Pinoy Pride is back on the hotseat as Catriona Gray wins the Miss Universe title. Of course, fantards are willing to overlook her foreign-sounding name and mixed ancestry to the chagrin who seek to champion brown and native looks. But as we at this blog ask, does winning this beauty contest mean anything at all? Personally I believe Miss Universe has lost the original claimed purpose of bringing people together from around the world for a chance at unity (I quote a former beauty queen on that), and has gone back to being a business-driven pissing contest. But since this is a personal win that others like to ride on, this new Pinoy Pride bubble deserves another pin to pop it.
Pinoy Pride remains the one attempt of Filipinos to try and “uplift” themselves after receiving a strong criticism or when one of theirs is under attack even for actually doing something wrong (such as posting “still proud to be Filipino” afterwards). Or, as with this case, something to prop their spirits up when they’re down. But of course, especially in the former case, it served to backfire and only draw even more fire towards Filipinos. And Filipinos scratch their heads wondering why they still don’t get any respect. Like a jester wondering why people laugh at his antics instead of singing paeans and praises.
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The operating principle behind Pinoy Pride is this piece from Filipino writer Nick Joaquin: The need for face comes from a lack of confidence. Filipinos are actually depressed or feel inferior. I say this feeling doesn’t come from other countries’ or colonizers’ “oppression” of us. I have traced it to:
1. Filipino family beliefs. I trace it to the Filipino tradition of having children provide for their parents in old age, and how it is sometimes abused. More about this below.
2. The domination-based mindset of the Filipinos. Filipinos still seek to dominate others, and if they fail, the feel inferior. It happens whether they lose in sports or in battle, whether against foreigners or against each other. Filipinos seem to have this subconscious desire that they should be monarchs or masters, and it manifests in Filipinos’ terrible behavior against others. Lack of discipline, road rage, treatment of servants (like in My Family’s Slave) and even Filipino political behavior all reflect this. I also attribute this to our ethnic and tribal cultures; before colonizers came, we were tribes and ethnic groups that saw each other as enemies. Today, it’s likely we still are the same.
Why Pinoy Pride fails to uplift the Filipinos:
1. Pinoy Pride is based on sense of entitlement and freeloading. Filipinos desire something they don’t deserve, or shouldn’t have. One aspect of the domination-based mindset mentioned above is the desire to have servants and get things for free, without working. As our webmaster Benign0 said, Filipinos like to campaign for pride, not work for it, because there is a desire to receive praises for nothing.
As I said above, it may be from family values. Yes, again that habit of raising children just for the sake of having human ATMs when they get older. And yes, even grown children abuse their parents or grandparents. All in all, Filipino family values seem to encourage believing that if one refuses to work, they can coerce someone to provide for them, or can take from anyone in their family if they want. And among these are immaterial things such as pride.
Some parents believe that children are supposed to serve their wishes to be exalted and praised. For example, when a child is seen to have good mathematics or sports skills, the parents jump in and draw the attention to themselves. “This child is great because I am great! Remember, it’s because of me! Me!” But if the child underachieves, parents insult, badmouth and even hurt their children. This is the selfishness of people in full swing.
And this carries over to outside the family, such as when Filipinos free-ride on others’ achievements. A Filipino wins first place or any prize somewhere, whether sports, singing or Miss Universe. Filipinos who don’t know this person at all start to fawn over them, probably sharing on Facebook something like, “this is a Filipino, like me. If she’s first place, so am I! So you should respect me!” I call it immaterial freeloading.
The fascination with beauty contests seems to be based on that same desire. The perception is that beauty queens did nothing or had it easy in order to obtain their prize.The contestants themselves will say that they still did a lot of work to get to where they are. Yet the fans or riders likely still get the wrong idea and still dream of getting rewards just by riding on someone else. They get a stronger desire to avoid useful work and will want to get stuff for nothing, because they feel that they are “beautiful” enough to deserve that arrangement.
2. Pinoy Pride is based on obsolete ideals. First is dugo or blood, the idea that talent and superior abilities are inborn, another source of the desire I explained above about wanting rewards merely for being “beautiful.” Filipinos like to believe they have natural superior talent in them. As I explained before, I’m a skeptic of this. And this works with the domination-based mindset to produce delusions of grandeur. Even if every country has an idea of “blood superiority,” it’s still wrong.
It leads to yet another obsolete ideal behind the Pinoy Pride concept, to see the world scene as a pissing contest between nations. And Filipinos desire to win the pissing contest. They believe colonizers colonized for pride’s sake, not for necessity. It leads to them to assume that pride is the be-all and end-all of all. It’s probably a legacy of the pre-World War 2 contest-for-empire that was was happening at the time.
We’re now in an age where that kind of contest is considered reprehensible in international relations. But Filipino wishes seem left in that pre-WW2 haze. They hope that one day it’ll be their turn to be the empire on the world scene. I doubt that’ll ever happen, however, because Filipinos still shoot themselves in the foot. Webmaster Benign0 has always emphasized economic development and necessities as the real reason for the growth of empires and powerful countries, not pride. Sadly this flies over the Filipino who loves to play the kawawang (pitiful) underdog runt. Filipinos should realize that they are not entitled to be on top. Instead, they should work to stabilize their foundations.
And another obsolete belief that could be related, that beauty is a sign of character. People these days are so still so fooled by the idea that beautiful people have beautiful character. But that’s a bunch of bullcrap that came from antiquity, serving as a sort of subconscious undercurrent that drives people to buy products. Recenly, we’ve had something that threw cold water on that belief: the arrest of beauty contestant Teri Colmenares for illegal drug possession. And a while before that, pretty celebrities acting like jerks. If people still believe physical beauty and character are proportional, they deserve a burst of their bubble that’s a bit loud and jarring.
3. Pinoy Pride only highlights what it tries to hide. Projection of Pinoy Pride only further highlights the self-created inferiority complex. They say, the higher you try to claw for, when you slip and crash, the harder the crash. It hurts more when you fail because you had the wrong goals.
People who suggest that “inferiority complex of Filipinos” can be countered by “just feel proud and project it,” are actually increasing the problem. Yes, the one who shouts “I have a lot of money” is likely the one who actually has little or none of it, i.e., the empty can makes the loudest noise.
There’s the idea that rah-rah chest-beating will motivate Filipinos to work hard. But what do Filipinos really do after they shout “pinoy pride?” Mostly nothing. People do the same things that have to do with getting the bread for eating tomorrow. Shouting “Pinoy Pride” is floppy and ineffectual cheerleading.
4. When people shout “Pinoy Pride,” do they really think of the country? No, they think of themselves. That’s what’s really happening. All shouts of Pinoy Pride are simply attempts to please one’s own ego, and to obtain a temporary high. There is really no sense of real sympathy or camaraderie, because if there were, after the beer and cheer party, Filipinos would return to daily helping and working with each other happily. In fact, outside of the pride party, “temporarily united” Filipinos would be back to their backstabbing ways.
Looking for pride is often seen according to traditional values as a terrible fault, because pride often involves domination and trying to make others lower than oneself. Validation is felt by feeling good at the cost of causing others’ misery. Filipinos often seek that: my cellphone is better than yours, I’m prettier/more pogi than you, I have a bigger harem than you, etc., and you are nothing! There’s nothing uplifting about that, and it makes Filipinos stumble.
So what to do instead of Pinoy Pride?
1. Curb your enthusiasm. Because Filipinos are very often emotional, they will shoot this advice down with, “you killjoy,” or “wag mo sirain trip namin (dont’ ruin our trip)!” But this trip is something that deserves to be broken. It may be painful, but as I said above, such enthusiasm for Pinoy Pride is more detrimental than helpful. So the arrogant trip, the entitled enthusiasm, is best curbed.
2. Focus on upholding principles, not people. That’s why I wrote an article saying that celebrating people is nonsense. Pinoy Pride is more based on this, that certain people should be celebrated over others. Refusing to do so will elicit even foolish moralizing, such as calling the one who refuses misanthropic or fascist. But as I said before, praising and admiring people is not an act of goodness or love. Supporting discipline, order and sobriety in society is better.
3. Focus on contributing to the world, not taking from it. Pinoy Pride is based on the idea that the world owes Filipinos. Again, it’s sense of entitlement, encouraging dumb “empire” and “master” desires. If you’re a worker or a servant in another country, don’t be depressed about it. Better be good at what you do instead.
4. Stop having pride as a goal. This applies to personal lives too. As said above, when you look for pride, you just want superiority above others, but that will not do any good in your relationship towards people. Good relationships has been identified as one of the “secrets” to happiness, and it requires recognition of equality with others. Also, pursuing pride means you are not doing anything worthwhile, whether work, a hobby, project or anything that is keeping you occupied and making you pleased with your handiwork. The worthwhile stuff would require relearning that lost art of self-satisfaction and contentment.
5. Go back to the basics. In the end, we all go back to working for our keep, to feed ourselves tomorrow. Daily life is still more important than the pride party. That’s the reality that Filipinos seek to escape from, because they find it so depressing. But perhaps what we should do is believe it is noble and not depressing to work for our keep and to feed ourselves. Because that is an honest person’s job.
Your can feel good about yourself without having pride. Filipinos indulge in Pinoy Pride spasms to try and chase “good feelings” to counter the depression they actually feel in life. But no one is entitled to good feelings. Truly good feelings are worked for. It is hoped that Filipinos will collectively realize this and work it into their everyday culture. I am happy to see a lot of Filipinos already thinking this way and it gives hope for our society.
I believe, as my cohorts here do, that what Filipinos embrace as their culture is what actually pulls the country down. And those who seem to be anti-dictators, who may also believe themselves to be “heroes,” are the real dictators.
you are the kind of Filipino that should not belong to the Philippines 🙂
your analysis is full of frustrations.
you read too much of the mainstream, that you fail to analyze the “real thing” in Filipinos, and in any race at that.
let me get this straight, when Julius Babao said that “pasaway” ang mga drivers na PINOY… you will easily believe it, as a general classification of Pinoy-Drivers.
now, get those drivers in the freeways and highways of the US and Canada, and you will see them behaving like their foreign counterparts. you will never get to see that the “bad Pinas environs” leads Pinoys to act stupid on the road.
same thing with that human ATMs, if only there are these retirement plans, that a government endorses and practically enforce… parents will not even think about that culture of “payback time”.
maybe, you live in an enclave reading the mainstream… and you will forever be busy protecting your own “obsolete” analysis.
mcdo,
when you started talking about a/the retirement plan, you hit the bull’s eye. We have it in my country and the population is decreasing. Even couples (married and not) decide/decided not wanting to make kids.
But even without having a retirement plan, a (married) couple can still decide to NOT make kids for the simple fact that raising kids in poverty is not fun. Who wants to live in poverty? So if you dont want, then why let your kids grow up in poverty?
CONCEPTION BY INCOME …
one child for poor couples …
two children for middle income couples ….
for extra-wealthy ? They can have a basketball team …. all they want ..
Filipinos are usually underachievers. We mostly become OFW slaves, economic refugees, servant of the world, etc…
So, it is a “whiff of fresh air”; if some “hybrid Filipina”, wins the Miss Universe contest. Aside from all the negativity, we have; “we are beautiful people”…I attached myself to Miss Catriona Gray – ” I am also a handsome Filipino”, because the Miss Universe 2018 is a Filipina.
We have Pacquiao, as a World Boxing Champion. What else do we have ? We need some more, to increase our , “Pinoy Pride”.
Do not look on the other side, that we have the most corrupt politicians in this world. That we have Shabu proliferation, caused by our public officials, who “moonlight” as drug lords. We have incompetent leaders, like the Aquinos. Public Funds can disappear, swallowed by big pockets (“black holes”) of politicians. We have HOCUS PCOS, and SMART SWITIK, that elect our public officials. We have useless COMELEC, that oversee elections. We have a fake Vice President, like Lugaw Robredo…We have the worst crook in the Senate, named, Porky Drilon…We have a multitasking , Senate Candidate, named, Mar Roxas…the Typhoon Yolanda Fund, was swallowed by his pocket, that became a “black hole”…We have family political dynasties…
Ah…pobre Filipinos…Pinoy Pride forever !
If you put it that way…
Maybe Pinoy Pride is just the Filipino form of escapism. Whether we win a boxing match or beauty pageant, as long as it distracts us from the pain and rot of everyday life, we’ll take it.
WELL ….. SAID …. WELL SAID …. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE ……
yep
I am not proud because I am not close to her or contribute when she was doing all the effort to achieve what she wants. But I am happy that she won, sadly most pinoys don’t see it that way.
I’m fine with that. Celebrating her win is OK. Perhaps the flood of posts about it on Facebook can be disconcerting, but then I don’t mind. And you said you’re “happy” she won – reminds me of another thing. What I decided to edit out from this article was the question, can we use any other word aside from “proud?” Filipinos seem stuck on the word “proud,” not knowing it could be inappropriate in some cases, such as during the 2010 Bus Hostage Crisis, people were still saying “proud to be Pinoy.” Filipinos have been programmed to use that phrase without questioning why.
>> Filipinos have been programmed to use that phrase without questioning why.
Currently having a flame war with Darvil about precisely this.
I know where it comes from. It’s in your schoolbooks. If you don’t remember that, go and have a look. It is an incredibly powerful mind-control weapon, and I can’t help admiring the way the oligarchs inserted this simple and effective technique into the school curriculum. After all, who could protest about national pride?
Pride – as in hubris – is known as “The Father of all Sin” in Christian and Catholic theology. There is a lot of practical wisdom in that.
Pride (noun) by definition is a) a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction that you get because you or people connected with you have done or got something good, b) your feelings of your own worth and respect for yourself, c) the belief that you are better or more important than other people. I believe most people here when they take pride in a negative context take (c) as the basis whereas the subject may actually (a). All the feedback I got since the other races here learned about the Ms Uni result were the (a) type – satisfaction, congratulation, then came questions why Filipinos excel in beauty pageants.
I see nothing wrong in getting a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction in the Ms Uni result. Afterall, this is a competition, the contestants, no matter their backgrounds, nationality, affiliation, were co-equals in a level playing field. Yet they are competing, they came prepared and they will take every opportunity to win. Whatever sets the winner apart from the field deserves to be celebrated or at least appreciated.
However, I read this about crab mentality: “The analogy in human behaviour is claimed to be that members of a group will attempt to reduce the self-confidence of any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of envy, resentment, spite, conspiracy, or competitive feelings, to halt their progress.” Now that sounds very familiar!
@Darwil: Filipinos have a habit of claiming to be “proud of” things that they have absolutely nothing to do with.
Do you have ANY association with Gray at all? Are you her father? Are you her PR manager? If not, then in what sense are you “connected with” her achievement? What entitles you to feel “proud” of her pageant win?
Her achievement is a personal one. SHE may legitimately feel pride. YOU claiming to be “proud” of Gray because of some tenuous genetic link is as bizarre as my claiming to be proud of, say, Barack Obama on the basis that he looks a bit like me.
@Marius: Well I am still holding a PH passport and she represented my country so I AM associated with her at least by nationality.
I find it funny that when discussing something very negative about the Phils, it is very convenient to lump us all together, but when something good came about, suddenly we are not a group anymore and don’t have any right to be proud ( to feel the pleasure and satisfaction).
Somewhere in Filipino psychology or culture there HAS to be a proper term for that.
>> I find it funny that when discussing something very negative about the Phils, it is very convenient to lump us all together, but when something good came about, suddenly we are not a group anymore and don’t have any right to be proud ( to feel the pleasure and satisfaction).
That really isn’t true. It’s just that the Philippines has a very long list of things they can be COLLECTIVELY ashamed of (eg., the murder rate, poverty rate, teenage birth rate, or bureaucratic failure) and very few things they can be COLLECTIVELY proud of.
Example: Japanese people can be rightly proud of Japanese education, because most Japanese people are well-educated. Swiss people can be proud of its economic success because most Swiss people have a reasonable quality of life. Swedish people can be proud of its low crime rate. In these examples the WHOLE POPULATION contributes in some way towards the object of national pride.
You are talking about pride in ONE person’s achievement, which is something different entirely. In a general sense, other countries take pride in (say) having produced a world-class sportsman. But you will never hear an American say: “I’m so proud to be American because America produced Kobe Bryant!”. At least … no American with an IQ above 80.
So your claimed connection to Gray is that you have the same passport?
I’m not sure what to say to that. “Well done?”.
Like I said before: the operative word here is “brainwashing”.
@Marius: Who are you (or anybody else ) to tell me what I can or cannot feel or be proud of? If I feel connected to anybody or anything, it is not your business. I’m very sure it did not adversely affected me or anybody else in any way.
So I heard you are Indian. LOL. Do you even know your kind? Seriously??? Your culture??? I mean seriously???
And you have the audacity to litter this thread with your biased, bashful, bigoted,racial, bitter rants about Filipinos. Btw, do you even have a degree at all or was it faked?
>> If I feel connected to anybody or anything, it is not your business. I’m very sure it did not adversely affected me or anybody else in any way.
Sure you can. Nobody’s stopping you. However, it DOES harm your country. Taking pride in stuff you had nothing to do with means you never have to strive for achievements of your own. You can get the same “buzz” just from watching the TV.
Also, that sort of behavior gets you MOCKED MERCILESSLY by foreigners.
If you’re OK with that, go ahead and feel pride about whatever you like.
>> So I heard you are Indian. LOL. Do you even know your kind? Seriously??? Your culture??? I mean seriously???
Filipinos are so gullible. They tell each other all sorts of bullshit and it magically morphs into the truth, just because it fits their other beliefs.
>> Btw, do you even have a degree at all or was it faked?
Are we still doing the cock-waving thing here?
I AM HAPPY FOR HER … but not happy for Filipinos thinking she is Filipino when she is not.
FOREMOST … she doesn’t look like a Filipino at all
2ndmost … her looks does not represent 99% of brown skin Filipinos ….
3rdmost … She was born and raised an Australian not a Filipino with all snobbery and corruptions …
HERE IS A TEST IF SHE REALLY IS A FILIPINO:
– Bring her to typical Filipino toilet … if she does not puke and running out with vomit then … she is a certified Filipino
Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man… It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone.
PINOY PRIDE FAILURE TO UPLIFT is like THINK POSITIVE …. that fails most of the time …
OK. Somebody is poking me POSITIVE THINKING WORKS …. Here is a test: Think Positive you will walk out of the pavement intact if the positive thinker jumps from an airplane thinking absolutely positively to walk out alive …
OK?
At this point, I don’t really know what else to say regarding Pinoy Pride. I remember that there used to be articles written about so-called “Filipino Pride” here at GRP.
PEOPLE THAT INSPIRED FILIPINOS:
1. MANNY PACQUIAO
2. WURTZBACH – German
3. MEGAN YOUNG – American
4. GRAY – Australian
Whaaaat? Nothing in Academics? Yes, there is one … I forgot his name he used kariton . He won because Filipinos inundate Time magazine with duplicitous text votes …..
NOTHING ON SCRIPPS SPELLING BEE …. NOTHING IN AMERICAN NATIONAL ACADEMIC DECATHLON …. NOTHING IN ACADEMICS …. ZERO … NADA …
IF EVER THERE WAS ONE ….. Philippines is still corrupt, incompetent and inefficient country ….
You are nitpicking. 🙂 Pinoy values are out there for all to see. Impossible to lie. Loud, baduy, shallow , lowest common denominator.
Well, indeed that only proves, Gogs, who’s a PINOY, is LOUD, BADUY, SHALLOW and carries the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR.
It’s definitely IMPOSSIBLE TO LIE!!! Who’s gonna argue with that?! ?
Sure !!! You will see me first in line in all those noontime shows and I was smack in the middle of Miss Universe viewing. So nice of you to make up a new ID to try and torment me with your accusations. Since you are so hurt I guess that claim hit you. The truth hurts.
“…and torment me with your accusations”???!!!
Oh no… I was merely borrowing from someone else’s words and testing if it would logically apply to who uttered them originally! And they do apply!
If Pinoys are loud, baduy, shallow and carries with them that lowest common denominator, then Gogs, being Pinoy, is naturally loud, baduy, shallow and carries with him that lowest common denominator!
No exemptions should be claimed by the Pinoy Gogs!
You’re right… The truth hurts!
Nope, you’re using it more as an ad hominem.
So yeah, you’re butthurt because nobody buys your bullshit. And you’re proving Gogs’ point.
The truth hurts you even more.
Sorry. I see maingay and baduy all the time. In the streets, in public transportation and even in the work place. The pinoy is allergic to dignity. You know I am right. If I was wrong , noontime programming would actually be quality. Instead it is for the baduy who crave it. Go ahead and accuse me , you are the one justifying it.,
It is indeed hard to deny that proud feeling, like in the case of the new Miss U’s ViCtOrY. It is part of our nature after all… and we tend to associate. Miss Gray chose to represent the Philippines and it’s enough to make one Filipino proud. It’s kinship at some level —which is a basic motivation for any distinct group.
ChinoF,
I don’t know why you always have to suspect the emotions of Filipinos all the time in every constest they won. That I think doesn’t make any sense at all. That won’t even make you a better person than them because it breeds negative emotions in you and you always have to think high of yourself. Pinoy pride as your issue here should not be exaggerated in the first place as how you portray it with your long article. Some Filipinos are just having a good time enjoying the fun of having their bet wins Miss Universe at the moment. This should not be taken seriously out of context because this won’t linger for long in them. The euphoria will eventually goes down. After the competition we will all go back to deal with our day-to-day lives and we will eventually forget about this as time goes by because this is not a part of our daily routine. At least the clear message here is Ms. Catriona Gray inspires Filipinos to believe that there is an equal chance of winning at the global arena even if some of the competitors are representing powerful first world countries. There is still hope and everything can be likely attained in this world if one works his way to make it to the top.
I take pride when Ms. Gray wins Miss Universe because she represents my country. That fact alone makes me happy because it contributed a winning value representation to international competition. As to the issue that I don’t know her personally and that I did not contribute anything for her winning the crown so I should not be proud? That should not be an issue. I look at the bigger picture that she is an agent of my country to the world to fulfill the mission of winning. This sentiment as well goes to other Filipino people who also represent my country in whatever fields in the global contests and brought home the winning prizes.
In this case, at least my country got the chance of taking the coveted title this year. I am happy for Ms. Catriona because she represents the value of working her own craft and polishing it to achieve her dream. This is a good example of loving your own craft where you worked hard until you perfected it to sell it to the world and in return, you take a good price you deserve.
PINOY CITIZEN, listen, Catriona was born Australian. Raised Australian. Educated by Australians. Culture absolutely Australian. Fed by Australian. Breath Australian air. Everything about her is Australian. Facial Recognition is Australian.
If looked like Filipino, born Filipino, Raised Filipino, Educated by Filipinos, Culture of Filipinos, Fed and breath Filipino. Everything is Filipino … WOULD SHE WIN?
UNLESS ….. HER MOTHER SLEPT WITH A FOREIGNER? THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MOMENT … Maybe you cannot think about it because you are seeing things thru Filipino lens. TRY DIFFERENT LENS. LENS THAT IS EDUCATED like I not thru 3rdworld-ish lens
HERE IS WHAT I LIKE ABOUT FILIPINOS that make me work-&-live in the Philippines:
“MI CHANG”
The Vietnamese phrase for “white people”. Most commonly used with insults or teasing. Heard in the Southern Vietnamese dialect.
Boy: “Look at those Asian girls all over those mi chang!”
Boy2: “I know right?! What IS it with all the mi chang having fetishes for Asian women?!”
I gave up on Vietnamese. Vietnamese are NATIONALISTIC and PATRIOTIC. Filipinos are not and they come to me why they are not nationalistic and patriotic. SAME IS TRUE WITH THAI, KOREANS, JAPANESE and CHINESE …. Only Filipinos troll and import beauties abroad to represent Filipinos who Filipinos believe they are too ugly for Miss Universe.
MY POINT IS …. do you see Viet Kieu sashaying in Miss Universe? ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Oratio,
Her DNA is Scottish-Filipino though she was born and raised in Australia. She is a half-Filipina because her mother is Filipino and she is also a citizen of the Philippines. Why would you make a big deal of looks? Australian people who are caucasians of today are not really the original australians. They were just migrated there from UK.
What you raised is not important. Catriona Gray has chosen the Philippines over Australia in this title says something about her character. As long as she represented the Philippines, and she passed the qualifications in Ms Universe, her looks not a really big deal. I am happy that she chose Philippines and that is the most important thing. Miss Universe organizers doesn’t even mind either the appearance of the contestants vis-a-vis the country they chose so you either deal with it or leave it alone.
>> I don’t know why you always have to suspect the emotions of Filipinos all the time in every constest they won.
Because THEY didn’t win anything. CATRIONA GRAY won.
>> I look at the bigger picture that she is an agent of my country to the world to fulfill the mission of winning.
LOL. I’ve spent more life-hours in the Philippines than Gray, and nobody has offered ME a passport. I just get told “Philippines is for Filipinos! Go back to your country!”.
“I’ve spent more life-hours in the Philippines than Gray, and nobody has offered ME a passport. I just get told “Philippines is for Filipinos! Go back to your country!”.”
Marius is HIGH IN EMOTION, HIGH IN CONVICTION but LOW IN EVIDENCE!
If he really wants to, say NO MORE EXCUSES, what prevents him from availing of this?
https://www.justlanded.com/english/Philippines/Philippines-Guide/Visas-Permits/Filipino-citizenship
And how come many of marius’ compatriots have managed to integrate themselves into the mainstream, so why can’t he?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Filipino
Sigh. So now I’m an honorary Indian. Ah well. Whatever makes you happy.
Incidentally, what’s up with your username? You’re Filipino. Nobody else uses the verb “to avail” as Filipinos do.
What “evidence” am I supposed to produce here? All you need to do is look on Wikipedia and you’ll see that Gray has spent her entire life in Australia or the US, and presumably only applied for the Philippine passport as a matter of commercial expediency. She has (theoretically) lived in Manila for about 4 years.
I bet she still holds her Australian passport/citizenship. Nobody in their right mind would give it up in favor of a Filipino passport.
Anyway, to answer you question, I wouldn’t want to “avail of” Filipino citizenship because:
(a) it’s worthless
(b) you have to take an oath to support “Filipino values” (which presumably means I have to have a lobotomy, learn how to piss on street corners, and buy a KTV machine)
(c) I’d still be “the foreigner” in the eyes of every Filipino, and would be told to “go back to your own country” at every opportunity.
Incidentally, Indians haven’t exactly “integrated” into the Philippines. Like the Chinese and the Koreans, they basically run the place. As I’m sure you’re aware, a lot of loan-shark businesses are run by Indians: they pick the Philippines to do business because there’s a vast customer base of people who have no clue how to manage their money or their lives.
Marius,
It’s up to you what suits you so don’t whine about this:
“I’d still be “the foreigner” in the eyes of every Filipino, and would be told to “go back to your own country” at every opportunity.”
You should take a cue from a Happy Buddha and “The Laws of Karma”! I know you’re very much familiar with them!
“Whenever there is something wrong in my life, there is something wrong in me.”
“We mirror what surrounds us, and what surrounds us mirrors us; this is a Universal Truth.”
BTW, of loan-shark businesses run by Indians, here’s a more accurate account from Marius’ Indian compatriot, Moin Qazi:
Inside the World of Indian Moneylenders
“Though universally despised, the sahukar plays an indispensable role in most rural communities.”
“Moneylenders are a key part of India’s economy. They charge higher, sometimes usurious, interest rates but require few formal guarantees and offer hassle-free services. The nation has just 13 bank branches per 100,000 people and only about one in four people have access to the internet. Single households run about 96 percent of the nation’s unincorporated non-farm enterprises and only 1 percent received loans from the government. For the bulk of low-income households, moneylenders are the only dependable source for money when emergencies arise.”
Read more:
https://thediplomat.com/2017/03/inside-the-world-of-indian-moneylenders/
>> It’s up to you what suits you so don’t whine about this
I’m not whining about it. I simply accept that many Filipinos are racist, and I avoid them.
>> Do you understand the principle of Jus Sanguinis?
This is merely point of LAW that allows her to naturalize. Not every country recognizes this principle. It just happens that the Philippines does. The fact remains that, while her mother may be a Filipino, every other aspect of her existence has been, or is, Australian.
Anyway this is all quite beside the point. Even if she were a native-born Filipina, her success would not reflect upon YOU PERSONALLY. You did not supply any of her genes. You did not help her up the career ladder. You did nothing to help her win Miss Universe.
>> “Whenever there is something wrong in my life, there is something wrong in me.”
Soooo … since the entire country is mired in problems and has never achieved anything of note, it’s fair to say that the problem lies with each and every Filipino?
>> For the bulk of low-income households, moneylenders are the only dependable source for money when emergencies arise.”
What utter nonsense. It’s only economists who can come up with blather like this. Rural economies in India are a disaster for the same reason rural economies in the Philippines are a disaster: poor education and poor money management skills.
Who’s claiming what? They’re YOUR WORDS, NOT MINE!
Whut?
@marius
Philippine citizenship is beneficial… if you are naturally born there or an oligarch.
Oligarchs benefit the biggest from the 60/40 ownership.
The regular citizens have so many benefits, from RH to free education. The problem is most are not informed, or, in a lot of cases, have to get past government bureaucratic red tape to access these benefits. They end up complaining and expect these benefits to be given to them in a silver platter. And when they are given what they want, they do expect MOAR! Talk about entitlement!
The passport sucks, but hey, if you know how to use it properly instead of complaining that you cant enter the US visa free, it isnt the worst in the world. Most do not know they can fly to any ASEAN country and look for jobs there. That is if they wanted to work in the first place. I’d have it over Somalian, Afghan and even Yemeni passports any day (thats because i see how my peers are treated during travels).
Marius,
She carried the name Philippines so why would Filipinos don’t care about that? You’ve got a myopic view on winning and understanding in internationa competitions. Of course she did win by herself but her title is Philippines and that is what I meant above. Aren’t other races feel proud the same when an individual or group of individuals who represent their country are winning in international competitions? They even shouted and sang their national anthem when they won. That I think is a normal reaction because those candidates and athletes carry with them the name and flag of their country that they value.
As to your second argument, you have to work your butt on and do something. Catriona Gray is considered Filipino by birth because her mother is a Filipina. There are many foreigners who already are naturalize citizens in the Philippines. If you don’t want to then just let it be or just leave. Problem solved.
>> Aren’t other races feel proud the same when an individual or group of individuals who represent their country are winning in international competitions?
I tried to explain the distinction here earlier. As did several other posters.
1) With sporting activities, the sportsman usually grew up in, and trained in, the country he represents. When this doesn’t happen – for example when teams are made up of “bought in” talent, they quickly lose their fan base. People stop supporting them because they can’t see a connection anymore.
2) Gray is Australian. She entered as a Filipina as a shrewd business decision. She was only able to do so because of a quirk in Philippines immigration law. In many other countries, your parentage is irrelevant when considering a citizenship application.
3) There’s nothing wrong with supporting your national team and cheering them on. IF THEY ACTUALLY ARE your compatriots, then it’s understandable. Where it gets weird is that Filipinos are far too keen to bask in reflected glory. They think that because Gray won Miss Universe or because Pacquiao won some boxing titles, that reflects on THEM PERSONALLY. No sports fan thinks this. They know where they stand: they’re just fans.
>> If you don’t want to then just let it be or just leave. Problem solved.
The correct phrasing is “go back to your own country!”. Get it right, please.
Marius,
Are you denying her mother being a Filipina?
Do you understand the principle of Jus Sanguinis?
Are you aware of this principle of nationality being honored not only here in the country but else in the world?!
Marius,
What connection do you need? As long as someone chose to represent my country Philippines over the other, whether she is half or full-blooded Filipino and he/she won a title that brings honor to the Philippines, I don’t really care about his/her looks so long as he/she chooses my country. That is most important to me. In the case of Catriona Gray, she is half-filipina and even if she was born and raised in Australia, you cannot deny her blood line. Her business interest is hers alone, what’s important is she won the miss universe title for Philippine’s additional record, it is enough for me already. I mean, the Philippines is not the only one using candidates for beauty pageant who are not full-blooded, there are several countries also and Miss Universe organizers allow that. Even allowing the transgender. So no problem with that.
“That reflects on them personally”
You are inventing your own general theory just like how ChinoF came up with “pinoy pride”. I myself understand my limits and so do other many Filipinos I observed who limit themselves as just spectators and supporters. Maybe some Filipinos expressed too much hyped after the event of winning because of the joy it brings but like I said above, it will just fade away some other time. They will all go back to their normal lives.
“Go back to your own country”
Yes, why don’t you go back for good? You already knew this country sucks till kingdom come and yet you are here. Or better yet with your line of thinking, you should be living in first world country now that suits your taste and where you ideas will be welcome and your standards maybe followed by the people there. Unlike here. You will get old here hopeless and still ranting about the nonstop “failures” of Filipinos. Still the same shit you will be dealing everyday if you are here. So your choice, man.
Pinoy Citizen, you also believe that Noynoy deserved to be president even though he did NOTHING with his life at the point that he ran for president. So it is so fitting it is you justifying an Australian resident who chose the US for post secondary education be called Miss Philippines.
Gogs,
So nice of you to drag politics here. Until now you are still having the sheer of nightmares after Noynoy Aquino won the presidency. Strictly speaking, he deserved to become president in the first place because he was qualified under the constitution to run and he was elected by the Filipino people regardless of whether he achieved something significant or not prior to his candidacy. Same constitution that made Gloria Arroyo to take over the “unfinished” presidency of Estrada and same constitution that allowed Arroyo to run for presidency in the aftermath of her stint as Estrada’s “successor”. And even though Arroyo already made a public statement that she is not going to run and a clear violation that she committed a estoppel, the constitution still allowed her. And that constitution even qualified her to run for lower position in government as a district representative after her presidency. Same goes to Duterte who was qualified to run even if his experience is only at the local government level and his candidacy for presidency was highly questionable that is it was done under substitution of candidate. So Gogs should not single out being Emo over Noynoy Aquino because his presidents Arroyo and Duterte also benefited from that constitution. The constitution that was approved under plebiscite. Same kind of bullshit from President Marcos until now the Philippines did not achieve first world status even if we had 3 constitutions used already from Marcos to date.
Catriona Gray’s case is the same. Miss U’s organization qualified her to represent the Philippines and made her Miss U regardless of the issues of her appearance and residency in the Philippines. It is mild as compared to allowing Miss Spain transgender to join Miss U which is a clear BS.
@Gogs
“… justifying an Australian resident who chose the US for post secondary education be called Miss Philippines.”????!!!
If Gogs takes issue with and questions “an Australian resident who chose the US for post secondary education” being called “Miss Philippines” should he also question another Australian resident’s JUSTIFICATION of his FILIPINO IDENTIFICATION, Mr. benign0, the Webmaster of GRP?
You really are confused Gogs! You better take your NEO-COLONIAL MINDSET out somewhere!
marius
Unfortunately they don’t seem to understand the difference between individual achievement vs collective victory, its all one and the same to them.
They falsely think that “representation” is somehow a form of ‘magic connection’ to others, that if you’re ‘associated’ with someone you somehow share their attributes. It is the most absurd superstitious belief I’ve seen akin to fanatical hysteria.
Pinoys think they have this magic wifi blood that they can share this ‘feeling of victory’ to others, like an app. It is truly an addiction. They only want the “FEELING” of victory without the effort. And as you can see from their rabid overreaction they will defend this addiction as long as it gives them this ‘feel goody’ effects.
@WR: I think it’s even worse than that. Pinoys are actually DISCOURAGED from feeling good about individual victory. If you’re very good at something and feel justifiably proud of it, you’re labelled “arrogant”.
In other words, Pinoys are only allowed to feel good about the Borg Collective, but they’ll be punished if they excel individually.
“I look at the bigger picture that she is an agent of my country to the world to fulfill the mission of winning.”
Nice thing to highlight from Pinoy Citizen’s reply. Gray may have won Miss Universe. But it does nothing to substantially help the Philippines. Filipinas may continue to win Miss Universe, but their country still remains a dump. In that sense, Miss Universe only provides an escape.
Simply this. It seems they forgot that Miss Universe is an INDIVIDUAL contest. And like most people said, there is a difference between individual and collective achievement.
That’s why I’m more fond into team sports compared to individual ones. Yes, there are Filipinas winning beauty pageants and Filipinos winning boxing matches and that’s it. It’s nothing compared to the feel and atmosphere of team sports.
If you ask me, I’m happy for Ms. Gray for winning the pageant, not because she’s a Filipino or something.
Pride should be reserved for something you attained or achieved on your own, not something that happens by accident of birth.
But team sports, especially national ones, tell a different story.
I AM SCARED OF FILIPINOS … in the U.S. … not in Philippines …
IN AMAR/AZUSA (where TaiChi stores are) … I see old aged MEAN LOOKING FILIPINOS smoking and laughing like hyenas (to attract attention) standing next to their dowdy goofy pumped up Corollas and Civics they call “cool”. NOT COOL AT ALL. Well, to Filipinos it is “cool” because these Filipinos hang-out among Filipinos because they cannot carry-on with English language. They are English-challenged.
From their looks, I can tell, they do not well-meaning jobs and possibly veterans that also import their children. As what I have observed, children of Filipino veterans are not good people. All they do is drink-and-smoke and talk about Manny Pacquiao and Miss Universe hoping the Filipinos would become boxers and look like imported Miss Universe.
PATHETIC.
The closest news they get are from Philippine Fake News Fake Newspapers that are free for the taking. They do not read American websites like Axios, Politicos, Vox, DailyBeast (these are alternative news website just like Rappler but Rappler is more gossip news not evidence-base journalism).
HOW CAN WE CHANGE FILIPINOS TO ACT AND THINK EDUCATED? TO BE PATRIOTIC AND NATIONALISTIC WITHOUT IMPORTING NON-FILIPINO LOOKING BEAUTIES?
I AM NOT SCARED OF FILIPINOS … why I am not scared of Filipinos in the Philippines? Because Filipinos in the Philippines adore whites. They wanted to touch me. Talk to me. Practice their English on me. They smile at me …. BECAUSE I AM WHITE …. if I were brown, THEY’D FROWN.
WHITES make Filipinos smile …. Brown, they’d Frown ….
*** I SPEAK THE TRUTH … AND TRUTH HURTS … TRUTH DOES NOT MAKE FILIPINOS FREE … THEY FREAK OUT IF IT IS THE TRUTH *** – And That Is The Truth
HYDEN’s COMMENTs ARE THE BEST ….
Why I read Hyden’s comments than others? Because Hyden comments like he is talking to me …. face-2-face ….
Other commenters comment like they are writing their collegiate thesis … aw, c’mon, people …. TALK TO ME …. I DO NOT READ THESIS …. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF IT ALREADY ….. comment and talk in simple conversational English. I do not mind syntax errors …. I do not mind wrong spellings ….. I AM SENSITIVE WHITE ….. in the U.S. we are taught to be sensitive to recent immigrant’s English …..
IT IS CALLED SENSITIVITY TRAINING …. in the Philippines nothing like that …. Oooops! They do have sensitivity training …. SENSITIVE TO ENGLISH GRAMMARs ……
I KNOW THERE are plenty of people reading GRP’s article but not commenting afraid they might be laughed off this site … Those Filipinos who have Bad English (not the rock band) are people who are lucid and rational than those commenters that focus in PERFECTION OF ENGLISH and precision of use.
WHY? Because those Bad English is straight out of their head …. those English Perfecters are more concerned about their English than the object of issue
FAKE AMERICAN FILIPINOS DO NOT SPEAK NATIVE LANGUAGE TO THEIR CHILDREN ….
Why? It is not so …. these Fake American Filipinos practice their English on their children that is why their children do not speak their native language.
FILIPINOS MEASURE INTELLIGENCE BY THE ENGLISH THEY SPEAK (BS !!!)
FILIPINOS MEASURE BEAUTY BY THE COLOR OF THE SKIN (Another BS. That is why I believe Filipinos are racist people)
@Oration Imperata:
I appreciate your comment…don’t be afraid of us, you will be okay… Filipinos are very hard too understand; for me as a Filipino: I still find my countrymen, as enigmas. We are a contradiction of all; most of us are hardheaded. Most complain of the crooks in the government, but they don’t do anything to jail, stop or guillotine these crooks.
I don’t know why you choose a brown skinned and flat nosed Pinay as your girlfriend. Maybe , you are intrigue by the mystery of her, “enigma”…you want to find more about this mystery.
Anyway, welcome to the Philippines. You will soon adjust, and become one of us: another : “adjusted self made hardheaded Filipino American” …sire daughters to become Miss Universes in the future !
Lalaki ang anak namin…..no pagasa to have miss Universe in our households.
I became bahagi ng kulturang Pinoy at least 15 years ago….Filipinos have a loot of idiosyncracies but so do my mga kabayan.
I do my best to dwell on what’s positive about my spouse because a major key to a matagumpay na pag-aasawa ay appreciation. Thanks for your comment
The achievements of Filipinos, like the ones of Mr. Paquiao for exsmple, no doubt create strong emotions and a lot of pride in Filipinos.
However, as a European, I cannot quite see how the strong emotions that surround the sport achievements of Filipinos could be considered as a trait that is unique to Pinoy people.
I live in a continent where sport achievements, and particularly those related to football or soccer, create not just strong emotions or pride but pure madness.
Hundreds of people have lost their lives in various football stadiums across Europe and a case in point is the Champion’s League Final between Liverpool and Juventus back in 1986 where hundreds of people were killed during a massive stampede.
Here in Italy, as well as in other parts of Europe, there are football fans who go to the stadium to stab the supporters of other teams or to act out other forms of verbal or physical violence.
As the husband of a Filipino woman I am aware of many of the disfunctions of the Filipino culture and I often highlight those disfunctions, but I think Pinoy Pride, at the least the type of pride that surrounds the achievements of Manny Paquiao (or any other achievement of Filipinos for that matter), pales into insignificance compared to the madness that surrounds European football.
To me this thing called Pinoy pride is pretty mild compared to the sheer insanity that surrounds European football.
RIGHT, EDUARDO … Same here in the U.S. though riot after NBA basketball game is not common. But hooligans in Europe is over the top !!!
ONE THING ABOUT FILIPINOS … when Manny Pacquiao fights EDSA is deserted. Traffic is smooth as silk. When Manny slept like a baby on the mat FILIPINOS CRIED !!! LITERALLY !!!
Filipinos even looked the other way when Manny was absent most of the time in Congress and present most of the time in the Gym while still being paid by taxpayers …..
PINOY PRIDE AT WORK & its WORST !!!!
I even manned the phones at BPOs because they called in in tears Manny lost …..
@Eduardo: I agree with your point. Hooliganism is indeed a very big issue in many parts of Europe.
The GRP thread has spiralled into an all out bashing of Filipinos bordering on racial, bigoted, biased opinions of people ignorant of the Filipino’s cultural spectrum. All they have in mind is to bring down Filipinos at every opportunity, all in the pretext of “Filipino culture that brings down Filipinos” or to that effect. The fact that these are not unique to Filipinos illustrates the fact that they are missing the mark.
If I were you Eduardo, don’t take the people or their rants here seriously.
I’m about to enjoy my holiday vacation and will not be looking up GRP nor posting anymore comment from here on. Let me just say happy holidays to everybody.
P.S. Wishing everybody a happy holiday is not gonna bring down the Filipinos isn’t it?
@Eduardo: the difference is this. Sport-related hooliganism is recognized as a PROBLEM, and it’s very much a minority who indulge in it.
It is certainly not encouraged by “National Pride” indoctrination in early schooling. If anything, schools attempt to stamp it out. Hooliganism is a costly headache.
In the Philippines, people are “proud of” all sorts of stupid things that certainly exist in other countries, but which are a source of EMBARRASSMENT, not Pride.
I mentioned the example of KTV (as have other posters). In schoolbooks, this is explicitly described as something Pinoys should take pride in. And yet KTV is a major source of noise pollution: at best, it’s incredibly irritating, and at worst it boils over into violence. No country on the planet thinks you should be Proud of annoying your neighbours. Only Filipinos think causing pain to others is a worthy achievement.
Well, hooliganism it is viewed as a problem and a source of embarrassement but there is no real willingness to stamp it out, at least not in my country. Those in the position to stamp it out could have done it decades ago. Evidently there is no interest in doing away with it once and for all.
Filipinos have without a doubt a lot of flaws but even here in Europe and particularly in my country we have our fair share of idiots….
I meant……Hooliganism is viewed….not it is viewed. Sorry x the mistake. I am writing on a cellphone keyboard while driving….
>> I am writing on a cellphone keyboard while driving….
Are you serious?
>> Filipinos have without a doubt a lot of flaws but even here in Europe and particularly in my country we have our fair share of idiots….
So what does that prove? All it suggests is that Europe is in mortal danger of turning into another Philippines. Civilization is hard-won and slippery.
This is a very Filipino argument. “Look at that country over there, they’re even worse than us!”. In fact that’s the other side of Pinoy Pride: if you’re proud, you are inevitably ALSO complacent. You look for things to validate your pride instead of finding ways to become more than you are.
As for “the whole of” France getting excited about a team of foreigners playing under a French flag: well, they’re idiots too. That’s just ridiculous. I’ll say the same thing to them: “What do you have to be proud of? Were those people raised in your neighborhood and trained by French trainers with French government support? No.”
It’s worth noting that the French (out of all Europeans) are noted for their excessive nationalism, ie., their belief in France being the best country in the world. They get regularly mocked for it.
More usually, when too many foreign players are brought in, the supporters lose interest. This happens in US teams too when players are brought in out-of-state: the supporters no longer identify with them.
@Eduardo Maresca;
If there are dysfunctions…there will be room for improvements. We have the same problems, as other countries.
We are still a tribal conscious country. The success of one man or woman in the tribe, is the success of all in the tribe. This is the reason, we celebrate the victory of Manny Pacquiao in the boxing ring; and the crowning of Miss Catriona Gray, as 2018 Miss Universe.
We are simple people, as compared to the Europeans. However, we value our families; the same as the Italy’s Cosa Nostra value their crime family members.
Welcome Eduardo, to this country of contradiction. You will soon adjust and become one of us !
Under many aspects bahagi na ako ng kultura ninyo: nagsasalita ako ng Tagalog at umiinom ako ng Red Horse!
>> the same as the Italy’s Cosa Nostra value their crime family members.
An excellent comparison there, Hyden!
@Marius:
Spain was a province of Rome in its Roman Empire years. There was one Spanish Roman emperor, named Tradian. We were influenced by Latino culture, and some Filipinos have Spanish blood.
Anyway , Merry Christmas to all…Happy Blogging !
I remember that time Iranians beat the Gilas team. Filipinos went all around the Net, even to the pages of the Iranian players or even Iranians themselves and started insulting them. Basically cyberbullying, because they lost. Well, perhaps that proves what you said, Filipinos are quite ineffectual as fans, since all the hooliganism they could do is online. They couldn’t even go up close to an Iranian and challenge him to a fistfight over a game.
Hooliganism for Filipinos is polishing off two or three bottles of gin while watching Manny Paquiao on tv…
Europe is full of losers and unaccomplished folks who make themselves big when their heroes win… this is a pretty cross-cultural thing….
I’LL HAVE THEM RUN THE BULLS. Let’s round up these unaccomplished Europeans bring them to Pamplona ….. run them over by the bulls …. gore them in the behind …. EXIT BRITS !!! They will be on their own …. They got plenty of uneducated Hooligans …. This time our Italian soccer fans will celebrate in peace …
Right!
The bigger PicTure here is that Filipinos are actually able to unite and celebrate their own. Perhaps they just need to learn more about themselves so they can yearn and find their direction. Some people are actually working hard to make things work this time.
HUH? KLARA, REALLY? OR, YOU ARE JUST EXERCISING YOUR FILIPINOness in you … which is illogical and irrational and irritable. HAR! HAR! HAR! HAR!
YES, KLARA, MY ILLOGICAL FILIPINO SENSELESS IRATIONAL ….FILIPINO AS USUAL …. there is nothing to celebrate … celebrating is celebrating that white-is-beautiful-brown-is-gaudy-dowdy ….
COME DOWN TO EARTH, KLARA, YOU ARE BROWN, THEREFORE, YOU ARE UGLY ….. GET OVER IT ……
Hey LOSER, you pollute this site with your S#it, and your idiotic blathering speaks a lot about your insecurity. Take a hard look at your own culture and see where it is now! We certainly wouldn’t want that kind of standard!
FILIPINOS WILL FOREVER BE STUPID AND IDIOTS ….
Filipinos will forever be RACIST PEOPLE ….
preferring whites over browns …..
preferring whites over blacks ……
FILIPINOS ARE RACIST PEOPLE ….
THEY SHOULD BE DISCRIMINATED ALL OVER THE WORLD ….
Ok ok.. Can you move on now? And stop spreading your shit all over the site.
By the way. It is true that Miss Universe is only half Filipina but recently the France national football team won the 2018 World Cup and only 2 or 3 players were real French. Everyone else in the team had foreign (and particularly African) origins and yet the whole country went nuts and viewed the victory of their team as a national achievement.
My wife is 100% pure Bulaquenya (not the one in Juan Luna’s painting) and she will probably never make it to become the next miss Universe but she has a good chance of becoming miss. Barangay Pinaod…
Seriously, even in Europe football (but even volley or basketball) teams that win big have many half-foreigners playing for those teams so the fact that Filipinos are proud of the victory of a mestiza is also something that is not unique to Filipinos.
“I am writing on a cellphone keyboard while driving….
Are you serious?”
Well, normally I don’t do it but yesterday I was stuck in a huge traffic jam and traffic was literally not moving ang inch so…yes, I admit it. I wrote my reply little by little at every red light . Yesterday traffic was pure hell, exactly the same as traffic on EDSA and, speaking of idiots, if you try driving in Rome you will bump into many cutter offers and tailgaters. Even under this aspect there are some similarities with the Philippines.
As for “it suggests is that Europe is in mortal danger of turning into another Philippines. Civilization is hard-won and slippery”….well, I am afraid that this is true
An ancient scripture says that “pride is before a crash”.
The only way an individual or a group of individuals can grow is by parting with pride and being aware of its flaws.
>> yesterday I was stuck in a huge traffic jam
Ah, OK! I thought you’d adopted the Pinoy habit of weaving across the road at 30kph with your attention firmly fixed on your cellphone while gossiping with your passenger about the latest crap on Facebook.
>> pride is before a crash
Exactly. The English language has several sayings like that – even if a lot of people ignore them, at least they exist. Here in Wonderland, all the memes about Pride are POSITIVE. Pinoys genuinely don’t understand how dangerous pride is, even though the results are staring them in the face.
Have you noticed that it absolutely VERBOTEN for a Pinoy to feel proud of HIMSELF, which in most of the world is considered an acceptable emotion? You’re only allowed to feel Pride about something generically Pinoy-related. Being proud of your own genuine accomplishments is, according to the Filipino, “arrogance”.
Incidentally, the full aphorism is even more clear:
“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall”.
Put it this way: if someone destroyed the Philippines, would you even notice the difference?
It would be hard indeed to notice the difference. Unfortunately the Philippines is not one of those countries that has given a major contribution to the progress of humanity. Italy used to be one of those countries that has massively influenced human history but right now it is undergoing a process of “Philippinization”….
Yes, agreed. Sum-up of my articles point, pride is useless. It’s indeed not uniquely Filipino. Problem is, Filipinos have a style of pride that’s all their own. It only serves to highlight Filipinos’ desperation rather than help relieve it. Filipinos can express pride all they want, but unless they act on substantial solutions, our country remains in the pits.
Agreed. The only attitude that breeds progress both as individuals and as groups (such as nations) is radical humility and being willing to change the setting of the sail. Filipinos lack humility, they are too puffed up with amor propio, pride ang katigasan ng ulo. This is a fact unfortunately and I see that my country is also going down the same slippery road
2. Focus on upholding principles, not people.
I know that working people carry these 3 basic principles deep inside:
1. Be not a burden!
2. Be independent!
3. Be practical!
This is the pride of the ordinary people, just being human. You can only be recognized as human if you are contributing something good to the community. It feels good if you know you are “counted”, it means, you exist.