There’s a silent revolution happening in the world of work, powered by AI, which values one thing above all: Efficiency without Ego.
But in the Philippines, we are constantly bombarded by a different kind of noise. You know exactly what we’re talking about: the huge tarpaulins (billboards), the perfectly framed selfies at project sites, the constant stream of “motivational” one-liners, and the frantic pursuit of likes, shares, and insights. This isn’t just annoying; it’s an urgent cultural problem, because here is the harsh truth: Likes, shares, insights, and all are not public service—they are SELF-SERVICE!
The modern world demands quiet competence, but we are stuck battling the ancient spirit of the Epal. We must draw a line in the sand: True serbisyo publiko (public service) is measured by results, not by viral video views.
The Holy Trinity of Epaldom: Me, Myself, and I
At the core of all this noise is the undeniable devotion to the Holy Trinity of Epaldom: Me, Myself, and I.
The Epal (an attention-seeker or show-off, typically a public figure) views every project, every initiative, and every tragedy as a backdrop for their personal brand. They prioritize the selfie at the site over the actual completion of the work. Their primary objective isn’t the benefit of the komunidad (community); it’s the optimization of their own engagement rate.
They have convinced themselves that a highly-shared, feel-good quote about patience or hope is a substitute for actual policy implementation. Epal Alert: Viral Vibes, No-Brainer Smart Quotes Are not Public Service! These empty soundbites are just cheap fuel for the attention economy, distracting everyone from the real metric of progress.
The AI Contrast: Think about the powerful AI models we talk about, like Gemini. Does Gemini tweet photos of itself completing a task? Does it use filters to make its calculations look better? No. AI works in the background, quietly executing code, solving problems with zero ego. Its value is in its output, not its popularity.
Read more about how this self-serving mindset slows us down: The Epal in the Age of AI
Too Cryptic, Explain Like I’m 12:
Imagine you have a group project at school. Most kids are quietly working on their assigned parts: drawing, researching, and writing. But one kid, the Epal, stands right in front of the teacher’s desk, holding up a sign that says, “I AM WORKING SO HARD!” They spend all their time making their sign look pretty, taking pictures of themselves with the sign, and shouting motivational quotes about teamwork. They get a lot of high-fives (likes), but their actual part of the project is empty.
The lesson? The loudest person is usually the least productive. The Epal gets applause, but the quiet kid with the actual research gets the good grade. In the real world, the Epal gets the likes, but the silent person with the AI skills actually fixes the problem.
The Viral Warning: Why Smart Quotes Are Worthless
Why are those No-Brainer Smart Quotes so dangerous? Because they create a false sense of achievement. They allow the noise-maker to trade actual work for fleeting online validation. This phenomenon is a direct contradiction of true Filipino diskarte (resourcefulness), which is all about finding a solution quickly, quietly, and effectively—not about boasting about the effort.
In the AI era, competence is the only currency. When you pit a machine that operates with 100% efficiency and zero ego against a person whose primary goal is self-promotion, the Epal loses every time. Your audience, the Filipino public, deserves leaders who focus on the system, not the selfie.
This is the ultimate lesson the age of AI teaches us: The machine is quiet, the results are loud.
The Solution: Shut Up, Stop Talking, and Start Working
The single most powerful skill we can teach the modern world is the art of strategic silence. We need to learn to shut up, stop talking already, and start working.
If an AI tool can process millions of data points and deliver a perfect solution without needing applause, why can’t the person in charge of public welfare do the same? The answer is simple: Ego.
We must demand a new standard of performance—one where the lack of self-promotion is a sign of deep competence, not anonymity. The focus needs to shift from:
- How many people saw me working? To:
- Did I actually solve the problem?
If we want to leverage the power of AI to build a better future for the Philippines, we must first learn the machine’s greatest virtue: Silence.
It’s time to learn how to be effective by being quiet. Read more on this radical skill: Learning to Shut Up: The AI Skill Nobody is Talking About
For more sharp analysis and the latest tools helping you achieve quiet competence in the age of AI, visit aiwhylive.com.
Sources Cited:
- The Epal in the Age of AI (https://www.aiwhylive.com/epal-in-the-age-of-ai/)
- Learning to Shut Up: The AI Skill Nobody is Talking About (https://www.aiwhylive.com/learning-shut-up-ai/)
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