The Value Of Money, Quality And Humanity

These days since I stayed home in the province during the pandemic and have been doing the groceries and marketing, I noticed the tag prices of commodities are either for one-fourth or half kilogram. It is very rare that I see a tag price for one kilogram.

Once, I had a quick chat with one of the vegetable vendors at Hangar Market in Baguio City. Through our local dialect, I made a comment about their tag prices.

"All of your price tags are for less than a kilo." It was a plain statement waiting for reaction. The vendor replied.

"Oh, yes. Buyers will be scared the moment they see it if we tag per kilo. They don't even care to ask or bargain. They just go."

"You mean buyers cannot afford that much?"

"Yes. Tagging per kilo will immediately create an impression on the buyer that 'it is very expensive' that is why we tag this way."

I was a sidewalk vegetable vendor during my high school and college days. I joined fellow vendors along Hilltop Street in Baguio City during my free time. We bought vegetables by wholesale from Hangar Market and we resell those along the street.

During those days, our tag prices have always been for at least one kilogram. The only diversion was when we sell by bundle. We thought it funny to tag our items for less than one kilogram. Sometimes, it felt an insult as if belittling buyers with the impression that they cannot afford a whole kilogram. Now buyers are scared of it! That is how money has devalued over the years.

The sadder part of rising commodity prices is the decline of quality which we notice almost everyday. One very clear example are the match sticks that we comment about (i.e., complain) every now and then. Our gas range has the option for electronic or manual ignition. We thought it is cheaper manual so I buy boxes of match sticks as part of my grocery. Sometime last year, we noticed the quality of the sticks I bought was not good. Either it takes several scratching before it ignites, the tip would already wear off and still not igniting, or the striking surface of the matchbox is torn. So instead of just one stick to start an ignition, we waste an average of three. We tried three different brands and we had the same problem for all.

I can not help comparing money devaluation with people's values these days. Back in our days, I remember us children afraid of answering back to our elderlies. These days, my elder sister is so stressed as to how irrespectful her children and grandchildren are. At times when she comes and visits me at home, she even cries while relating her stories.

During my time, I was so conscious of answering back and lost it only once with my mother. Back then, I thought my mother would understand but I cannot do it with any others as it would be a total shame. I don't remember answering back to others, relative or not. These days, my two nephews who are living with me have the guts to do so.

Once, the elder nephew put up a very heated argument with me. That was because I was not taking his answer of "I just didn't do anything" as to why not one of his ten subjects have a grade. Yes, he is a college student with ten subjects and no single grade at the end of the semester. He had the guts to shout at me when I insisted on asking for explanation. I was so hurt. I don't have a child of my own. How dare this someone's child in my house answer me back and even shout at me?

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My mother once commented that children these days are too much. I asked, "Why? Were we not headaches during our time?" I was referring to us siblings.

"Yes, you had your pieces but not as bad as kids these days. They are much worse than you in your younger days." I did not know what to answer.

Decline of human value is not only at home. I also see it outside where, for example, children speak of foul words as if as nornal as saying "hello". Many times children from the neighborhood would come to our front yard and play with the kids of our tenants. My ears ring everytime I hear their way of talking that F* and S* words come out so easily from the other children. How can five to eight-year old kids speak like that? My tenants' children do not speak those words so I cannot just keep quiet. At first, I go out and tell the other kids to watch their words. After a few times of not being heard, I told them to go home and do not come back if they keep speaking that way. One time, one of the kids answered me back as they were going out of our gate. I wanted to chase the kid and scold him but I held on. I wonder if I'll be able to change his mind if that is how they are at home.

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I told my tenants' children not to play with them again if they continue talking badly. Then, I told their mother to do the same as I did in case she observes such inappropriate behaviour. She said she is hesitant because she does not want to have any conflict with the other mothers as they might not like it when she questions the other kids. I insisted and made her choose. It is either she stops the wrongdoing or let her children be influenced badly. She nodded and kept quiet.

It seems so hard to instill discipline on the young ones these days. Sometimes the person doing the right thing or correcting the wrong may be put in a bad light. However, elderlies - parents, guardians or, technically, all adults - need to keep our ground and not be swayed by "technologically-influenced" behaviour. That is because if we give in, wonder how the world would be?

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