Honor and Shame

Honor and Shame (dangel and hiya) operate when we conform to the communities standards (tamany pamantayan = right standard) meant to promote peace through harmonious relationships.

1. The relational standard of the value system is kapwa, meaning of the same nature or equal status (kapwa-tao = fellow human). There is an implicit ethical demand in every situation to treat another in a way that leads to harmonious relations as they seek the same harmonious relations with you, because we are all relationally interdependent.

2. For the Filipino, the guide to whether this is being upheld is damdamin, which is the intuitive feeling and impression one gets when confronted with a situation. It is the emotional standard that acts as a guiding criteria to comprehend events, situations, and relationships. (For those Myers-Briggs nerds out there, Filipinos tend heavily toward the F, not T)

3. Shame comes from violating the community standards. Honor comes from doing your duty and upholding the community standards. Honor is gained by showing respect at all times, showing compassionate benevolence without being asked, selfless service to others, and concern over others in pain.

4. Finally, honor and shame, along with identity are dyadic in Filipino culture. One's identity as an individual is bound up in the honor of the community, primarily the family where honor learned. So dishonor to the family also affects personal dishonor and vice versa. This is one reason why children are taught to respect their parents. If children dishonor their parents, it is showing to the community that their parents and therefore their family is not honorable.

                      [taken from:   Turning our Shame into Honor:  The concept of the Filipino Hiya in light of Mark's Gospel by Narry Santos]

Honor and shame cultures have great pluses when what is honorable aligns with the created order. There is positive community concern and pressure to help those violating community standards to come into alignment. However, if the community standards are awry or if there is no means for someone in a position of dishonor to be made right, then honor and shame become a heavy burden.