"I have a very tidy and simple...for everything that ails our country...Filipino men are insecure...lazy...There is no middle class"

This theory on poverty will have to get in line behind neo-colonialism, U.S. imperialism, cronyism, north-south poverty theory, IMF impositionism, Catholic influence, Catholicism, dependency theory, third-world culture of corruption theory, oriental despotism, climate theory (tropical countries are poor), culture/cycle of poverty, etc. etc.

I think your genderalization (if that word exists) is somewhat unfair, but deep inside of me that's what I see with a lot of men.

Unfortunately their mothers raise them to be that way, and their wives condone them. I still think it takes two to tango.

Thanks for all the comments. I had to put it up there to see if it sticks.

Dino, I think being lazy and insecure is part of what rots the roots of our society. Your examples are great, but that's just it, examples. The big sky picture here is that we are where we are because, at the end of the day, we let it happen. And that's because our men are lazy and insecure. Instead of following the harder, difficult path, we take shortcuts, and allow corruption and greed to kick in. Our laziness goes hand in hand with our ignorance. Why is it that the more educated a Filipina is, the more likely she is to use birth control (almost by 200%)?

Genderalization is a good word, for now. I like it. I was thinking about how mothers spoil their sons -- and how I'm always surprised to meet a Filipino who is married with kids but has never washed his own clothes or made his own bed. That's messed up.

This could be tangential, but I also think it's the same attitude that:

1. Makes us not ask questions because we're afraid to look stupid -- at the cost of making a mistake.

2. Makes us very unstraightforward people, especially in business, where we're known to never tell exactly what we think -- thus making us very poor managers and employees.

Why? Because we're insecure.

Happy

P.S. Have to agree with Manolo on the missing middle class. It's up to the better-offs and educateds with middle class values. They're the ones whose minds we have to go to war for. When they leave, we're left with very little social capital.

I think the observation is true for males irrespective of nationality. Just look at the world's history of wars--from street gang wars to invasions of other countries... it's a testosterone driven thing.

Well, now. I suggest we ask GMA to submit to a drug test. Maybe she, like Floyd Landis, will be found to have an unnaturally high amount of the male hormone.

I've often said this, and I believe it's true, the best bosses I've had are women: they can think in circles, can be genuinely compassionate, and won't stick a knife in your back. They'll kick you in the face, right in the middle of your caesar salad.

And the wrinkle here is that Filipino are so poor at hiding their insecurities, because it only comes about when they leave their mom's house as full-grown adults.

Happy

Interesting entry. Very true too. I agree with what you said about the 'pseudo' middle class. Here in the Philippines, it's either your rich or your poor. And about men being lazy and women working more than them, well, just want to say, viva la female species :)

I've had the exact opposite as far as bosses are concerned. Early in my career, i almost got fired by my female boss. In hindsight, not her fault just a clash of styles. Male bosses are more of the "i'm ok, you're ok" sort. Less complicated.

I'll have to disagree with sayote queen. There are middle class people around. Thing is, they either act rich, or act poor.

The ones who act rich max out their credit cards and loan like hell to project some sort of image. The ones who act poor always bewail their sad, unfortunate lives -- while drinking beer and gin at the corner sari-sari all day long.

Hehe, first off, I got here by googling "tabo".

Secondly, interesting insight. But curious, where do the "bakla" population fit in? Are they the last hope? hahaha.

The problem with your theory is that you're taking a very small sample of men (in this case, the lazy and insecure politicians and the "istambays") and apply their attitude to all Filipino men.

I feel insulted that the 4 million hardworking OFW men, the 20 million or so male farmers who get up at 4 a.m. and work 'til 6 p.m., the 10 million or so male 9 to fivers, and maybe the 10 million Filipino kids going to school should have to be put in the same category with the minority of lazy (but destructive) Filipinos.

This theory of Filipino male laziness is like saying "all Filipinas are sluts and whores because many Filipinas go overseas to work as prostitutes".

You, my friend, have a very simplistic and narrow view of things and don't have an expanded view of your world.

of course Filipino men are insecure. but the more critical thing to consider is how the ones who have opted to remain in the country in spite of the minute by minute temptation to become corrupted or to just sell out are still challenged to this very day about how they are called to defining their manhood in good, true, and noble terms. has anyone looked or considered the issue from that angle? that can bring us to a deeper, more meaningful discussion of why men here are the way they are, which isn't to say that they are that radically different from those in more advanced societies with all the opportunity and financial advantages built in on those environments.

Dino,

Of course this is a gross generalization! (I think I said that.)

And those hardworking Filipinos need not feel insulted -- not only are they NOT lazy, they're NOT insecure!

I had a conversation with another friend, female, who told me that one of the reasons why she understands the gay female is, in her words:

"Why would anyone want to date a mama's boy who is interested in nothing but getting rich quick, doesn't pick up after himself, and feels entitled to oral sex every night?"

There's your "bakla" angle, Phil.

- Happy

Ben,

That's very interesting. There's the constant struggle to keep your values intact -- a theme I've certainly encountered talking to Filipinos living abroad. The gist of it seems to be that it is easier to live the straight and narrow in the U.S., because the temptation to break the law and be corrupt is less, and the rewards and merits for being true, honest and hardworking more obvious and valuable.

Catholicism (not the Catholic church), and I bring them in here with reservation, has a lot to do with engendering these notions of laziness.

Prayer is a simple action, and is looked at as very powerful work. To my mind, it really is the avoidance of true, get-your-hands-dirty action. And who cares about improving our lives in the here and now, we've got a heaven to look forward to in our next lives -- at least we're told. So, Filipinos bought into that doctrine not just for spiritual guidance, but as a way of life. It's good in some respects, but it bears the seed of complacency too often.

Happy

Happy, re GMA's hormones.

There is another level of insecurity theory that has been going around for ages. Height issues. That Rizal was a womanizer because of it. That Hitler was obsessed with world domination because of it. Maybe you won't need to scrutinize GMA's hormones after all.

Connie,

Okay, you just opened an entire Pandora's box of Filipino male insecurities.

On top of the heap, gentlemen beware, is penis envy. Any psychologist off the record won't differ from a gut anlysis that Filipinos are insecure about the size of their genitals. Of course, they compensate with large cars, large TV screens, etc.

The more I think about this discussion, the more I feel bad for all the Filipinas out there. And everytime I get cut by a cab, I think to myself: he's got a needle in his pants.

Now, I can laugh this one off, but someone's going to bite.

Happy

Happy,

Nice insight about compensation...

I ought to throw out the brochures on the Fortuner now and consider the Vios. :p

Dino,

Those who aren't guilty shouldn't be affected.

Are you guilty?

Jon,

Do it for the gas savings. SUV's are morally reprehensible. I have a nice Jazz that gets oodles from the gallon and fits all the bikes nicely.

Oh, and if one really wants to plumb the depths of the Filipino male's rubber backbone, Google "manila tonight" and click on the first link.

Manilatonight.com is in the top 50 websites receiving traffic from the Philippines, and is in the top 10 Philippine-based websites.

Now, draw your conclusions.

Happy

Part Four:

Filipino men are all talk and no action (hangang salita lang). Yes, we like to hear ourselves talk about how we know what is wrong and what exactly needs to be done to fix all our problems, provided, the correct conditions are met. We like to do this especially when drinking our San Miguel Beer, thumping our chests like proud gorillas, making glorious proclamations amongst our barkada to feed our hungry pride and hide our insecurities.

But come tomorrow, we go back to our routines, doing nothing of what was said the night before, for it was merely "beer talk".

putangina mo!!!