Let’s Talk About Cancel Culture in the Market of the Ordinary

 Let’s Talk About Cancel Culture in the Market of the Ordinary

Unsubscribe, when you don’t like HOW you are treated as a customer.

 

There is a term in the current times that somehow brings ripple waves in the mindset of the social media savvy listeners.  This term is called “cancel culture”, a phrase that pervades social media, even way before the pandemic had set in.

 

It is a term that refers to a movement (apologizing, this descript is simplified and not lifted) that calls on people to put forward or talk hype about a transgression-- of a person, an action, or an occurrence.  To cancel and  hyper-accentuate a grievance or a fault made, enough to be known by many.

 

The objective can be to raise awareness of a fault or to point out a flaw in a person.

 

To cancel may not necessarily mean to remove or eradicate in a real-life context. But indirectly, it could mean a removal in the system that is driven by expectations, or molded realities; of following a standard or a norm. Cancel culture happens when there is a deviation in the actions and expectations of people.

 

Away from defining cancel culture as an ideology, but further considering the term in the context of consumerism, cancel culture could be the explanation that can be given when a person unsubscribes from an account or refuses to remain on a social platform.

 

Cancel culture can also be perceived in a way that is to cease from accepting a certain standard that we opinionate must NOT persist in a product, a service, etc. 

 

For example, we unfollow a social media account when it no longer fits our bill of likes. We cancel an order when we have a change of preferences in our buying habits. Or we cancel a service when a utility company no longer serves us well.

 

Cancel culture may not always focus on an erring behavior, a person, or an occurrence. Cancel culture can mirror an ideational attitude among consumers that pushes them to delete or back out from pursuing a purchase instead of venting out the fault in a product by way of reviews. This is to avoid the hassle of experiencing further inconveniences later on. At least, in the market for the ordinary, cancel culture is much more active because every cent has a value and every expectation must be met.

 

There is value in giving value to order cancellations when one sees the prospect of further improving a product, a service, or a business reputation. Marketers must not see it as a reason to dwell on a fail, or to hold a grudge against a customer. Cancel culture asserts a democracy of likes and unlikes expression; opinion sharing and choice pursuing.  Cancel culture must not be taken as a normative way to deny life or rights but as a mode to express disallowable goods or products, and business standards that are not dignified enough for consumers to accept.  Cancel culture enlists an opinion on our wants as an individual. And pushes for set ideals that must be met even when we stand in the most unideal of times, as consumers of local products.

 

We must accept differences in opinion. But this cancel culture in the realm of consumerism-- why people buy or get products; or subscribe to services, must always be respected well by those who matter.

LTO Flocked By Customers; Showed Preferences For On-Site Registration

 Face-to-face LTO transactions were keen for the day

About three hundred customers patiently queued and lined up at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) branch in Las Pinas and its mall outlet in Robinson’s Place Las Pinas today. 

It was business as usual for patrons who filled the parking slots and LTO windows for various transactions. Customers did not mind the hassle of long lines. LTO employees were mostly accommodating in handling customer concerns and inquiries and even took time to accommodate clients way up to lunchtime when there was supposed to be a lunch break in place already. 

At the LTO main branch in Las Pinas, transactions for vehicle registrations were abuzz. The room which handled Third Party Liability Insurance (TPL) for motor vehicles, was also filled, but not packed to the full. This gave enough breathing space for clients in wait unlike in previous years prior to the pandemic when the room was jampacked without enough grounds for ease of movement among customers.

Seen in Robinsons Place where there was also a strong attendance from LTO clients today, the employees made sure there was efficiency in fulfilling their tasks from windows down to the health check aisles.  Customers waited patiently and seats were filled to the brim which has relaxed its social distancing seat gaps for clients.

Students and oldies; parents carrying their child; senior citizens and even PWDs were seen mostly blended in the shared holding area for the LTO outlet in Robinsons Place. The peak hours began from nine to ten in the morning while the slump of visits from incoming customers began from 11:30 pm to lunch time which seemed to be the most comfortable time for LTO walk-ins.  

One employee shared that transactions for that day were being wrapped up to give preference only to the senior citizens and PWD clientele; while the rest may continue their transactions on the next day.

The senior-aged staff also reminded those on-site not to forget to log in first at the LTO official address for online transactions.  But walk-ins can still be entertained.  Customers must make sure all documents needed in their transactions are prepared prior to lining up at the cashier’s window, especially the TDC or the Theoretical Driving Certificate which is required for applicants who seek a Student Driver's Permit.

 

filed November 6, 2023. an original freelance coverage of this writer Anna Liza VB

The Dearth of Customer Courtesy When Availing Shipping Solutions

About KYC, Item Returns, and the Need to Liberate Women from Business Standard Biases  

About a year and a half ago, I went to a shipping outlet to have a personal gift sent out to a certain addressee. Knowing the importance of the KYC (know-your-customer) principle even down the line of the front staff manning the shipping outlet, I expected a little ask, here and there about the details of my transaction. 

However, the transaction which included a thin light calendar (it was just a few weeks after the New Year's revelry),  stashed along with a gift item, stirred the man's unapologetic question, alluding if I directly knew the recipient. 

Despite being used to having dealt with the most formal of business interactions, I welcomed the staff's inquiry. Not knowing where the KYC questioning would turn to. 

And then the man at the counter asked: “Do you know the person?” And I nodded.  And the receiving staff said, “Do you have his phone number”. Thereafter, came more prying questions that were forwardly spoken with unfriendly facial gestures. 

But the most bloated question I took from the guy was when he said: “Baka naman sa social media mo lang nakilala ‘yan!”. [Translation: Maybe you just met the addressee through social media].

Obviously, the curt comment had an innuendo of insult or an estimation of malice, when you happen to be at the receiving line of "KYC" questioning.  From all angles, the line spoken by the shipping personnel could never pass the standards for best practices on customer service.

So casually as a customer, the best reply was to have the convo shortened, and spoken in the most intelligible of lingo that would be accepted by the staff.  Admittedly, it was frustrating to undergo such interaction with an employee from the popular shipping company known for door-to-door package solutions and countless seller "item/package" transactions.  

On my end, the impersonal question was not an innocent attempt to know the customer prior to approving the package for shipment. It was obvious that the guy had already arrived at a judgment before he asked it. There was clear prejudice.

Situations like these are not uncommon if you are familiar with the nitty-gritty troubles of sending an item through established shipping companies. But sadly, there is a death of well-intended customer courtesy practices, in the way employees at the desk counter handle transactions from women customers.

The most common complaint does not involve the price point for sending out packages. The complaint can actually arise from the way items are accepted, and scrutinized; and the way customers are questioned by personnel who posture to not bother at all when it comes to politeness towards walk-in customers. 

Another factor that can meddle in the business courtesy exerted by shipping employees or the lack of it, towards their customers, is the point of familiarity with a customer, which can kick in if the branch or outlet is located in the community, or within the residence of the employee. 

Community-level businesses that accept local residents as employees often do not observe formality in the conduct of their business; simply because employees are confident of their territorial and customer base familiarity.

Many times, walk-in customers are known to the staff who would be handling and approving the items for delivery. Here exists a risk of a certain customer being profiled before he/she even walks into the shipping outlet.

Factors like frequency of business dealings; social media presence and undeniably the sixth degree of connection among neighbors could also affect the climate of business within the shipping branch.  

In the earlier-mentioned situation, having to deal with the male employee resulted in exposure to being slighted in the manner that the KYC standards were implemented.  

And these were not all. 

In another incident, as a customer, an experience could be recalled about how another male staff from another shipping company where a return of a purchased item from e-commerce, was requested and declined eventually. 

The shipping outlet had a different standard. However, the out-of-the-norm detail encountered by the customer was when the male employee requested to see the customer's phone and was instructed to hand it in over at the desk counter, so the staff could check out the transaction code to process the return of an item.

Seeing it was not necessary because as a customer, it was a better prompt to just write the numeric code on paper and give it to the personnel, rather than hand out a phone for the staff to scrutinize and look into.  The instruction when granted, would have been a clear invasion of the privacy of communications, a right of the customer that cannot be compromised even in the case of a return item transaction.  

There are many variations in the way shipping companies handle their different transactions. 

But a common experience that one must watch out for when transacting, is the insensitivity towards customers by the male personnel who are manning the outlet/s.  

What power do customers have over these situations when an obvious possibility that presupposes KYC adherence is that anyone who has access to social media can swipe left and right their phones right at the moment of the transaction, as the customer is trying to send an item or receive an item from a shipping outlet?  This negates the ideals of fairness in business transactions.

The point here is that there must be a boundary as to how the employees of shipping companies, respond, relate, or handle their customers' inquiries and packages. 

Packages must be handled carefully and not obviously scrutinized so as to embarrass a customer with a diminutive line of questioning especially when the items have commercial value or are being sent out for personal purposes. 

There is an obvious dearth of well-trained personnel among shipping companies, who cannot even carry on courteous conversations with customers knowing that the clients need their service at a time when door-to-door delivery and shipping solutions are at a peak of demand, even way after the pandemic's social distancing timeline.

[opinion. business] Name of shipping companies/outlets purposely withheld by this writer.

The Need for Uncompromising Data in a World Full of Apps

 The Most Data-Intrusive Sites Locally Revealed 

by Anna Liza VB

Snapshot, October 11, 2023

 

A billowy smoke seen earlier between 9:40 to 9:53 a.m., followed by sirens of firetrucks was seen and heard by early mallgoers today, outside the facade of SM Southmall, Las Pinas.

Decency Campaign on Public Bus, Sighted en Route

 

Finally, a reminder to be polite.

 

Photo taken by the writer/blogger today, October 11, 2023. For News Review Philippines.  

Just a few days after the news of the "Anti-Bastos" sticker campaign was announced, as part of a seemingly "malasakit" posturing of LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board), to the patrons of public transportation, a similar posting cohesive with the sticker campaign, was finally sighted in one of the public buses plying en route to Las pinas.

The announcement which flatly directs passengers of PUVs to be in their best behavior, is quietly seen in front of a non-airconditioned mini-bus and reminds every passenger about the "Safe Spaces Act". The Safe Spaces Act is one of the legal anchors that many women can count on to impose and expect discipline and good manners on fellow passengers, when in a mix of strangers who are used to having ill-mannered expressions and remarks unmindfully, often directed to the opposite gender, and when in the company of women.

Locally, being slighted with verbal remarks or non-verbal cues, could be a run- of-the-mill experience for women who frequent bus or any public transport.  Thus, a decency campaign as announced in the news could serve as bearish reminder on the need to be "well-behaved" while in a public space.

However, sightings of the sticker on buses seem to be few, almost rare. The campaign might need more visibility in buses as only one out of five buses, seen by this writer, since Sunday, was seen to have carried out a direct fulfillment of the “Bawal Ang Bastos” campaign.  The reminder which can come not only in stickers but also in laminated print outs, can benefit more visibility in a city that relies on public buses for many of its residents' day-to-day transportation.

 

News Review Philippines.

Copyright 2023

HOW DO WE PUT COPYRIGHTS AND CENSORSHIP SIDE BY SIDE?

This is it. Let's talk Copyright.  It may be a long story, but copyrights are not conditional

 

Of late THERE IS A RESOUNDING ALARM RAISED BY CONCERNED ARTISTS AND CREATIVES IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY REGARDING THE ISSUES OF COPYRIGHTS. This piece will not dwell on the details of existing controversies OF SPECIFIC copyright issues BEING CIRCULATED IN MEDIA. Instead, this article would merely want to throw further rhetoric on the issues and raise further awareness of the importance of copyrights. Also, this article would like to mention on the side, the issue of censorship, two of the most pronounced topics that can hound the vast workscape of entertainment, creatives, and music industries.

 

In actuality, it is expected that writers in the industries that hire them for work, or commission them to specific projects, herein pointed to encompass both the entertainment; creatives such as advertising and communication agencies; and music professionals, would want to impose their own “originality” and “sense of ownership” to their works or bodies of work.

These are expressed when writers assert their copyrights or affix one or more identifiers in their work/s that can actually validate or identify them as the writer/s hence owners and/or source of article/s; content; copy or copies; lyrics; poetry, and yes, including writeups.

 

The latter seems to be the easiest as all the writer has to do is to affix a line to the word “by” and the name of the individual, (e.g. By Juan De La Cruz), (see example herein): to signify who prepared the writeup in whatever niche or beat.

 

Having a byline printed right actually gives consolation to the time and hard work spent by a writer to finish the copyrighted product--regardless of whether a person serves as a reporter or as an ordinary writer, with a  published article for many readers or viewers to read or listen to.

 

In the case of copywriters, the copyright assertion can be simply done by giving credit to the creative or copywriter/s behind a specific ad campaign.

 

For songs, the easiest way to tell that there are copyrights, entitlement, and recognition, is when the lyricist’s name is written on the album or a song mentioned in the feature article.  It can also be done by giving credits to the songwriter during the performance of a song for commercial shows.

 

Copyrights are also essential to protect the integrity of the writer behind an idea; group of ideas; words; phrases and structure; whether the lines and paragraphs are formed to come up as a news; or as a plain newspaper article or features.  Or as part of an advertising campaign; or as lyrics for a song, music jingle, or other products of the intellect in written, digital, electronic,  graphic, or artistic design and/or rendition, with the aim to bring a message or expound on a certain thought, word, concept; give it breadth, structure,  substance, content, meaning, format and so forth.

 

The thing with copyrights in practice is, that a writer or creative who is hired by a company, at the early stage of employment can be compelled by a hiring personnel or management to sign an agreement that his or her copyrights belong to the company and not to the writer.

 

This ensures that a company’s investments are protected and sheltered.  And that moonlighting and/or duplicity of work are not allowed in reality by companies who hire writers and creatives.    

 

Even when the writer has created a certain work, only the employer/company must benefit from it, if it gives remuneration for the hours spent by the writer to come up with a work expected of him or her. 

 

But, the anonymity of writers, (herein to mean without a byline or credit) just because they are employees or talents can be read and interpreted as “exploitative”.  Especially when writers devote much time, effort, research, and use of set skills, to contribute their work for a company, but are not given proper credit or rights of ownership to their works. 

The anonymity of writers can be exploited in such a way when others “pose”  or front themselves to have written a specific article, or writings (that may not necessarily be anonymous writing for another), with the aim of grabbing the credit of a writer’s work.

 

It is understandable that writers and creatives of late would like to go further to the front row to be recognized for their copyrights.

 

This would not be so difficult to do if companies really understood and imbibed the importance of their writers who hone their work with copyrights in mind (herein comes originality).

 

No writer would want to be unrecognized, and yes, no writer would want to be left jobless either, by not agreeing to somewhat copyrights' "diluting" (figure of speech), when fronted with an agreement to be accepted for work.

 

It is important to settle this from a mindset that knows a writer's work purpose.  Copyrights are also founded on an individual right to create, represent, and write ideas; and produce products that are original; that which can be understood, shared, and expressed in many ways and forms.

 

If we follow this line of thought and explanation, then people can also claim copyrights to their own original conversational expressions that can be replicated or repeated by others-- e.g. “acheche” (back in the day this was a popular expression repeated in many shows; it was a word to express surprise).. Or the expression, “I love you, Lucky,” (we all know who the famous celebrity who spoke this expresssion much).  

 

Ultimately the goal of copyright is to identify-- who wrote, produced, printed, conceptualized, or expressed and finished the work.  Is it related to a professional duty? Is it an exercise and pursuit of a hobby? Or is it a natural practice and endowment of a talent that led one to come up with a copyrighted work-- one that has commercial and yes, even sentiment value-- that can distinguish a writer, creative, or artist from another practitioner. or talent These are some of the list of things to consider when discussing respect for copyrights.

 

There must not be a contest on who gets copyright recognition. In fact, one must not even ask if a credit is in order.

It must be a given, that the one who hires or commissions the individual; assigns a writer or creative, or endeavors to use the lyrics of a song for a specific purpose must give the copyrights' benefit, recognition, or credit; and of course, remuneration for a work done.

 

This is where complications exist.

When writers are paid by the hour to work for a company. But all the ideas that bring light and life to a company’s products (no matter what kind of business or industry he or she belongs to), ultimately embody the company’s majority of products or services such that they carry the persona and the work personality of the writer. 

Or let’s say, the work is laborious, tedious, and almost exhausting to finish, and/or, the work requires a lot of inventiveness, originality, creativity, and differentiation of ideas to come up with a written or expressed work. Writers and let’s include the artists, would definitely want to bind themselves to their work because that is the goal of their education and profession. Otherwise, being uncredited OR DISCREDITED defeats the purpose of working for an industry that centers mostly on coming up with tangible, written, visible, and/or audible; representations; concepts, or intellectual products.

 

There are different ways to understand copyrights:  by looking at it on the level of implementation- where there is a specific point person/s that ensures copyrights are credited rightfully.  

On the level of engagement or dedication when a writer, creative or artist/ talent focuses on that particular work for a definite period or is purposely commissioned to use his or her individual talent that thrives on copyrights; and on the level or POV (point of view) of entitlement and assumption,  to mean the writer, creative or artist deserves the copyrights because, he or she has trained for a certain profession that requires experience, research, skills and a lot of ingenuity and creativity.

 

From its current state and practice, copyrights seem to be conditionally recognized depending on the employer or client of the writer, creatives, or artist, despite the existence of proper safeguards in local laws.

 

Unconditional copyright protection can further be defended by the fact that writers and artists are required and expected to dedicate plenty of time to come up with the right output; making writing without copyright recognition merely an ordeal undertaking, particularly when writers are not given proper credit and pay for their work.

 

The last is to understand copyright as an entitlement because not everyone can enter the same field or writing profession without the right training. Giving copyrights credit is not done merely to brag or to earn but also for the fulfillment of writing.

 

On the issue of censorship, in reality, censorship of work can change the contextual meaning and final output of an original copyrighted work.  The thing that must be put to light is whether the output is for mainstream audiences.  Writings to be read, or heard by many, must exercise more careful preponderings, before being shared with the readers or audiences.

If a work fails to meet common public expectations and interests, then, a writer, creative, or artist, must practice their own censorship without the need to be reminded, prodded, compelled, or bounded by authority or well-meaning individual action to edit or redo a work.

 

Censorship even when voluntarily done by the writer, creatives, or artist, can deviate from the original intention and purpose of the messaging, conceptualizing, and editing of work.  But if public interest demands that a copyrighted work must be limited, to fulfill respect for sensitivities, and uphold respect for individuals on socially relevant or controversial topics, then an edit can be in order.

 

THESE ARE NO LONGER VISIBLE; WE MIGHT NEED TO REIGNITE OUR SUPPORT FOR TRAD MEDIA

These used to be mainstream media. Now printed newspapers have to be reached with far-flung efforts,

and major dailies have shied away from the streets, preferring commercial establishments to sell their stories on print.  Photo taken September 13, 2023. Copyright reserved to Anna Liza VB, the writer and blogger of this site--News Review Philippines.

 

The switch to digital media, unfortunately, made traditional media almost a rare find, like this newsstand that used to carry a number of major publications from broadsheets to tabloids. Now, a newsstand holds only a few tabloids (a smaller version of a printed newspaper), for the public to buy and read.

Newspapers in printed versions have better permanence over digital media as these are not easily editable; and can be filed and stored by the reader anytime.  Unlike digital newspapers which require technical access points to be able to peruse, read, and file. 

CONSUMER POST: NOW, IT'S SHRUNKEN PANDESAL AS WELL.

In the interest of keeping up with the rising consumer products, this writer is sharing the golden founds of products that have become so precious of late to buy.

Filipinos, update yourself with a downgrade of your usual Pandesal.

The staple Filipino breakfast food, "pandesal", which is always prepared hot and fluffy by the neighborhood "panadero" (local baker) in almost all places in the country is also facing a tough downscale moment. Go check yours being served in your local town if you have not caught up with it yet.

 

For a 2-3 peso price, this "flex" of pandesal had shrunk almost to a coin-size portion. Just thank your local "panadero", for still pursuing the business and serving this bread despite having to adjust--the pandesal, which is now smaller than a bite size.

 

For accuracy purposes, the pandesal shown here is actually around 2 to 2.5 inches when measured flat when a ruler is used. 

Consumer post for NRP, by Anna Liza VB. Copyright 2023.

 

Second Part: The Unglamorous Life of Writers

[ Read Previously] THIS IS NOT A SIMPLE FLOWCHART FOR WRITERS, PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 29, 2023.

Let’s Call Them Anonymous: A Look at How People on the Sidelines Treat People in Media

It is not easy to build a name. More so a career in media. It takes a long walk, a long drive to hit the “publish” button, whether it is for print or digital media. However, behind the work of a media writer comes countless experiences that can demoralize or de-amplify a writer’s passion for writing. Without meaning to.

First, a writer is deprived of copyright ownership in the context of employee to employer service agreement, where a company hires a writer and the latter provides willful time to serve and fulfill objectives at work.

In real industry work, a position won’t be secured by a writer without acceding to the terms bound and founded by his or her employer from the start of hiring.

The second point of this article, that’s all about the “unglamorous” life of writers, is how media workers can be disputedly "VIPd", but not really VIP in the full sense of the word.

VIP is a label mostly intended for people who hold significant positions at work, which often takes a lot of skill, training, recommendations, and approbations from others; and yes, even votes for political positions.

But for media writers, the sidelines are the main thrust of the work, hours that are not in the full regalia of camera panning and privilege signing, which has been accustomed to by celebrity VIPs.

It must be noted that writers are deprived of longevity of employment from the very start by status quo media companies who are more concerned with getting protection from the influentials and giving them positions as columnists or easy buy as media owners.

The writers meanwhile had to be content with being “contractual” or freelancers, sometimes on a temp basis, or “up for renewal” commitment.

The fault in this system is the lack of employment opportunities and future security of the writer.

A good number of writers that I know of in the past chose to find work abroad or locally, in a different industry or lured to skilled work for the promise of better workers’ benefits. Some decided to pursue scholarships while there were those who simply stayed away because industry work did not pay well. A thankless job we call it.

 

Writers are made to work long hours, in an era of supposed media proclivity for clout building.

 

It’s the status quo they don’t want to admit. Only the well-heeled are given a dignified name and a worth-it work agreement by companies.

Anecdotes of Writers

 

I was reminded of a fact that at one point, one fellow media practitioner who could not find work for a very long time, politely got a break for camera work with writing duties. But sadly, that same female media practitioner for a company with foreign vested interests as employers, in many instances, did not give her salary directly to her.    

It is her “job recommender” who acted as a middleman, so she can be hired.  He happens to be a relative of hers, who had close connections with an insider, and her salary on her behalf. 

THIS WAS LEGIT WORK FOR A COMPANY where the practitioner was treated with such informality, like a cloaked slave of her recommender, where she clocked in the hours and skills for a media company; but it is her job recommender who benefitted from the remuneration.

In another situation, a writer enthusiastically shared her articles to a now-defunct newspaper.

Her stories were published in the daily, which was all about non-news but features and women’s articles; but she did not get paid for them.

 

Upon following up on the payment for her writeups, the writer was told over phone,  “kami nga hindi nababayaran ng kumpanya, ikaw pa? Pasensya na pero walang pera ang kumpanya…” the response was given by an insider Manager. Said broadsheet stopped publication and the staff moved on to form another broadsheet.  The writer was left unpaid for her articles.

 

In a third story, was an anecdote of a former colleague, when she was a practitioner for a top media station.

She shared her many instances of being bullied, sometimes bluntly, sometimes passive-aggressively by co-workers in the station. She was sometimes heckled at and was threatened to be spitted on, just because she was a woman. Stereotyped as an “easy” woman in the station.

She was pretty calm and she knew she could not do anything about the way women were treated especially those in the lower ranks of their career.

 

Yet another, anecdote is when a writer was faulted for owning a laptop, and her colleagues chidingly and tactlessly joked about destroying her computer for the pure fun of jesting. 

She left for home and her computer refused to function hours after the joke was given her.

THESE WERE NOT MAKE-BELIEVE STORIES. But actual real incidents for writers and media practitioners in the country, who go through a hard-fought battle to stay and pursue their profession in an industry that denies them stability; longevity of work, and worker’s rights; these apart from the anonymous benign treatment they get from strangers when they go out to the field, whether in front or behind the cameras.

 

One cannot simply fault communication graduates and practitioners when it is the anonymous people, the fence sitters that help build animosity for them. These discrimination and bias start with the way media professionals are treated by the industry they must work for; whether the job is done out of pure dedication, calling, professional choice, or passion for writing.

 

News Review Philippines 2023. Copyright by Anna Liza VB.

Revised at 12:56 pm local Philippine time.