SIGUE, Ramil Bryan C.

Special Topics (MWF 7pm-8pm)

A.B. Political Science

11/13/2016

Activity # 1
What is National Identity as defined by Niels Mulder?

OUTLINE:

Introduction
According to Niels Mulder, National Identity is where one can identify
himself/herself as part of a whole and is the sense of belonging of people that share
distinct characteristics. His essay, Filipino Identity: The Haunting Question, discusses
multiple factors that contribute to the lack of interest of Filipinos to the concept of
National Identity.
Body
Mulder identifies different elements that constitute to the lack of the so called
Filipino Identity. From tracing our history during the colonization of our country by the
Spanish & especially the Americans which brought the so called colonial mentality, to
our heterogenous society that causes diversity due to differing cultures and practices,
the system of education that has been instilled to the people, the lack of enthusiasm
and inferiority feeling by the people, and the ongoing battle between those who are in
power against the ordinary people. The latter being the biggest contributing factor
because it pulls apart the very idea of belonging in a single national community.
Conclusion
Given all these, he doesnt ignore the fact that building a National Identity for
Filipinos is still possible although he admits that it will be a long and tedious process
because of all the lingering problems that are still present since the colonial period. We
need to reflect on these things because only we can create and identify who we are
through our own perspective and not through the eyes and influence of others.

ESSAY PROPER:

What is National Identity? According to Niels Mulder, it is the sense of belonging

for individuals where they can identify themselves to a group of people/community that
share distinct characteristics. On his essay, Filipino Identity: The Haunting Question, he
tried to identify the different causes on why the Filipino people struggle to find or have
their own identity as a nation. He discusses multiple factors that contribute to the lack of
interest of the Filipinos to the concept of National Identity and on why the problem still
persists until the present.
Mulder rooted the problem of Filipino National Identity to our colonization
especially by the Americans. The colonial impact is recognized as the reason that led to
the miseducation of the Filipino people. We have been conditioned to think and act from
an American point of view. The so called colonial mentality continues to damage our
culture and deteriorate our sense of nationalism. Mulder states that colonial mentality
keeps inferiority feelings alive, while we keep on blindly accepting that anything that
comes from the United States is greatly superior than what we have. (p. 56, 2013) This
can still be observed today as we tend to patronize anything western like shoes,
gadgets, music, movies, etc. The Americans were able to accomplish such by fulfilling
Filipinos desire for self-governance and better education after the Spanish rule. Our
minds were easily influenced due to the fact that we have a multicultural society. We
didnt have a single established norm as a nation. Another example is the use of
language in institutions like offices, schools and universities which is fundamental in
trying to promote nationalism and building our own national identity. Due to the fact that
we still use English as the norm, the idea that English is far superior to our own
language lingers. Thus, the inferiority feeling mentioned by Mulder.
This inferiority feeling leads to the lack of enthusiasm of our people to the idea of
nationalism. An example given by Mulder in his essay is the lack of enthusiasm for
celebrating the nation state compared with the enthusiasm that greets days the
exemplify and express Filipinoness. (p. 58, 2013) We Filipinos tend to have grand
celebrations during Manny Pacquiao victories or when someone emerges as the winner
of a beauty pageant rather than when commemorating those who fought for our land
like our national heroes. This so called Filipinoness as claimed by Mulder is expressed
in little-traditional forms in the home and community. The distinct characteristics of
Filipinos are represented by individual families and communities instead of something
meant to symbolize the collective history of our nation as a whole. (p. 59, 2013) These
are also reflected through Christian values we inherited from the Spaniards that
promote strong family ties wherein there is a hierarchy where parents or anyone older
are considered to be at the top that should be respected by their children or anyone
younger. This has created an environment of inequality that has been the same case for
the whole nation displayed through the divide between the elite and the common
people.
This inequality has also existed since the colonial period. The elites or those who
are in power exploit the people and resources for their own political and economic
interest. For most people, according to Mulder, its a life of either defend against the

exploitation or become part of those who take advantage. (p. 63, 2013) It has become a
game of survival and the idea of a National Identity belongs elsewhere and somehow
does not exist. The public sphere of our country has been defiled by politicians,
businessmen, and others that has the capacity do so. It has lost its essence to inspire
the feeling that we all belong together as one. It created a great divide that the ordinary
people lost their appetite to discuss anything nation-related/nationalism-related subjects
since the people they are expecting to promote the unity of our nation are the main
reason that we are in this state of divisiveness. Mulder emphasized that the lack of
Filipino nationalism lies in the states failure to mold the population into an
encompassing moral order in which people can distinctly imagine that they belong
together. (p. 77, 2013)
Given all these, Mulder doesnt ignore the fact that building a National Identity for
Filipinos is still possible although he admits that it will be a long and tedious process
because of all the lingering problems that are still present since the colonial period. We
need to get rid of all the things that hinder our progress towards obtaining our own
National Identity. We need to reflect on these things because only we can create and
identify who and what we truly are through our own perspective and not through the
eyes and influence of others.