Chapter 1

The Experience of Social Injustice

Introduction
This chapter introduces students to the contemporary socio-economic and political context and
experience from which Catholic social thought both draws from, as well as responds to. When
responding to and interacting with the world, Catholic social thought does not simply stay in its
“ivory tower;” rather, it emphasizes that, in order to do God’s work and work towards justice,
there is a need to be immersed in and understand the contemporary situation of the world through
the natural and social sciences, as well as business and economics, the humanities, and applied
sciences.

Learning Objectives
1. Describe the contemporary social, economic, and political situation, both in the
Philippines and worldwide.
2. Analyze the interconnected relationships of various aspects and institutions that make up
this complex reality
3. Assess and critique institutions and social forces as part of social justice or injustice

Exposition

The Contemporary International and Local Context: Lights and Shadows

In the age of social media and real-time connectivity, society is constantly bombarded
with news about our community, our country, and the world. Various media platforms on the
internet allow us to immediately learn about breaking news, as well as comment on them. While
there is good news that is celebrated in media, such as a growing economy, there is also an
awareness of corruption and injustice in the government, in business, and in civil society.

On the one hand, the Philippines has settled much foreign debt, and has been growing
economically. Credit rating agencies have kept the country’s investment grade status, citing its
strong economic growth and growing confidence from investors to continue investing in the
country. 1 The World Bank cites that the economic growth in the country has also shown signs of
becoming more inclusive, with 1.4 million net jobs created, and with poverty incidence dropping

1
Reuters Staff, “Fitch Lifts Philippines’ Sovereign Ratings,” Reuters, December 11, 2017,
https://www.reuters.com/article/philippines-ratings-fitch/update-1-fitch-upgrades-philippines-sovereign-rating-on-
strong-economic-performance-idUSL3N1OB063.
from 25.2% in 2012 to 21.6% in 2015.2 With the launch of AmBisyon Natin 2040 and the
Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 that propose a long term economic vision as well as a
development, infrastructure, and strategic plan to attain this vision, the future of the country
seems to be on the upswing, with the outgoing country director of Asian Development Bank
even praising the development plans as a model that other countries look up to. 3 These are just
some of the improvements that have marked the last few years in the Philippines.

This improvement in the country is connected to growth also in other countries. In 2017,
overall global economic growth was positive, led by India and China. Stories of improving
economies and the growing awareness for gender and racial equality both locally and abroad
have brought to the fore questions of how race, culture, and gender impact access to social
services and economic opportunities. In signing the Paris Agreement in 2016, countries have
committed to mitigate climate change in their own ways—a big step toward helping care for the
environment in the face rapid environmental degradation and global warming.

On the other hand, the benefits of these developments in the country and worldwide have
not necessarily been felt by nor received by all people. In recent years, local situations such as
the laglag-bala scam in airports, the slow and often hindered redistribution of land for farmers
and peace talks with the New People’s Army (NPA) and various groups seeking autonomy in
Mindanao, and the issue of poverty have been common topics in Philippine news. Accusations of
corruption, greed, and apathy from those in power have plagued the country. Filipinos have
become divided over the socio-economic and political situation of the country, with the election
of President Rodrigo Duterte and his manner of governance. While there has been some reform
in healthcare and education, the Philippines still lags behind in terms of healthcare indicators,
such as maternal mortality rate and malnutrition, as well as inadequate facilities for schools and
training for teachers. 4

Both locally and abroad, there has been a resurgence of nationalism, with the exit of the
United Kingdom from the European Union, the clamor of “America First” in the United States,
and the rise of authoritarian governments and policies. The crises in Syria and Africa that has led
to many undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers fleeing to other countries has not
improved, with not much being done for their plight.

It is this social reality that has encouraged people from all walks of life to either protest
on the street, lobby and enter into politics, or work for reform through non-government
organizations (NGOs). There is what is called a “negative contrast experience,” wherein an
encounter or experience of reality has revealed to people the way things ought to be, by the way
that they are not; if a person emphasizes that poverty, corruption, and sexism, for example,
should not be allowed, such a statement can only be said when experienced in contrast with the

2
World Bank, “Philippines Economic Update-April 2017,” Text/HTML, World Bank, May 4, 2017,
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2017/05/04/philippines-economic-update-april-2017.
3
“ADB Says Countries Look up to PH’s AmBisyon Natin 2040,” Ambisyon Natin 2014 by the National Economic
and Development Authority, March 20, 2018, http://2040.neda.gov.ph/2018/03/20/adb-says-countries-look-up-to-
phs-ambisyon-natin-2040/.
4
The Oxford Business Group provides in depth reports on education and healthcare in various countries. For the
Philippines, please see Oxford Business Group, “The Report: The Philippines 2017” (Oxford Business Group,
2017), https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/philippines-2017.
good, which would be gender equality, living wages and decent quality of life, and transparency
and accountability. The experience of a lack of justice has spurred people to work for a system
that ought to be more just. “Experience has a productive force, not only in terms of providing
knowledge, but by compelling us to speak out and take action…and because experience, which
we can pass on, challenges our establishes ways of thinking and acting, it is not innocent.”5

A Faith That is Both Personal and Social

For the Catholic Church, this present reality requires a response that is rooted in the
Catholic faith commitment. Such a faith commitment acknowledges that what others might see
as only secular, with no room for religion, is not divorced from faith and religion. Faith is not
simply private nor solely concerned about getting to heaven when one dies; the Catholic faith
commitment entails working for justice for one’s neighbor, and not just offering thoughts and
prayers for those in need. This particular aspect of the Catholic faith will be explained further in
the coming chapters.

In order to respond to this reality, however, there is a need to understand its complexity,
its interconnectedness, its various aspects, historical roots and development, and its
pervasiveness. These unjust situations were not created overnight. Rather, they were built over
time through the different institutions, decisions, and organizations that made particular
decisions and whose decisions and actions fed into a particular way of doing things. If the
Catholic Church wishes to respond adequately to the current situation, it needs to collaborate
with other disciplines and organizations in order to have a more complete understanding of how
the current situation operates, and how people interact with, are affected by, and contribute to
this situation.

Analyzing the Contemporary Context

The Social Aspect: The Filipino Culture, Civil Society, and Social Institutions

Filipino Cultural Traits

In 1987, a study was commissioned to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of the
Filipino character in order to understand how to further develop Filipino society. The document
described in detail the various strengths and weaknesses of the country,

<Box: Excerpts from “Building a People, Building a Nation: A Moral Recovery Program”>

<STRENGTHS OF THE FILIPINO CHARACTER

Pakikipagkapwa-Tao (regard for others). Filipinos are open to others and feel one with others.
We regard others with dignity and respect, and deal with them as fellow human
beings. Pakikipagkapwa-tao is manifested in a basic sense of justice and fairness, and in concern

5
Patricia McAuliffe, Fundamental Ethics: A Liberationist Approach (Washington, D.C: Georgetown University
Press, 1993), 5.
for others. It is demonstrated in the Filipino's ability to empathize with others, in helpfulness and
generosity in times of need (pakikiramay), in the practice of bayanihan or mutual assistance, and
in the famous Filipino hospitality.

Family Orientation. Filipinos possess a genuine and deep love for the family, which includes not
simply the spouses and children, parents, and siblings, but also grandparents, aunts, uncles,
cousins, godparents, and other ceremonial relatives. To the Filipino, one's family is the source of
personal identity, the source of emotional and material support, and the person's main
commitment and responsibility.

Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity. Filipinos have a great capacity to adjust, and to adapt to
circumstances and to the surrounding environment, both physical and social. Unplanned or
unanticipated events are never overly disturbing or disorienting as the flexible Filipino adjusts to
whatever happens. We possess a tolerance for ambiguity that enables us to remain unfazed by
uncertainty or lack of information. We are creative, resourceful, adept at learning, and able to
improvise and make use of whatever is at hand in order to create and produce.

Hard work and Industry. Filipinos have the capacity for hard work, given proper conditions. The
desire to raise one's standard of living and to possess the essentials of a decent life for one's
family, combined with the right opportunities and incentives, stimulate the Filipino to work very
hard. This is manifested most noticeably in a willingness to take risks with jobs abroad, and to
work there at two or three jobs. The result is productivity and entrepreneurship for some, and
survival despite poverty for others.

Faith and Religiosity. Filipinos have a deep faith in God. Innate religiosity enables us to
comprehend and genuinely accept reality in the context of God's will and plan. Thus, tragedy and
bad fortune are accepted and some optimism characterizes even the poorest lives.
Filipinos live very intimately with religion; this is tangible--a part of everyday life. We ascribe
human traits to a supernatural God whom we alternately threaten and thank, call upon for mercy
or forgiveness, and appease by pledges. Prayer is an important part of our lives.

WEAKNESSES OF THE FILIPINO CHARACTER

Extreme Personalism. Filipinos view the world in terms of personal relationships and the extent
to which one is able personally to relate to things and people determines our recognition of their
existence and the value. There is no separation between an objective task and emotional
involvement. This personalism is manifested in the tendency to give personal interpretations to
actions, i.e., to "take things personally."

Extreme Family-Centeredness. While concern for the family is one of the Filipino's greatest
strengths, in the extreme it becomes a serious flaw. Excessive concern for the family creates an
in-group to which the Filipino is fiercely loyal, to the detriment of concern for the larger
community or the common good.

Extreme Family-Centeredness. While concern for the family is one of the Filipino's greatest
strengths, in the extreme it becomes a serious flaw. Excessive concern for the family creates an
in-group to which the Filipino is fiercely loyal, to the detriment of concern for the larger
community or the common good.

Passivity and Lack of Initiative. Filipinos are generally passive and lacking in initiative. One
waits to be told what has to be done. There is a strong reliance on others, e.g., leaders and
government, to do things for us. This is related to the attitude towards authority. Filipinos have a
need for a strong authority figure and feel safer and more secure in the presence of such an
authority. One is generally submissive to those in authority, and is not likely to raise issues or to
question decisions.
Filipinos tend to be complacent and there rarely is a sense of urgency about any problem. There
is a high tolerance for inefficiency, poor service, and even violations of one's basic rights. In
many ways, it can be said that the Filipino is too patient and long-suffering (matiisin), too easily
resigned to one's fate. Filipinos are thus easily oppressed and exploited.

Colonial Mentality. Filipinos have a colonial mentality which is made up of two dimensions: the
first is a lack of patriotism or an active awareness, appreciation, and love of the Philippines; the
second is an actual preference for things foreign. Filipino culture is characterized by an openness
to the outside--adapting and incorporating the foreign elements into our image of ourselves. Yet
this image is not built around a deep core of Philippine history and language. The result is a
cultural vagueness or weakness that makes Filipinos extraordinarily susceptible to the
wholesome acceptance of modern mass culture which is often Western. Thus, there is preference
for foreign fashion, entertainment, lifestyles, technology, consumer items, etc.

Kanya-Kanya Syndrome. Filipinos have a selfish, self-serving attitude that generates a feeling of
envy and competitiveness towards others, particularly one's peers, who seem to have gained
some status or prestige. Towards them, the Filipino demonstrated the so-called "crab mentality",
using the levelling instruments of tsismis, intriga and unconstructive criticism to bring others
down. There seems to be a basic assumption that another's gain is our loss. Filipino culture is
characterized by an openness to the outside--adapting and incorporating the foreign elements into
our image of ourselves. Yet this image is not built around a deep core of Philippine history and
language. The result is a cultural vagueness or weakness that makes Filipinos extraordinarily
susceptible to the wholesome acceptance of modern mass culture which is often Western. Thus,
there is preference for foreign fashion, entertainment, lifestyles, technology, consumer items, etc.

Lack of Self-Analysis and Self-Reflection. There is a tendency in the Filipino to be superficial and
even somewhat flighty. In the face of serious problems both personal and social, there is lack of
analysis or reflection. Joking about the most serious matters prevents us from looking deeply into
the problem. There is no felt need to validate our hypotheses or explanations of things. Thus we
are satisfied with superficial explanations for, and superficial solutions to, problems.
Related to this is the Filipino emphasis on form (maporma) rather than upon substance. There is
a tendency to be satisfied with rhetoric and to substitute this for reality. Empty rhetoric and
endless words are very much part of public life. As long as the right things are said, as long as
the proper documents and reports exist, and as long as the proper committees, task forces, or
offices are formed, Filipinos are deluded into believing that what ought to be actually exists.
The Filipino lack of self-analysis and our emphasis upon form is reinforced by an educational
system that is often more form than substance and a legal system that tends to substitute law for
reality.> 6

This study is an important document in understand the Filipino culture that binds the
community together. It is important to understand culture as this becomes the underlying currents
that support the way people construct their communities. The systems and structures that define
our socio-economic and political situation that can be seen are grounded in the various ways the
community understands what human beings are, what it means to be free, what is the good that
people ought to do or aspire for, what is the place of human beings in the vast expanse of
cosmos, alongside the values, the fears, the anxieties, assumptions, prejudices, and biases that
make up the human psyche. All of these hidden assumptions and unseen forces reinforce the way
social institutions operate. Part of responding to and trying to change systems and structures,
then, will entail responding to and shifting the culture that lies beneath them. Understanding
these very real values, fears, emotions, and ideas is key to genuinely change; if the systems and
structures are changed, yet the dominant culture beneath them is left unaddressed, the culture
will simply find new ways to express the same values and principles through different systems
and structures.

< Picture of Iceberg Concept of Culture>

Sample only (from google)

6
Patricia Licuanan, “A Moral Recovery Program: Building A People--Building A Nation,” in Values in Philippine
Culture and Education, ed. Manuel Dy Jr., vol. 7, 3 (Washington, DC: The Council for Research in Values and
Philosophy, 1994), http://www.crvp.org/book/Series03/III-7/chapter_iv.htm.
Education and Healthcare

Aside from culture, social institutions play a big role in how civil society works and
provides for people. Education and healthcare are important aspects of society that heavily affect
the kind of people that make up society. As part of the Sustainable Development Goals,
education and healthcare for the poor and marginalized groups have become important indicators
towards whether or not a society is progressing towards becoming a community of flourishing
and development.7

The Philippines boasts its almost universal basic literacy rate. However, the quality and
affordability of education is an issue, due to lack of school materials and teachers. Out of school
youth are also an issue. Educational mismatch is also a concern, with more students opting for
universities and colleges rather than vocational and technical courses and contributing to
underemployment and unemployment. This focus on getting traditional four year degrees is due
to the perception that only four year courses in colleges and universities can lead to well-paying
jobs, as well as the ambition to move abroad to other countries in order to earn more for one’s
family.

In terms of healthcare, the Philippines has both private and publicly funded hospitals.
Those funded by the government charge less, little to no fees; because of this, many of the poor
go to these hospitals. However, the cost, adequacy, and availability of certain facilities and
technologies for certain healthcare procedures at public hospitals have been criticized, as not all
public hospitals would have the equipment needed for any form of medical procedure and thus
would cause logistical and financial problems in transporting patients.

While both public and private hospitals seek to offer the same quality of service,
sometimes lack of funding, coupled with the large number of people who need to be served,
leads to a failure to achieve the same quality and care that a private hospital can give. There is
also a perception that since public hospitals are free, patients have no right to complain; there is
also the concern of the sheer volume of patients that need to be treated at certain hospitals due to
legislation that does not allow hospitals to refuse patients. Some public hospitals are also
dependent on their local government to provide adequate funding, which is difficult to get due to
healthcare not being a priority. This lack of priority stems from healthcare being a concern only
when someone is sick, rather than healthcare including preventive procedures as well.

Gender

The Philippines continues to maintain the narrowing gender gap in Asia, according to the
Global Gender Gap Index in 2017; the country boasts of equal opportunity for education for both

7
More information can be found on the website “Sustainable Development Goals,” Sustainable Development
Knowledge Platform | United Nations, accessed May 8, 2018, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300.
men and women and improving political participation and empowerment. 8 While the country
leads the Asian region in terms of gender equality, it has nevertheless decreased in the world
ranking. This is due to lesser opportunities for economic participation, as well as the continuing
problem of maternal health and deaths; the October 2013 labor force survey revealed that four in
seven unpaid family workers are women and three in ten underemployed people are women. 9

<PSA Infographic on women’s work and economic participation in the Philippines>

There is also still a tendency towards the traditional understanding of gender roles. A
strong machismo culture promotes a traditional understanding of masculinity and femininity: the
male as the breadwinner of the family, who is strong and assertive, while the female is the one
who takes care of the home and the children, and who is gentle, meek, and obedient to men.
These gender expectations can harm both men and women: men are not allowed to express
emotion or to show that they are dealing with feelings that they might have, which is not
emotionally healthy, while women are not allowed to express themselves and must be obedient
to men. This can lead to violence and abuse, and a reinforcement of rape culture and power over
women.

The Economic Aspect: Philippine Business and Economics

The past few years saw the country’s growth based, measured as Gross Domestic Product
(GDP), has been very positive, consistently exceeding 6% for nine consecutive quarters as of the
third quarter of 2017. 10 As shown earlier, the country’s economic indicators paint a rosy picture
of the country. Cheaper costs for labor, an almost universally literate and young population, as
well as a good grasp of the English language has made the country a lucrative investment.

However, a question needs to be asked: who is benefitting from this growth? The
dominant model of trickle down economics, which has become the assumed economic model,
assumed that giving some form of incentive, such as tax cuts, to the wealthy owners of capital
and businesses will stimulate business investments and lead to more job opportunities or more
wages that will “trickle down” to the workers in the businesses. This theory continues to be
debated today and used when economic policies are being crafted by certain political parties;
however, the theory has also been critiqued to be ineffective. Over time, studies showed that the
wealth at the top increased, while poverty levels have not decreased as much, from 26.6% in
2006, down to 21.6% in 2015; farmers and fishermen, as well as women and children in
particular have a higher level of poverty incidence compared to the general Filipino population,
as seen in the table below.

8
“Philippines Still Tops in Gender Equality in Asia but Falls 3 Notches in World Ranking,” The Philippine Star,
November 2, 2017, https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/11/02/1754927/philippines-still-tops-gender-equality-
asia-falls-3-notches-world-ranking.
9
For more information on the October 2013 labor force survey, please see the Philippine Statistics Authority
website http://www.psa.gov.ph/tags/labor-and-employment.
10
Cecilia Yap and Siegfrid Alegado, “Philippine GDP Growth of 6.9% Beats All Estimates,” Bloomberg.Com,
November 16, 2017, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-16/philippine-gdp-growth-exceeds-6-for-a-
ninth-consecutive-quarter.
 Table 1. Poverty Incidence 11

There is also the question about what is being spent on that fuels economic growth and
whether it is effective or being put to good use. Other national budgets, especially the United
States of America allocate a large amount of funding for the military and national defense, rather
than for education, healthcare, or housing.

Locally, the national budget for the Philippines in 2018 allocated a large share to the
Department of Public Works and Highways, while the next largest allocation goes to the
Department of Education. 12 This indicates a positive move to build infrastructure in the country,
as well as improve the educational system through better school materials, buildings, and pay for
teachers. However, whether the budgeted amount is enough, and whether it will reach the people
who need it is another matter, as political maneuvering, as will be seen later on in this chapter,
can affect who has access to the resources that the government allocates.

Lastly, economic growth can have an effect on the environment. Production and
consumption create some form of strain on the environment, and if left unchecked, can lead to
much ecological devastation: climate change, rapid deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and
decreasing arable farmland are some of the tangible effects of an economy that focuses on

11
Lisa Grace Bersales, “Farmers, Fishermen and Children Consistently Posted the Highest Poverty Incidence among
Basic Sectors,” Philippine Statistics Authority, June 30, 2017, https://psa.gov.ph/poverty-press-releases.
12
Pia Ranada, “Duterte Signs P3.8-Trillion 2018 National Budget into Law,” Rappler, December 19, 2017,
http://www.rappler.com//nation/191749-philippines-duterte-signs-2018-national-budget-law.
growth that is not inclusive for all people and the environment. Care for the environment has
become a growing concern: there has been a push for consumers to be more mindful of what
they consume and how they consume food and other needs such as clothing, while producers are
pressured to come up with sustainable methods in creating their products and services.

The Political Aspect: Governance

One of the common problems that has consistently been raised in the country is the
problem of corruption in the government, both at the local and national levels. Corruption is
understood to be any form of abuse of power, and in government, that power comes in the form
of the ability to craft and policies and procedures that will affect how resources are allocated and
how people behave, or to simply affect how such policies and procedures are made through
activities such as bribery, vote buying or selling, misuse of public funds, or extortion.
Sometimes, such abuse is done to protect the person’s status, privilege, or wealth; sometimes it
can also be done out of fear or pushing from other more powerful people.

According to Transparency International, the Philippines has a score of 34 out of 100 in

2017, wherein 0 means highly corrupt, and 100 is very clean. 13 Political engagement and
corruption continues to be an issue in the country, with the same politicians and same systems
continuing to operate, without much change. Systems that focus on rent-seeking behavior and
patronage politics are pervasive at both the local and national levels of government. Rent-seeking
behavior is behavior that uses resources to obtain some form of economic gain, without
necessarily giving some form of value to society through wealth creation; this is seen in the
prevalence of patronage politics, on the other hand, is a collusion between public and private
entities wherein the public entity, such as the local government, dispenses or gives out contracts,
enacts favorable policies, or gives other valued benefits to private entities, in exchange for
loyalty, votes, or financial backing. 14

This form of politics creates difficulties and barriers to concretely responding to the
needs of society, as it leads to politicians caring primarily for their private partners, as well as
private partners having more power, compared to other individuals or organizations, in
advocating for particular policies that would benefit them, to the detriment of others.

Summary and Implications

This chapter gave a brief analysis of the socio-economic and political aspects of society
that human beings encounter and live in everyday. While the chapter separated the various
aspects, this is not to say that they are not interconnected. On the contrary, all of these
institutions and decision makers are enmeshed in a web of relationships, where one decision
made will have effects and consequences, subtle or obvious, in other institutions and on other

13
“Corruption Perceptions Index 2017,” Transparency International, accessed May 3, 2018,
https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2017.
14
For more on this, please see Paul David Hutchcroft, Booty Capitalism: The Politics of Banking in the Philippines
(Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1998).
people. Understanding this interconnectedness is crucial to remember when analyzing and
understanding our complex reality today. For example, understanding corruption and patronage
politics in the Philippines would entail understanding Philippine history, as well as the culture of
taking care of the in-group, to the detriment of the common good. This would also affect how
resources are allocated in terms of education or healthcare, or who gets awarded funding to build
the community’s infrastructure, and would then affect the community’s health, education, or
economic opportunities and work. In such cases, it is also often the women and children who
may affected disproportionately by lack of education or healthcare, and so not everyone in a
community are also affected in the same way by changes in the socio-economic or political
situation.

This chapter also wishes to offer various authoritative sources in the footnotes and the
socio-economic and political sections for analysis of the contemporary situation. The
organizations mentioned such as the Asian Development Bank, the National Economic and
Development Authority, the World organizations, various newspapers and information agencies,
and international financial institutions all offer critical and robust analysis of the country and the
international scene. Most of these sources are also readily accessible online.

This book began with a situationer of the country in order to ground the theologizing in
the proceeding chapters. It is this experience that theologians and the Catholic Church have read
in light of the gospel, and have sought to change, based on the inaugural speech of Jesus Christ at
the beginning of his ministry:

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day,
as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled
the scroll and found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue
were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your
hearing.” (Luke 4:16-21)

The Catholic Church has much to say, and has said much, on the various aspects of society that
were touched on in this chapter, and later chapters will discuss these topics as well as the
documents the Catholic Church issued in response to these topics.

In order to explain this reality, Catholicism explains further sin not simply as personal but
also social. Often, what is thought of as wrongdoing as our action causing some form of wrong.
In the treatment of sin and evil, people seek to identify a clear link between our actions and the
consequences in order to acknowledge one’s role in the wrongdoing. However, if society is
understood as a web of relationships that are interconnected, with decisions having consequences
that reverberate throughout this web, it would be important to understand this reality further
using the lens of sin and structures.