My Two Cents on James Soriano's Article

I didn't like the article but that doesn't necessarily mean I hate James Soriano. What he said in the article was, plainly, true. It was an eye-opener, even though this is something that is painfully obvious already. And I salute him for being brave enough to actually say something, even if it irked most of us. I commend him, as well, for admitting to being "worse than a malansang isda" and for being "disconnected from his being Filipino", that's not very easy to admit. I just think there's a better way to say the things he said. Ironically, isn't that something that the English language should've taught him?

For someone who earns a living out of knowing how to speak English, the article left a bad taste in my mouth. Instead of elevating my pride of being "English learned", I felt a tinge of disappointment in what has become the basis of being learned and not learned. Is the word "learned" even grammatically correct? 

Because, this I ask, what does it take to be regarded as "learned", in the first place? Is being able to speak English the only way to judge a person's morals, values, and integrity? Can a knowledge of a certain language and ignorance of another draw the line between being educated and uneducated? Privileged and unprivileged? 

At some point, yes, it does. But if this is the only criterion to judge a person's character, then I don't know what kind of thinking the English language has bestowed in our minds. I will take James Soriano's article as an example, he admits to being "privileged" and that "English is the language of learning" but after reading the article and seeing the words "...It is not the language of privilege. I may be disconnected from my being Filipino, but with a tongue of privilege I will always have my connections", I don't think English as the language of learning has served its higher purpose for him. In fact, he only opened my eyes to the fact that English language is somehow capable of disconnecting someone from his true identity. And it may be a good thing being able to showcase yourself as privileged and being global, but at the end of the day, without your identity, then who are you? After the reading the article, sadly, James Soriano has only put both the English and Filipino language in a position lower than what they should be held for.

And if this, ironically, was what James Soriano secretly wants me to realize, then he sure has earned my respect. If not, then I actually feel a sense of pride spark deep in my mind and heart, because I may not be as privileged as him (seeing as how I never had to text sundo na to my driver, who's nonexistent in the first place), but I sure am connected to my identity as a M'ranao and a Filipino and I am certain that these are my mother tongues. And just knowing what my identity is and not having any second thoughts about it gives me a sense of relief and peace. The certainty that I will not be lost in a sea of identities that I will never be able to really acquire anyway, no matter how knowledgeable I am of thousands of other languages, is enough reason for me to proud as a Filipino.