In the wake of Manny Pacquiao’s defeat at the fists and quick footwork of Floyd Mayweather, I find myself cringing at the reaction of so many Pinoys who can’t seem to accept our champion’s defeat. Instead of simply coming to terms with how the fight ended, countless spectators insist that Manny was cheated, injured or that there had been a backroom deal with the Las Vegas judges that allowed for Floyd’s victory. Sadly, this kind of reaction is all too common among a lot of Pinoys and I can attest that we’re going to have to listen to the rants of similar people for weeks to come.
But okay, on with my point. The rabid reaction of the masses can be traced back to an all too simple idea: Pacman is their hero and Mayweather is some kind of demon in the flesh. Instead of seeing it as a simple boxing match, many typical Pinoys see the fight as a battle between good and evil even if that can’t be further from the truth. The same can be said with how many Pinoys simply saw the EDSA Revolution as a battle between good and evil, casting Cory Aquino and her supporters as freedom-fighters championing the rights of the people and putting Ferdinand Marcos in the role of a villainous tyrant who has essentially enslaved his own people.
See, I think the problem of most Filipinos isn’t with who they put in charge of the country, I think it’s in how they see who they put in charge of the country. Instead of seeing their elected leaders as simple, public servants whose first task is to look after their own people, they prefer to live in a kind of fantasy where their chosen candidate is some kind of hero or champion of God who will somehow solve all their problems. This article is essentially an expansion of one of my previous articles and this other one here by Benign0.
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We, as a people, are almost always looking for heroes to save us instead of considering our options and becoming our own heroes. Don’t believe me? Well, here are my points:
We Are Always Looking For Free Stuff
I used to watch an anime called Blood+ which was about modern vampires fighting across the major cities of the world. Anyway, in the show itself, there were these two extra characters who almost always showed up whenever there was free food. It almost didn’t matter where the protagonists were at the time. As long as there was a barbecue, picnic or any kind of party where there was free food, these two guys would almost always be there.
While we watched a friend of mine even said: “Hey, it’s those two guys? Those guys must be Filipinos because there’s always there when there’s free food!” I look back on it now and I can’t disagree with the fact that this is how most Filipinos behave.
Take for instance the troubles with the Binay family in Manila. Whenever the Binays suddenly experience a bout of unpopularity, all they really have to do is make a few dole-outs and present some free services to gain instant supporters among the masses. I mean sure, I suppose everyone likes free stuff (I do too, actually), but choosing to support someone politically just because they give you free stuff is similar to how a dog is good to just about anyone who feeds it, regardless of that person’s intentions for the dog (who might actually want to eat the dog).
Sadly, because of the typical Pinoy mindset, this kind of tactic works all too well for some people. For a measly 500 pesos, many Filipinos will willingly sell their votes, dooming their nation and their countrymen to further poverty, corruption and general misery.
We Are Looking For Someone Who Will Solve ALL Our Problems
Again, this has to do with the “hero complex” common Pinoys are almost always looking for. In my previous articles about Manny Pacquiao, there have been many arguments about Pacquiao being an inspiration to Filipinos but there is still the glaring issue that, despite the inspiration Pacquiao gives to the Filipino people, many of them are still too lazy, greedy and vain to make any self-improvements on their part. So, instead of looking for a leader who will guide us to the correct path where we can finally prosper as a people, most of us are essentially looking for someone who will take care of all their problems.
Take for instance the problem with garbage in places in Manila. Instead of taking responsibility for their property and disposing of their trash properly, they do like they always do, irresponsibly throwing refuse here and there. Then, when the rains come and their area gets flooded, they blame the government who they claim isn’t doing the right thing because it is the government, not the people themselves, who are responsible for the people’s garbage.
Like the dumb peasants of a Medieval period piece, common Pinoys are looking for the Knight in Shining Armor who will save them from their troubles. It never even occurs to them that they can be the heroes of their own story and that leadership is essentially useless when no one wants to obey the rules.
We Aren’t Good With Responsibility And Accountability
Sadly, this goes hand in hand with the first two statements above. The thing is, as I’ve said before, most Pinoys (especially the masses) tend to be too immature to face facts as they are. Like children, they will always insist they are right even when they clearly aren’t and then throw a tantrum when it’s clear that they can’t win.
In the mega-fight, I hear countless people complaining that the match was “set-up” even though the tactics Mayweather used have been used by Pacquiao and many other boxers throughout history. But then, suppose the reverse was done with the fight staged in the Philippines and Pacquiao winning with Mayweather’s tactics, how would majority of Pinoys react when Americans and other supporters of Mayweather would accuse Pacquiao and the Philippines of cheating.
Indeed, whenever we are caught in the act, most of us just throw a tantrum or use the victim card. Few ever really consider their own actions and accept responsibility for their crimes.
*****
While Pacquiao may be lauded as a hero, I think that we can all be heroes in our own small way. Unfortunately, not many are aware of this. Many forget that a Knight in Shining Armor is just someone wearing polished plates of metal and that anyone can be a Knight in Shining Armor if they choose to be so.
I HAVE RETURNED TO LAY WASTE TO OUR ENEMIES!
I think this is your best BLOG so far. I whole heartedly agree.
Yeah! Bulls eye again. And I would like to add to the points you have discussed:
1. We Are Always Looking For Free Stuff
In politics, I don’t understand why most of us Filipinos have a difficulty realizing that whenever a politician gave out something for free, it isn’t really free. It came from the taxpayer’s money. Granted that came from his own pocket but even that came from the taxes (am I sure? Well, at least in theory). The point is, it is not because of a politician’s mercy that he gives something for free. It is his job to make things affordable anyway and if he cannot, at least he owes us an explanation why he can’t. Why can’t most of us be the proverbial bosses of this “servants.” “O eto ang isang kilo ng bigas tulong ni Mayor….” – Anong tulong?! Trabaho nya yan, gago!
2. We Are Looking For Someone Who Will Solve ALL Our Problems
I guess the word multitasking has become too popular. And of course, the FPJ syndrome. I hope I could see a scene like this in the near future:
Mayor: O anong tulong ko ang gusto nyo para mapasaayos natin ang paliga ng basketball?
Electorate: Wala mayor, kaya namin ‘to. Nga pala, kamusta ang pondo ng pinagawang public market? Inaantay namin ang audit nun.
3. We Aren’t Good With Responsibility And Accountability
This is my favorite and I guess this is prevalent among Filipinos. I have experienced this in so many Filipino private companies. I had a boss that whenever something bad happens, usual line is “di ko nakita to” or “wala akong kilaman dyan” to think that every output goes through him before submitting to the client. He is not the only one. And when a positive feedback comes in, us in the rank and file wouldn’t know it unless the client tells us directly.
Another case is when a manager that I know finds out that an error was committed in one of the projects. His first move: Find out who’s responsible. My reaction: Isn’t that we’re suppose to spend the first few minutes looking for a solution or if you really can’t resist it, at least get another team to work finding out who’s to blame. I’m surprised that at the instant that an error is found, make use of all the manpower to trace who’s to blame.
I had a chance of working with some foreigners. One time (working with an Australian him being my team leader), we aimed at a deadline but unfortunately we were not able to deliver. You know what he said? – “Well, we were not able to deliver though we did our best. That’s just life. Let’s move on and make it right.” Same situation–>one of my Filipino boss–>I guess even the building’s security guard would have a share on the blame. Tsk tsk tsk.
I don’t know where did we learn this mentality and why are we still keeping it.
Selling a vote for P500 is a great decision because the machines are all rigged anyway.I’d vote 20 times if I could …….and sell each vote too.Even if they aren’t rigged, the rest of the system is.Robbing a bank is a better career move than working in the Philippines for P400/day !
Filipinos don’t know what a real hero is. We’d probably crucify Christ again if he came back and told us to love each other. That’s too much work!
Pacquiao is finished…look for another hero, and move on. Solve your problems…do not fight your problems…problems will fight back, and defeat you by Points, like Mayweather did to Pacquiao…
but then again, kahit na may ipapalit kay Pacquiao, Azkals o Gilas Pilipinas, wala pa rin pagbabago ang ating bansa at malay natin sasabak rin sila sa pulitika at pagkatapos yon ay mangurakot at umiskandalo sila katulad nina Erap, Bong at Jinggoy.
Dr. Mahar Lagmay of DOST Project NOAH (disaster relief) should be the modern Philippine hero.
Or the enterpreneur Dado Banatao.
Very true. There is a reason why Filipinos always opt for the ever popular Cinderella story. They want someone or something to come swoop down and change everything for the better for them.
But they conveniently forget that original story of Cinderella had to do something to make her dreams come through. Shame that this version is always ignored in favor of the Disneyfied popular version.
Needless to say, Filipinos need to learn that the one who controls the story is themselves.
The problem with heroes: heroes don’t work. People don’t want to be like the heroes and work things out themselves. They just want to free ride on other’s successes. And that’s considered a mentally pathological issue.
ako naman dahil pinoy si pacman, gusto ko manalo siya. at dahil may experience ako sa sparring, ang prediction ko ay si Money ang mananalo by UD nung friday pa lang.
Fight night: sunday morning PHL time.
nanonood ako ng Birdman (michael keaton) nung linggo, mga 12nn ata un nung nag-text ung tropa ko na talo si pacman by UD. tapos reply ako, “ah ok. sabi ko na si mayweather by UD yan.”
hindi naman ako malungkot na natalo si pacman. unang-una boxing lang yan. bakit naman ako maapektuhan sa pagkatalo ng isang manlalaro sa loob ng ring. hindi ko naman kilala si pacman sa totoong buhay. ang punto ko eh hindi na dapat pinapalaki ang mga ganyang bagay ang nakakalungkot lang eh talagang maraming alipin pa rin ng “hero complex.”
Points:
1. sa pagtapon ng basura, sa amin naka hiwalay ang mga biodegradable as in nakalagay siya sa plastic na parang baunan ung itsura at nakalagay siya sa tabi ng lababo namin at walang tubig un na parng kaning baboy. ung mga balat ng prutas, nililibing namin sa mga paso namin un.
2. huwag umasa sa gobyerno, maghanap ng trabaho. sa aming may mga tamad at kung hindi naman tamad, walang tiwala sa sarili kaya takot sa job interview.
3. tanggapin ang kamalian at huwag ipaglaban ang ego. take responsiblity.
Ano ang solusyon? Edukasyon at disiplina. kasalanan ito ni Celia Veloso eh. lol.
At kung tatanungin nating ang ating mga sarili na bakit hindi natatalo si Mayweather, ay sa kadahilanang master siya ng Defensive Boxing.
tangina dapat pumusta ako kay Mayweather. Money all day everyday. 😀
LOL!
P.S.:
Maslalo akong matatawa ng malakas kung ang mga kurakot na politiko sa ating bansa na nagtaya sila kay Pacquiao ng malaking halaga at ginamit pa nila ang kaban ng bayan at naubos agad sa pagtaya nila dahil talo pala si Pacquaio, ay oo nga pala, masamang bailta ito kung nagkataon yan at masgrabe pa yan kaysa sa PDAF at Binay scams. 😀
Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.
Everybody wanted to be the hero of their own story. Nobody wanted to be comic relief.