User-generated vitriol

16 Pages·2016·0.78 MB·English

User-generated vitriol:
National stereotypes in online comments prompted by the
Guang Da Xing No. 28 shooting incident*

Francis Raymond T. Calbay
Hay Pinas.org
Conflicts between neighboring territories not only strain diplomatic
relationships but reverberate at the level of individual sensitivities as
well. Reviewing the 2013 case of the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by
the Philippine coast guard personnel in the South China Sea (locally
referred to as the West Philippine Sea), this study seeks to identify
national stereotypes that negatively cast peoples of both states as gleaned
from online comments about the shooting incident. Using the Stereotype
Content Model as framework, the study analyzed the collected user-
generated content (N = 1,591) posted as responses to selected media
reports. A significant number of comments are identified to convey
contemptuous stereotypes, which are characterized by anger, hate, and
disgust. By further applying thematic analysis to validate and evaluate
stereotype contents, the study hopes to bring national stereotypes into
the fray and encourage critical reflection on biases and unfounded
assumptions between the concerned groups for improved intercultural
communication.

Keywords: User-generated content, online comments, national stereotypes,
Taiwan-Philippine relations

Introduction

Competing economic and geopolitical interests in the South China
Sea make the area a hotbed of tension among neighboring territories, with
seemingly minor events escalating into full-blown crises (Buszynski, 2012). In
May 2013, a 65-year-old Taiwanese man onboard the Guang Da Xing No. 28
*Acknowledgement: An
fishing vessel was killed from an open-fire by the Philippine coast guard
extended abstract of the research
received an honorable mention in personnel, who claimed self-defense due to an attempted ship-ramming
the inaugural Global
(Enav, 2013). Depending on the erring party, the fisherman’s death was
Outlook::Digital Humanities
Prize (2013) sponsored by the preemptively described in political speeches and in local media as either
University of Lethbridge (Canada)
“murder” by unjustifiable brute force or “casualty” from reigning in illegal
and the Alliance of Digital
Humanities Organizations. poaching before formal conclusions from official fact-finding investigations.
Rather than focus on the cold facts of the case, local media reports in Taiwan
Copyright © 2014 and in the Philippines sometimes resort to an incendiary blame game.
University of Santo Tomas
Graduate School Similarly, many online comments posted by readers of the media reports also
Vol.1

February 2015  Volume 1  page 28
USER-GENERATED VITRIOL
turned vitriolic and even voiced overt hostile Philippines use different languages, some
sentiments. nuances might have been lost. Since the
current study’s focus is on user-generated
The conflict has far-reaching implications content, it does not attempt to probe if the
between the two Asian neighbors. Some 90,000 media reports’ framing contribute to
Filipinos currently reside in Taiwan, mostly stereotyping in subsequent user comments.
employed as factory workers and domestic By identifying and analyzing national
helpers (Philippine Overseas Employment stereotypes attached by the Taiwanese and
Agency, 2010). Reports of discrimination and Filipinos against each other in online media,
physical violence among this vulnerable migrant the study hopes to call attention to the
group have been publicized after the shooting unquestioned biases and prejudices held by
incident (Atienza, 2013). For its part, Taiwan both camps, especially since the Internet can
enjoys around US$6.7 billion dollars in trade devolve into an unregulated channel for
surplus with the Philippines (Kao, 2013). proliferating malicious commentary.
Curiously, a single episode of death in the high
seas was enough trigger for Taiwan to suspend User-generated content and
diplomatic relations and impose heavy-handed stereotyping
sanctions against the Philippines that extended
to three months. Among which included the User-generated content is broadly
freeze-hiring of Filipino workers, the deferral of defined as any creative effort published on the
economic and cultural exchanges, and the Internet outside of professional contexts
issuance of a red alert for travel to the (OECD, 2007, 8). The constellation of user-
Philippines (Zhi, 2013). To appease Taiwan, generated content includes blogs, social
one of the demands was for the Philippines to network postings, podcasts and videos, Web
enter into a fisheries agreement, allowing the 2.0-enabled comments, and other digitally
former to access bordering portions of the born hybrids. In communication studies, user
latter’s vast sea-based economic zones. -generated content can serve as a lens through
which partisan rhetoric and public opinion
Following the Guang Da Xing No. 28 can be observed. Bowman and Willis (2003),
shooting incident that sparked the diplomatic who coined the term “We Media” to describe
standoff, this research is interested in surfacing the blurring role of the online audience from
national stereotypes as evinced from replies on a mere consumer to that of a producer,
selected online media reports of leading English acknowledge that “the most pervasive, and
-language newspapers in Taiwan and in the perhaps fundamental, level of participation is
Philippines. The study employed qualitative commentary” (p. 33). To some extent, user-
analysis of the collected data, hinging on the generated content has been found capable of
concept of contemptuous stereotypes from the reshaping media agenda and political
Stereotype Content Model (Fiske, Cuddy, discourse, as in the context of participatory
Glick, & Xu, 2002). As a limitation of the journalism (Kaufhold, Valenzuela, & De
study, only comments in English were Zuniga, 2010). By facilitating citizen
collected. Although this choice raised the engagement in public affairs issues, the ability
possibility of greater intercultural to post user-generated content may also lead
communication since Taiwan and the to a feeling of psychological empowerment

Page 29  Volume 1  The Antoninus Journal  A Multidisciplinary Journal of the UST Graduate School 
F. T. CALBAY
for users (Leung, 2009). replies to other users’ comments. Because of
the participatory culture of the Internet, it is
However, despite the optimism on the not surprising that people “with nefarious goals
resurgent role of an active audience who has and agendas will join in and create their own
more control of a converging media suspect content” (Daniels, 2008, p. 143).
environment, user-generated content has not Indeed, hateful and offensive content have
significantly garnered enough respect from become virtual pockmarks of the Internet,
traditional media practitioners. In a survey of spreading widely through social media and
American newspaper reporters by Santana personal websites (Gerstenfeld, Grant, &
(2011), a majority of respondents “disagreed” Chiang, 2003). In online forums in particular,
or “strongly disagreed” on whether online the misinformation, stereotypes, and racist
comments posted by users fostered civil or attitudes against cultural minorities are
thoughtful discussion. Interviewing newsroom indiscreet, as Steinfeldt et al. (2010) find out
decision-makers, Paulussen and Ugille (2008) in their content analysis of online comments
find out that professional journalists are not on an athletic team’s use of the “Fighting
inclined to enrich their content with feedback Sioux” label.
from users. Ornerbring (2008) notes that user-
generated content in online newspapers are As to what drives users to comment,
produced mainly as a response or in relation to Mitchelstein’s (2011) uses and gratifications
materials produced by the media organization study reveals that self-expression is the
and do not merit as standalone content. In such primary motive behind the replies to online
a setup, the system is provided by traditional newspapers and blogs. Seventy (70) percent of
media players and is a constraint to self- the study participants want to make their
contained contributions by users. These notions opinions public by expressing dissent or
could be the reason why user-generated support, while almost 65 percent said they
content, especially comments to news articles, want to discuss them with other people. This
are mostly ignored by media organizations penchant for self-expression may also be a
despite the negative impact it could wield in the reason why computer-mediated
media ecosystem. communication is notorious for “encouraging
uncivil discourse and group-based
Hughey and Daniels (2013) observe that stereotyping” (Price, 2006, p. 6). The online
“the advent of the comments sphere of online activity referred to as “trolling,” which
news outlets has significantly transformed the Hardaker (2010) describes as the intent to
discursive shape of racism” (p. 33). They provoke others into conflict through abusive
attribute the discontinuance of anonymous language, insults, and any other inflammatory
commenting systems in several online news discourse, also exacerbates the problem of
sites, such as the New York Times and Reuters, as stereotyping. Where voices of reason and
a response to the overt racism and derogatory sobriety are drowned in the online echo
content posted by users, which cannot be easily chamber, Van Dijck (2009) admonishes that it
moderated. Through direct or coded language, is naïve to expect more rational users to
bigoted comments are not only found in news participate in and correct disinformation even
that touch on minority issues but can also be when digital technologies are accessible.
seen in a variety of featured stories and in Reconciling erring communities in online
February 2015  Volume 1  page 30
USER-GENERATED VITRIOL
channels also poses a huge challenge because, attitudes toward out-groups. According to
as Shuter (2012) explains, “social factors from Cohen and Garcia (2005), strereotypes
the physical world, including stereotyping, function as a “collective threat” to those
predispositions, and different cultural values, associated with the stigmatized group and may
may affect the development of intercultural agitate the self-esteem, socialization, and
dialogue” (p. 226). security of individual members. One way that
stereotypes get transmitted is through
As a basic definition, stereotypes are “priming,” which Ajtony (2011) defines as “an
“psychological representations of the information-processing strategy based on the
characteristics of people that belong to fact that the way we process information is
particular groups” (McGarty, Yzerbyt, & heavily influenced by information that we
Spears, 2002, p. 2). Lippmann, a former news previously encountered” (p. 142). Mass media
reporter himself, coined the term “stereotype” and online communication channels service
to describe the perceptual filter through which stereotypes when it propagates misinformed
events are described by particular groups. and nonflattering images of minority groups.
Understanding that facts could be distorted in Because of the harmful effects that powerful
media and public opinion, Lippmann says: “If stereotypes create for stigmatized groups,
we cannot fully understand the acts of other Inzlicht et al. (2011) stress the necessity of
people, until we know what they think they policy regulations on mass media portrayals of
know, then in order to do justice we have to group stereotypes, especially TV programs
appraise not only the information which has aimed at children. But even if media
been at their disposal, but the minds through practitioners avoid stereotyping, Hoffman
which they have filtered it” (1922/1998, p. (1991) believes that the public would still bring
85). From a critical perspective, stereotypes and read their stereotypes to the media text’s
often uncloak social injustices that the message.
dominant group impinges on minorities based
on differences of gender, class, race, and Since previous studies tend to focus on user
similar social markers. At a macro level, -generated content in relation to media
national stereotypes could also be formed, practices, the current study assesses user-
ascribing certain qualities to citizens of a generated content in the broader context of
particular country. As national stereotypes are socially constructed prejudice, specifically as
often tinged with racist, ethnic, or chauvinistic national stereotypes. Related literature about
assumptions, it is this kind of stereotyping that stereotyping warns about the dire
Blum (2004) considers as a “moral distortion,” consequences of negative stereotypes on the
which can wield damage that goes beyond lives of out-groups and other minorities, such
individual stereotyping. as labor migrants. By looking at the case of the
Guang Da Xing No. 28 shooting incident, the
In their study of national stereotypes for current study finds out how prevalent
consumer research, Chattalas, Kramer, and stereotyping could be in online comments, and
Takada (2008) find that the “perceptual then draws themes of national stereotyping to
representations often employed in evaluations reflect the sentiment among neighbors with
pertaining to members of that nation” (p. 61) competing claims in the South China Sea. By
could provoke animosity and discriminatory revealing negative national portrayals as

Page 31  Volume 1  The Antoninus Journal  A Multidisciplinary Journal of the UST Graduate School 
F. T. CALBAY
reflected in user-generated content, it is hoped positive or negative, with varying degrees of
that the concerned nationalities would have a prejudice, as influenced by the out-group’s
better idea of how they can subvert stereotypes perceived “competence” and “warmth.”
for improved intercultural communication. Competence specifies whether the out-group is
well-regarded in such areas as intelligence,
Study Framework confidence, and independence. Warmth
indicates whether the out-group is considered
Social Construction Theory provides congenial as indicated by sincerity,
helpful explanation on why stereotypes are pleasantness, and sociability. These dimensions
formed, maintained, and circulated in social are tied to issues of social status, power
interactions and cultural practices. Berger and relation, and interdependence. As ranked
Luckmann (1966/1991) propose that reality is against these dimensions, stereotypes are said
constructed as persons and groups form to fall into any of four categories: “paternalistic
perceptions about each other through everyday prejudice” (low competence, high warmth),
practices, interactions, and organizations. “envious prejudice” (high competence, low
Eventually, these perceptions are repeatedly warmth), “admiration” (high competence, high
performed and institutionalized in the larger warmth), and “contemptuous prejudice” (low
society, becoming commonsense and self- competence, low warmth).
evident knowledge. Berger and Luckmann also
talk about a “continuum of typifications, which For the purpose of the study, the focus is
are progressively anonymous as they are on contemptuous stereotypes, which are
removed from the here and now of the face-to- stereotypes that provoke negative feelings such
face situation” (pp. 47-48). They suggest that as anger, disgust, or hate. Characterized by
categorizing – including stereotyping – other hostile attitudes, anger is directed to groups
social actors is one way that individuals make that experienced negative consequences which
sense of the world. Assigning categories to could have otherwise been avoided, while
people, especially those belonging to other blame is put on groups that caused what could
social groups, becomes easier with the absence have been individually controllable incidents.
of direct and face-to-face interaction in the In-groups may also harbor feelings of injustice
Internet Age. Without critical reflection, this because of perceived “illegitimate behavior”
typifying scheme often upholds the stand of performed by other groups. Furthermore,
those who have ulterior agenda to protect. As conflict fans the flame: “Groups that are
both instrument and symbolic representation of perceived to have interests that detract from
social beliefs, it is important to examine others create competition in a zero-sum
language because “through language an entire sense” (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick, & Xu, 2002, p.
world can be actualized at any moment” (p.54). 896). Returning to the Social Construction
Theory, the research findings of Fiske et. al.
From a conceptual standpoint, the study support the notion that underlying stereotypes
refers to the Stereotype Content Model (Fiske, is the “consciousness of power relations;
Cuddy, Glick, & Xu, 2002) in examining stereotypes function to justify the status
national and ethnic biases expressed in user- quo” (p. 881).
generated content. The Stereotype Content
Model predicts that stereotypes may either be
February 2015  Volume 1  page 32
USER-GENERATED VITRIOL
Method incident were selected: the first reportage of
the Taiwanese fisherman’s death; demands
The study reviewed the Guang Da Xing No. imposed by Taiwan; sanctions on the
28 shooting incident, a widely covered conflict Philippines; attacks against Filipino migrant
in Taiwanese and Philippine mass media, and workers in Taiwan; and the recommended
the contemptuous stereotypes that developed charges to be filed against the coast guard
in online comments against the nationalities personnel by Philippine prosecutors. Using
involved. The research problems are: How slight variations of these keyword sets, an
prevalent is stereotyping in online comments online search was run on websites of the
around the Guang Da Xing No. 28 shooting Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://
incident? ; and What national stereotypes have www.inquirer.net) and the Taipei Times
formed in online comments on the aftermath of (http://www.taipeitimes.com) to collect the
the diplomatic conflict? relevant news articles from the period of May
to September 2013. These English-language
Content and thematic analyses were newspapers were chosen as starting points for
employed in the study, following the qualitative sampling not only because they were leading
design. Rather than focus on the framing of publications in their respective locations but
news reporting, which has been the approach of also because their websites supported a robust
many other past studies, the study evaluated commenting system. Ten purposively selected
comments posted as a response to the media media reports served as baseline for gathering
reports about the shooting incident. Publicly the comments. Online comments posted
accessible comments, as a type of user- within one month after the original publishing
generated content, are considered naturally date of each news article were collected.
occurring and are, therefore, a legitimate
source of data. However, consistent with ethics Some 1,854 comments served as raw data
regarding privacy concerns on Internet-based for the initial analysis. From this number,
research (Convery & Cox, 2012), personally comments that contained stereotypes were
identifiable information such as links to online identified and subjected to a more detailed
profiles of the commenters were discarded analysis. In the content analysis of media texts,
from the collected data and were not Seiter (1986) warns of “a frequent failure to
mentioned in further discussions. The study identify what is a stereotype (often it is used as
proceeded with the qualitative analysis by a ‘dirty word’) and how it is related to
following the protocols described by Zhang & ideology” (p.19). To avoid this pitfall in the
Wildemuth (2005): preparation of data, study, comments characterized by stereotype
definition of the unit of analysis (which, in this content such as “anger,” “contempt”, “disgust,”
case, was individually posted comments), “hate,” and “resentment” (Fiske et al., 2002)
developing and testing the coding scheme, were identified during the content analysis.
coding the text, assessing coding consistency, The comment must be attributed to a general
and drawing conclusions from the coded data. populace and not directed to individual
persons, political figures, or state institutions.
To limit the data collection to a manageable Only comments written in the English
corpus, media reports on the following five language were considered. The rest of the data
major developments related to the shooting

Page 33  Volume 1  The Antoninus Journal  A Multidisciplinary Journal of the UST Graduate School 
F. T. CALBAY
that did not suit the first stage of coding were media reports’ discussion board. Users were
discarded. Categories were derived required to sign in with their existing social
inductively from the collected data. Where media accounts. The Philippine Daily Inquirer
two or more codes apply to the comment, the used the Disqus commenting system, which
coders agreed to select the more dominant allowed login through Facebook, Twitter, or
sentiment. Thematic analysis was then used to Google accounts apart from its own proprietary
critically evaluate the stereotype content. system. On the other hand, the Taipei Times
based its commenting system on Facebook. By
In processing the data, the study followed default, posted comments would also be
the instructions of Meyer and Avery (2009) to displayed on the user’s respective social media
look at qualitative research as “a tracking accounts. This requirement did not deter users
problem” (p. 92) and use spreadsheet software from posting provocative statements, barring
in data coding and analysis. Although the study the possibility that some of these accounts could
was qualitative by design, it also tested have been faked. Commenting rules were not
intercoder reliability, which according to explicitly stated, and no active moderation from
Freelon (2010) is “a standard method of the staff was observed in both news sites.
summarizing the substance of a set of mediated
messages” (p. 20). Two reviewers (the From selected articles discussing the Guang
researcher and an independent coder) Da Xing No. 28 shooting incident, 1,591
examined the data. To develop and refine comments (222 from Taiwan media; 1,369
suitable codes, initial codes were tested on a from Philippine media) were identified as
smaller subset first before working on the suitable data from the total 1,854 comments
complete sample. Coding instructions were gathered. In the first phase of the content
provided by the researcher, and disagreements analysis, the overall intercoder agreement was
were discussed during the pilot tests. established at 0.71 in Cohen’s kappa index,
Following Freelon (2010), the online which was within the satisfactory and acceptable
statistical utility ReCal (http://dfreelon.org/ threshold. Of the suitable data, 477 comments
utils/recalfront/) was used to estimate the (30 percent) were coded by reviewers as having
rate of intercoder agreement based on content that can be described as contemptuous
Cohen’s kappa index. stereotypes against particular nationalities,
while 1,124 (70 percent) were coded as
Results and Discussion neutral.

To provide a brief description of the Disregarding the targeted group in
collected data and its context, most comments comments on the media reports, 19 percent of
were estimated to range between 20 to 100 comments in Taiwan media have stereotype
words, with a few longer comments extending content, compared with 32 percent in the
to around 500 words. Considered as null were Philippines. Negative comments were not
non-English comments, one-word or exclusive against the out-group represented in
nonsensical retorts, and posted hyperlinks to the local media. On the assumption that Taiwan
third-party content. At the time of data and Philippine media reports would cater to in-
collection, both online news outfits did not groups in their respective societies as target
permit for anonymous commenting in the readership, it turned out that the in-group
February 2015  Volume 1  page 34
USER-GENERATED VITRIOL
Table 1: Breakdown of overall and local media share of stereotype content
Share in Philippine me-
Nationality targeted Comment share overall Share in Taiwan media
dia
Taiwanese 38% 44% 36%
Filipino 40% 36% 42%
Mainland Chinese/ 22% 20% 22%
Others
received more comments with stereotype “Thieving, blackmailing Taiwanese”
content in the respective local media. The table
above illustrates the proportion of stereotype The strong belief that the Taiwanese fishing
content in the comments. vessel trespassed and poached in Philippine
territory was basis for some commenters to
The second phase of the study, a rationalize the killing of the fisherman.
thematic treatment of the data, is concerned Moreover, some comments supported the coast
with identifying categories and patterns of guard personnel’s defense that the shooting
stereotype content. Some national stereotypes incident happened because of the threat of ship-
were incidental and formed around the ramming, despite contrary evidence. The
unfolding conflict, while some were not stereotyping portrayed the Taiwanese as
seemingly related to the crisis. For national marauding thieves and livelihood saboteurs to
stereotypes against the Taiwanese, the following poor and underequipped Filipino fishermen.
major coding categories emerged in order of Illegal poaching activities on the Philippine
frequency: “thieves,” “labor exploiters,” territory by the Taiwanese were said to be a
“criminal-minded,” “blackmailers,” and “no long-running problem. A representative
different from mainlanders.” On the other comment said:
hand, categories that developed for national
stereotypes against Filipinos were “blood- Finally, these thieving chinkies have been
lusting,” “corrupt and deceitful,” “low-skilled/ taught a lesson. But one Taiwanese is not
slave labor,” “arrogant,” and “trouble-maker.” enough for the decades they have been stealing
A surprising third nationality, the Chinese, was our resources depriving our local fishermen of
dragged into the issue, and the national their catch. [Article 3, comment 13]
stereotypes were “the real enemy,” “greedy,”
and “disgusting.” Stereotypes against other Comments also denounced Taiwan’s
national or ethnic groups were also found in the demands and sanctions on the Philippines,
comments, such as those against Americans, interpreting it as blackmail with profit
Arabs, and Malays but were not closely motivations. The Taiwanese were also
examined anymore since the number was very frequently compared to have similar agenda
small. In coding the data at this phase, the with the mainland Chinese. This has
intercoder agreement for all the variables was at antagonistic connotation since the Taiwanese
0.53, a moderately acceptable agreement in have a complicated political relationship with
Cohen’s kappa index. the mainland Chinese, separating as a people to
form a democratic government system in the

Page 35  Volume 1  The Antoninus Journal  A Multidisciplinary Journal of the UST Graduate School 
F. T. CALBAY
island-state that the latter does not recognize. Although Taiwan enjoys considerable
National and ethnic stereotypes blurred economic power over the Philippines,
in some comments since Taiwan is a stereotypes still surfaced as “contemptuous”
predominantly Chinese society. Furthermore, rather than “admiring” or “envious.” As the
some comments stressed on the “nonnation” Stereotype Content Model would predict, it
status of Taiwan and maintained that Taiwan may be attributed to the conflict that
has no right to make unreasonable demands on questions the “competence” of the Taiwanese.
an otherwise independent and internationally “Criminal-minded” was a major coding
recognized Philippine state. Sample comments category inferred from the comments,
that captured the resentment said: painting an image of the Taiwanese as often
involved in nefarious activities or businesses.
Taiwanese-chinks are no different from their The prevailing sentiment was summed up in
greedy mainland brothers. They came, they saw, the following comment:
they poached, even though somebody owns the
territory. [Article 3, comment 65] It is more decent to work as a factory worker or
a house help rather than manufacturing illegal
What is more barbaric? A Coast Guard vessel that drugs, hi-tech robbery by stealing your identity
protected itself when a foreign devil vessel tries to by bank fraud and credit card account,
ram it, or a de-facto government that uses its smuggling and dumping contraband. [Article
dead citizen as a tear-jerking crutch to bully and 3, comment 34]
blackmail a sovereign nation to get what it
wants? [Article 8, comment 3] “Dangerous, deceitful Filipino”

The sanctions imposed by the Taiwan The Philippine camp was lambasted in the
government and the support of the same by the comments for the brutal death of an old man
Taiwanese were seen as a bullying tactic gone who was perceived as innocent and helpless.
overboard. Apart from the freeze-hiring of The coast guard’s defense of being threatened
Filipino workers in Taiwan, reports of with ship-ramming was met with incredulity
otherwise isolated cases of abuse against Filipino and disbelief. A major national stereotype that
migrant workers engendered comments that emerged for Filipinos depicted them as blood-
labeled the Taiwanese as cruel and inhumane. lusting and troublesome. Many comments also
With tables turned, the Filipinos looked to be the described Filipinos as being corrupt and
underdog in the unfolding crisis situation. A deceitful and their coast guard acting as pirates
commenter opined:
in the high seas. It developed following

revelations that the video evidence was
Their lame sanctions will hurt Taiwan more
tampered, with spliced footage of the coast
than the Philippines, so they resort to
physically hurting helpless Filipinos in their guard personnel apparently laughing while
cities. How cruel these Taiwanese can be. It shooting at the evading fishing vessel. The ire
gives them pleasure to starve, humiliate, slap was expressed in comments such as:
Filipinos in the face, even if they have nothing

to do with the death of one fisherman. [Article
Filipinos are just barbaric and would think
8, comment 5]
nothing of firing on an unarmed fishing vessel.
[Article 6, comment 18]
February 2015  Volume 1  page 36
USER-GENERATED VITRIOL
described as a “3rd class country that doesn't
Indeed only a Filipino or a fool (both often know its place” [Article 3, comment 75]. Since
mutually inclusive)…would seriously believe a the Philippines had burden of proof in the fatal
fishing boat, beautifully decorated, 13 meters shooting and had lopsided economic
with an unharmed crew of four would attempt to relationship in favor of Taiwan, its competence
ram a fully armed Philippine CG 34-meter- and warmth were obviously diminished
long. [Article 3, comment 39] following the Stereotype Content Model. A
characteristic reaction said:
The slight that the Taiwanese felt was also
rooted in the perceived aggression and What skilled workers and professionals? None
arrogance of a neighbor who would not of the 100,000 [Filipino workers] in Taiwan
immediately and formally apologize at the state endangered of losing their jobs because of some
level for the avoidable death of their kin. The trigger-happy coast guards is involved in
fishing site was also pointed out to be a research and development in high-tech
contested area in the South China Sea that industries of Taiwan. They are mostly factory
Filipinos cannot claim exclusive jurisdiction of, workers, [domestic helpers], caregivers and
which all the more drew attention to the other low-level workers. Easily replaceable…
shooting incident as a despicable act. [Article 3, comment 56]
Compensation was also demanded for the dead
fisherman’s family. Comments like the “Mainland Chinese as the greedy, real enemy”
following articulated this stance:
Initial reactions to media reports of the
You think your country can just claim any shooting incident put forward an unfounded
disputed territory as your own, then you shoot to theory that the mainland Chinese were behind
kill… If you had done wrong, just be a man the attacks on the Taiwanese fishing vessel.
and admit your guilt, apologize, compensate the Comments pointed out the growing Chinese
aggrieved party and make sure this incident military presence on disputed areas of the South
never happen again! [Article 1, comment 12] China Sea, where the suspicion should be
turned to instead. Furthermore, China was
The problem is that most Filipinos now, except portrayed as the only party that could benefit
some sensible few, are super arrogant even it is from the row between Taiwan and the
clearly the Philippine Coast Guard's fault for Philippines, which were noted to be both allies
being trigger happy without any respect for of the United States. Speculation about China’s
human life at all. [Article 3, comment 91] involvement was suggested by the following
comment:
Regarding accounts on the freeze-hiring
and maltreatment of Filipino migrant workers Dear Taiwan, it's the Chinese who fired and
in Taiwan, many comments dismissed that it killed one of your fishermen. The Chinese were
would be a huge loss to Taiwan’s businesses disguising as the Philippine Navy to commit
should these migrant workers were to leave en crimes. You should investigate the type of
masse. Migrant Filipino workers were said to bullet used during the attack. I know this for
be often illegally staying and unproductive low- sure because the Chinese are murderers, and the
skilled or “slave” labor from what a comment Filipinos are very reasonable people and value

Page 37  Volume 1  The Antoninus Journal  A Multidisciplinary Journal of the UST Graduate School 