China. Ten years ago, it was one of those Bermuda Triangles in the world economy. Even if they are known as one of the populous nations on earth, it was known then as one of the depressed and poorest countries in the world.
Today, it is different.
You could sense it in Hollywood itself. Kung Fu Panda, The Warriors, Forbidden Kingdom, and now, The Mummy III.
2008 will be different. Not because of a lot of things happening in the world, but because for the first time, people around the globe will be forced to see a shocking reality—China is eating up the globe. Beijing Olympics is coming. And around the world, people are in panic in learning how to speak Mandarin.
Even my sister is speaking Mandarin in her sleep! (She’s taking up Mandarin in school).
Is this really happening? Well, if you’re in the Philippines you get what I mean. After all, we are so well-contented with emulating, criticizing our own little problems, while outside our little country, a shift is happening in the world. What is so surprising is that we don’t even care what happens to the world outside. Talk to your colleagues about this and they will just say “so? Anong pake ko dyan?” While the rest of the world is trying to ride the Asian rise, we on the other hand would want to go to America and live the American Dream, which is—truth be told—declining as we speak. This shift is not just a cultural shift. It’s a shift of the balance of power, from West to East.
CNN and Fox News echo it everyday. “Hundreds of US Banks are closing.” “Inflation is escalating.” “Thousands are unemployed.” “The US Economy is at its lowest in 20 years.” And we are so oblivious to this.
The time of the West, like what New York Times heralded, is over. The “Asian Century” is here.
The question is, will the Philippines rise up with the rest of the continent?
If you’re a geek, a Filipino geek, you don’t have the right to boast about anything. Because the knowledge you’ve accumulated now would probably be taken up by 10 year olds in Singapore and China today.
Jin Yang, a 12 year old gymnast featured in Discovery Channel’s “China Revealed”, has been training since she was 5 years old, with that sole goal of winning gold in the Olympics. No TVs and playtime for her. Bringing honor to her nation is her highest priority. Now, multiply her by the millions.
So what are you doing today? Do you still fidget your time in studying? Don’t want to finish school? Want to join a rock band like the rest of the kids in the country? Don’t want to risk for your dream? Have you given up on your ideals? Wait a few more years and the Philippines would be erased on the world map.
That is if we geeks don’t do something.
If you’re not horrified, irritated, and panicky, I am.
~resplend3nt
