Thanks for this detailed response. From what you said here, it seems like what is different from the United States in regards to polarization, is that the politics are not as 2 dimensional as the US. That being said, there is probably nowhere with more 2 dimensional politics than the US (I am referring to the mainstream Democrat vs. Republican discourse).
The main thing I take away from that piece is that it is projecting this orientalist representation of Filipino peoples as a monolithic horde and trying to downplay the complex nature of such a large and diverse country. I think Bambu says something in one of his songs like 7000 fucking islands quadruple the tribes and I assumed he was talking about the Philippines in that song. So I don't frankly know that much about it, but the image this projects of Filipinos as a slavering undead horde of Duterte stans just didn't seem to hold water to me.
Yes, you are right that it is orientalist. I think everything written about the Philippines was right, but the way it was framed did seem orientalist to me (mostly the title). It's deceptive propaganda which doesn't lie and hides truths. Sure, formal politics is a bit different in the Philippines with its fickle alliances as opposed to Dems vs Repubs with random progressives and mask-off fascists to add spice, but that think tank piece is just a bunch of words to cover up for the fact the real polarization in the Philippines is between the rich and the poor.
After all, the article is a think tank with links to the Chud Illuminatti Artists guild. Also, you might want to put that link an archive.org link next time. I have nothing to worry about because I am a checks notes lesbian Filipina woman in Florida who gets drunk all day and I post on a liberal website. I am not a radical, this website is filled with liberals who will vote for checks notes Pete Buttigieg. I mean, yeah I have knowledge about Antonio Gramsci, but so does our future president! I can't wait to ride trains!
Thanks for this detailed response. From what you said here, it seems like what is different from the United States in regards to polarization, is that the politics are not as 2 dimensional as the US. That being said, there is probably nowhere with more 2 dimensional politics than the US (I am referring to the mainstream Democrat vs. Republican discourse).
The main thing I take away from that piece is that it is projecting this orientalist representation of Filipino peoples as a monolithic horde and trying to downplay the complex nature of such a large and diverse country. I think Bambu says something in one of his songs like 7000 fucking islands quadruple the tribes and I assumed he was talking about the Philippines in that song. So I don't frankly know that much about it, but the image this projects of Filipinos as a slavering undead horde of Duterte stans just didn't seem to hold water to me.
Yes, you are right that it is orientalist. I think everything written about the Philippines was right, but the way it was framed did seem orientalist to me (mostly the title). It's deceptive propaganda which doesn't lie and hides truths. Sure, formal politics is a bit different in the Philippines with its fickle alliances as opposed to Dems vs Repubs with random progressives and mask-off fascists to add spice, but that think tank piece is just a bunch of words to cover up for the fact the real polarization in the Philippines is between the rich and the poor.
After all, the article is a think tank with links to the Chud Illuminatti Artists guild. Also, you might want to put that link an archive.org link next time. I have nothing to worry about because I am a checks notes lesbian Filipina woman in Florida who gets drunk all day and I post on a liberal website. I am not a radical, this website is filled with liberals who will vote for checks notes Pete Buttigieg. I mean, yeah I have knowledge about Antonio Gramsci, but so does our future president! I can't wait to ride trains!