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Abstract

When traveling in the Philippines, one is struck by the advertisements for skin whitening cream due to the belief that whites are superior over all others, including themselves. This is particularly true when it comes to Philippine perceptions of the country that colonized them, and then gave them independence, the United States. Among many Filipinos, there is a distinct lack of self esteem when compared to foreigners, especially if they are white. Whiteness means money and power, and many people try to cater to it. Unfortunately, it can mean that a large number of people are more than willing to make themselves second class citizens in their own country. This paper will discuss how and why opinions of white men versus other groups are so high, why self esteem is so low, and the culture within that spawns these attitudes.