I’ll be a seasoned veteran soon, whether that’s my intention or not.
A couple of days ago I experienced one of my most troubling rides yet. Not that it was dangerous, or that the driver was reckless (though he was), this concerned the music.
Rap music, christian music, pop music, country music, rock, the Philippine’s favorite hits (think – Making Love Out of Nothing at All, I Will Survive, Total Eclipse of the Heart, etc.), it’s like a different station every ride. That’s because most of these jeepneys and trikes are equipped with some kind of USB amp that feeds the various configuration of speakers in their vehicle. They just download whatever MP3s they wish onto their USB stick, and they have continuous, customized music. Unfortunately for the passengers it’s what the driver prefers, and not necessarily for the benefit of the passengers.
I’ve heard it all but the music I experienced the other day shocked me. Not that I haven’t heard some of it before, but the fact that it was playing in such an open, public setting was what troubled me. Even more shocking to me was that the older riders, male and female, and parents with young kids didn’t seem to notice or care. It is as though they are oblivious to it. It didn’t seem like they even heard it, though that wasn’t possible.
When I first got on the jeepney in my subdivision, I was one of the first to board. I noticed that the driver was playing rap, but it seemed pretty harmless, and I was even tapping my feet, as I was in a good mood. Usually I can’t stomach rap “music” at all, but maybe I am becoming oblivious and adjusted, too. No, that didn’t last long. As we continued through the subdivision picking up passengers, until the jeepney was completely full, I noticed the music getting nastier and nastier, emphasizing more and more hatred.
It got to the point that I was focused on the lyrics (not that you could avoid them at the volume it was playing), and I was astounded that anyone would play such mean, vulgar, senseless “music” in such a setting. Let me be clear, I’m not a prude by any means and I’ve certainly used many of the words myself before. This was WAY beyond that. I have no idea who the “artist” or “group” is, and I have no desire to find out. It’s not the point. I’m sure many of you have heard similar, but the graphic racial slurs, sexually abusiveness, and flippant talk of killing was more than I cared to listen to. Even still, it was the other passengers that baffled me.
This goes right to a trait that I’ve noticed within the Philippines that I feel has both good and bad connotations. Tolerance. The Philippine are a very tolerant group of people. They may have become so because they’ve had no choice, I can’t say, but I’m sure others can. I can just state without question that it’s night and day with the level of tolerance here versus the United States.
The lines in the banks that can exceed over an hour wait, the cutting in lines and pushing that is prevalent almost anywhere you go, the inconsistent requirements from government agencies, the poor customer service (or none at all) given at many businesses, the no return policies of most stores…. I could go on and on. The point, as I hope you see it, is that Pilipinos mostly accept the way things are, and at times tolerate things that border on the abusive.
I’m a newcomer and a visitor in this country, though I do have permanent residence. I don’t expect, or even intend to try to change anyone and/or the way things are done. That’s only good for frustration and anger. I believe there is a change coming to the country as the population of their youth is at an all time high. If they believe and see that they have the power to change the way some things are done, then they can make it happen. Possibly they will just accept as their parents before them have, the way things are. I’m sensing that will not be true, as I see something different in the youth that I’ve met.
I know some will read this and just say you Americans are so uptight and make a big deal out of everything. I can’t argue with that statement. There is a lot of truth in it. We are world class complainers. We could use a dose or two of tolerance. At the same time, maybe it is OK to look at things once in awhile and to say “some things are not right, and what can I do to make them better”? Each person has to decide what is and what is not worth their time and effort. The point is, while it may be a good idea to be more tolerant of many things and many people, you don’t have to accept something that is wrong. You must decide what wrong is.
Anyway, back to my jeepney ride. I didn’t have any intention of saying anything to the driver. I’m sure that would have gone nowhere, except bad. I was just hoping maybe one of the elder riders, or one of the parents would have spoken up and said “something”. I realized that wasn’t going to happen, but that was the feeling I was experiencing. Someone, please, just mention to the driver that the music is offensive.
I came away feeling that maybe the music wasn’t offensive to anyone but me, and that was the most disheartening feeling of all.
Google+
Dec 07, 2012 @ 18:46:14
Hi Randy – Yes, the music and such is quite different here. When my youngest son was 4, as I recall, in preschool, one time they had an event at school. You know, a bunch of 4 and 5 year old kids putting on a program. At one point, they were all dancing on stage, and the music that was playing was rap music. I don’t like rap either, but I didn’t think much of it, until suddenly the song really got started… ever other word was the “F” word. I was shocked. Looked around at the other parents, and nobody seemed to think anything of it. I couldn’t believe it. Like you did, though, I decided to say nothing. I didn’t want to cause a scene at this kind of event. It really struck home, though, and made me realize just how different things are here.
Dec 07, 2012 @ 18:58:48
Hi Bob – I haven’t been here long enough to know if they are just desensitized to it because it is common, or if they really just think it’s not of any concern.
I’ll tell you what, if that same scenario you described happened in the states there would be heads rolling. Everyone from the superintendent on down would be be answering questions and potential firings and/or suspensions handed down.
Just goes to show you (well me really) how much I have to learn about things here. Some things will be easier to accept than others.
Dec 08, 2012 @ 22:26:47
I guess the answer to your surprise is that Filipinos doesn’t care about the lyrics of a song if it’s in rapid slang English. The song simply enters one of their ear and goes out at the other without understanding it. As long as the song has good beat, they wouldn’t bother to translate it or digest it. Unless they’re really looking for good music that’s when they screen it out. I’ve heard of countless of stories from my friends that they’d sometimes liked a song, and when they search for its lyrics at the internet and found out that it has bad meaning, that’s the only time they’d not listen to it. You see, Filipinos aren’t good at catching English spoken rapidly in slang.
Dec 09, 2012 @ 06:30:17
Hi Raymar,
I believe you bring up a very valid point, at least for some of those passengers, and one I hadn’t considered. There were some older riders in particular that probably weren’t catching the words and/or understanding them.
I know that I was very surprised to find out that my wife didn’t know certain very common American “bad” words, and she asked me the meaning of some of them. I had assumed they were universal. I had actually forgotten about that.
Thanks for insight.
Dec 08, 2012 @ 22:31:27
By the way, the slang I meant here is not the slang words/colloquial words, it’s the way Americans speak English, which for Filipinos has a different accent.
Dec 09, 2012 @ 06:36:11
I run into the “slang” term all the time when I’m out trying to speak Bisaya with people. They say I don’t understand your slang. At first it confused me, as I didn’t know I was speaking any “slang”, but soon realized, as you pointed out, that they were speaking of my accent.
It’s funny as I’m from the Northwest in the US and we are considered to have no accent, as opposed to those from the South, Mid West and North East. To come here and be told I have an accent is humorous to me. It’s all what you are familiar with. I wonder if after living here for many years if I will develop somewhat of a Pilipino accent, as some do in the states when they move to other parts. Those Americans that I’ve met that have lived here for awhile don’t seem to have, but maybe it’s on an individual basis?
Dec 09, 2012 @ 15:05:41
I guess there’s no need to develop that Filipino accent here as long as people could understand you, it’s okay. Besides, it is expected of you to speak that way, else, Filipinos would be amazed/surprised if you could speak our accent. But if you’re from the same country, people will not treat you as a foreigner, and that’s when the pressure to adapt the accent exists. Just like when Tagalogs migrate to Bisayan areas or vice versa.
Dec 09, 2012 @ 18:31:14
Well so far a lot don’t understand me. It depends upon the person, if they know English they seem to understand me better, even if I’m trying to speak in Bisaya.
If there are different accents within the Philippines, I’ve not experienced enough to be able to tell yet.
Dec 11, 2012 @ 00:26:44
I agree with Rayymar. They’re kinda my thoughts too. Of course with these things, there are tertiary reasons as well — and you’ve mentioned a few of them already.
The permissiveness too is an issue, but I’m quite sure that, as the older teachers, drivers, administrators etc. make way to a younger set, these songs would be filtered more because they can see the significance of this new song medium more succinctly.
Dec 11, 2012 @ 14:25:07
Always good to get your opinion. Again, it wasn’t one that had occurred to me as I was riding, or writing the article but makes a lot of sense.
It will be interesting to see how things progress with the younger group in a variety of areas. That’s true everywhere but I think the Philippines is in somewhat of a unique situation with it’s population at this time. Being a foreigner and “tigulang na”, I’m just along for the ride.