Malungkot at Masakit na Kasiyahan

image source: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/n_jenkem.htm

Before we proceed, let me invite you to visit this Wikipedia page, and to read at least the first sentence, since I am very surprised that such a thing exists:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenkem

Well, the article pretty much discusses a 'recreational drug' similar to cocaine, among other harmful drugs, that people can get addicted to. It's called Jenkem, and from the name itself, you just feel that it does not sound pleasant. It induces hallucinations and the feeling of being 'high,' just like any other drug, but it's made from whatever your system never wants to have back: fermented feces and urine. Kadiri pare.

You know what, I can't really understand (or accept) the psychology behind wanting to achieve artificial moments of euphoria, when it can practically be achieved naturally through different real-life situations, although not instantly. We can say people use them as escape routes from their own lives, but don't these drugs end up making lives worse eventually? Even more disturbing today is the fact that people may already be using their own excretions to achieve a high. If this Jenkem substance really exists and is being used, I just don't know what other bad thing I should expect from life. I think that the message is clear: those excretions were rejected by your body in the first place, so why force it in again? It's bound to cause you harm, as rumors and stories tell us that inhaling this substance gives the bad taste brought about by feces for about a week.

What do you think? Are some people already that sad, that they already look for happiness in the worst place to find it?

Wow, Robi's ligtas yo.

I'm sure you've had the chance to meet the kind of Filipino you would call coño. He's the type of person who usually speaks fluent, or almost-fluent English most of the time, but struggles with Filipino. Whenever he would speak Filipino, it would almost always sound like "Can you pass me th...the...lapis! There! lapis right?" Normally, they are associated with the upper class, or upper middle class. They're elitista to most of us, and to some, annoying. "Ba't naman kasi nag-Iingles pa 'yan eh Pinoy naman siya?!"would be normal comments from people who have recently met one of the coño type. That comment is pretty mild, considering the fact that they are even accused as not being in touch with Filipino sensibilities, despite living in the Philippines for most of their lives. A stigma exists that puts the 'richer' ones in a negative light, when there may be even more to these 'richer' people.

It's really easy to accuse the coño person as someone who does not want to embrace his own Filipino culture, but one recent conversation from a really close, supposedly coño friend of mine revealed otherwise:

"You know, [most] Filipinos don't really like elitists or rich people but they want to be rich, they want to go abroad for better jobs, they want to be more Americanized, they want showbiz and when they hit it, they want to fit in that crowd - and yet they look down on rich people and put value on the "real world" values on the street [so much]."

That was the first thought that went through his mind, based on his own observations. It was bothering him that coño people were less listened to by the supposedly purer Filipinos, for the simple reason that they did not know how to commute, nor were they familiar with balut and isaw. It bothers him that accusations about them are made just for being who they are. We may not know it but while there are really coño people to be loathed for their actions, we have to be able to separate hating from action from hating because we cannot relate. In the same way that the 'poor' want some understanding, I think that the rich also deserve some too.

It really is disturbing that there are lots of people who hate the rich so much, but when they end up getting rich themselves by some twist of fate, they end up embracing it. Why cannot we just accept the fact that even within the Philippines, different kinds of people exist? Sure, there are people who cannot even ride the MRT or jeepney to save their own lives, but they are Filipino too. Lots of these kinds of people actually try to embrace the Filipino culture, within their reach. On the other hand, why do some richer people embrace being rich so much that they look down on the poor? Why can't we all just accept that yes, were born in different settings, but we all struggle with life almost equally? God never gave us things we can't handle right? We just have to accept our differences and learn to live unbothered by these little differences in lifestyle. Kahit anong mangyari, Pilipino ka, basta gustuhin mo.

Comic Relief

Guys, subukan niyo lang ito. Kung matagal ka nang nagbabasa ng blog na ito, sigurado ako medyo pagod ka na rin sa kakabasa ng mga entry na kailangan ng kalaliman ng pag-iisip. Pinapanood ito sa akin ng mga kaklase kong si James and Hansky, at nagustuhan ko talaga. Wala siyang sense masyado, pero nakakaaliw. Nakakatulong din naman ang pahinga 'di ba? Punta ka sa left-hand side ng blog na ito, tapos look under comic relief, and click on one of the videos. Wala talagang sense masyado 'yan pero try mo lang. Game? Game!

Answer no. 1

Well, I think it's about time I really share my insights on the previous post I really left hanging. Thank you for those who commented. Whatever you shared contributed immensely to this post.

So why do people, though supposedly innately good, find it easier to do bad things?

I think it's really a matter of patience and work ethic. Normally, the really bad choices, even if we do not recognize them as bad immediately, are the ones that can get us what we want quicker. If we're looking for huge amounts of money for whatever use (hopefully good), it's easier to get the money by stealing (minus the trouble, which is not normally foreseen), compared to actually saving up (Just don't take this whole situation literally.). When we want pleasure, some people find it easier to take drugs, instead of looking for a natural high which will make you look for a situation that induces that kind of natural high. If you're considering the pretty woman-politician example, I'm guessing that impatient human nature will make it easier for the eyes to listen to the pretty woman (who is not bad, but the politician has more right to be listened to regarding political issues). I'm not telling you not to listen to the beauty queen speaking about ecological issues; but if there's already an ecological expert speaking out, why do we find it easier to listen to the beauty queen, when the expert may have lots to say too? If it's easier on the eyes, why do we need our eyes to listen?

I'll stop there, with the three examples. That's just my take on it. Trying to answer this question will probably take a long time, but it helps to think about it from time to time.

Support Robi! Big Brother is NOT Primarily a Charity Show

Before I start ranting about what I feel is the wrong way to see Pinoy Big Brother, let me first appeal to you to vote for my friend and schoolmate Robi Domingo to save him from eviction this week by texting BB ROBI to 2331 for Globe networks and to 231 for Smart networks, or by voting online through http://teensplus.pinoybigbrother.com/Vote/tabid/139/Default.aspx. Robi has been nothing but an exceptional housemate during his stay, and in my opinion, the good rankings in this competition of values and attitudes give us a good picture of what characteristics Filipinos see as important.

Pinoy Big Brother was supposedly tagged as the "teleserye ng totoong buhay." For the past 3 years, it showed different batches of people living inside a house, trying to show whatever good or bad they have, with the hopes of winning a prize that amounts to at least a million pesos, among other reasons (like inspiring others and trying to jump-start a show business career). However, whoever wins or loses in the contest is ultimately left to the discretion of the viewers, who vote for the housemate they want to stay, and in most cases, eventually win. However, whoever is presented to the public as 'nominees' for eviction depends on the housemates themselves, and the way the housemates tackle this obstacle really bothers me.

I have seen countless instances when housemates (and even guardians) were nominated for eviction for the simple reason that they did not need the money involved with winning the contest. Being a housemate myself, I admit that it really is hard to say that you want a friend to leave the house because of whatever reason, but I believe that each housemate (or guardian) also has the mental capacity to discern that being well-off is not enough ground for trying to dismiss a person from a contest that measures character, more than anything. Nominating someone because of financial capability, in my opinion, cannot be used as an escape route to avoid saying negative things about others. It has often been said that Filipinos are maawain, and that they want those least blessed to be victorious, but this certain Filipino trait of seemingly wanting the less-privileged to win should not be the reason for the more-privileged to suffer. We cannot let crab-mentality take over!

Big Brother is not primarily a charity show. While it tries to help the needy in some way, it is first and foremost a contest of character. I would never like to think that the sole reason that Nene, Keanna, Kim, Bea, and Reuben won was because they needed so much money. I would like to think that while yes, it was a factor, they were persons that really reflected what the Filipino stood up for. They were Filipinos with good character. It is alright to want the less-privileged to win, but please, do not bring people down for the same reason.

PBB is primarily a contest of character, and the best way to choose who to nominate (after assessing my own stay inside the house), is by assessing what each housemate has done for the past week. Nominations happen weekly for a reason, and I think each nomination weekend is a time to think about how each housemate has interacted with the others, or how each has done his part as a member of a team. If financial status is considered a good reason to nominate someone, then we can assume that PBB is a charity show. Housemates should know better.

Robi's nominations for the whole season are dumb, if he's nominated for the reason that he does not demonstrate immense financial need. If he's nominated by others as part of a strategy to win (that we'll probably never find out), since Robi has a good chance of ranking high, then things can be more acceptable. In that case, Teen Edition Plus would be full of devious housemates, which is pretty unlikely, considering our age.

Link

I'm going to start making this blog a little more interactive. In addition to your answers to the previous post ("Question Number 1"), I would also like to ask you to give me your blogs' URL so that I can link it. There were numerous blogs in the past that have asked to be linked, so I will try to link them all, in due time. And please be informed that the comments will be a little more improved, as I will now exert an effort to really reply. Thanks!

Question Number 1

We're all supposed to be innately good. That's supposedly our nature. Being made in the image and likeness of God, we really are supposed to be good. Why is the good way supposedly the path less traveled then? We're all good, but why is it easier for us to do bad things? Why are the least lasting things most attractive? Why listen to a dumb supermodel when you can listen to an old, smart, but saggy politician? You wanna try telling me before I start expounding? The comments section is open, and you're invited to write.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hi! I'm sorry if I haven't been able to really reply to all the readers' comments, but I want you all to know that I am reading them, and I feel very blessed to know that there really are people like you who also have strong opinions about the different things that happen from day to day. Kahit simpleng alimango lang, nakukunan pa rin natin ng aral 'di ba? Thank you for all your comments. They inspire me to write about more relevant things. I know I haven't been able to post regularly (I have lots of ideas, but sometimes I just can't seem to follow them up with a good essay), so I am asking for your help to suggest, through the comments section, some topics you may want to appear in this blog, that we can discuss and possibly learn from. I've been writing and writing and writing without actually really responding to what others think (in my writing, at least), and I plan to change that. Keep reading, and feel free to comment, and suggest. Thank you so much for the help. By the way, to answer most of the questions in the comments section, I'd like to give a little update on what I've been doing (which isn't really characteristic of this blog, but I'll do it). I just recently graduated from the Ateneo High School, and yes, Robi Domingo is my batchmate (Support him ah.). I did not graduate valedictorian (My classmate Viko Fumar was the vale.), but I was luckily able to graduate with First Honors. I am an incoming college freshman now in the Ateneo, and I will be taking up Management Engineering (think Math in business). I was luckily able to pass some schools in the States (just like what Tito Edu announced), namely Georgetown and Fordham universities, but I chose to stay in the Philippines for very personal reasons. But don't worry, any decision would have been a fun-filled one anyway. So there. Read on.

Give and Take (Praning, Don't Read)

Minsan ba ay pumasok na sa isip mo na baka ang tao, nilalapitan ka lang dahil may kailangan siya sa'yo, o dahil may nabibigay ka sa tao? Ang dalawang nag-iibigan naman napaglalapit ng pag-ibig 'di ba? Ang pag-ibig ay isang bagay na binibigay ng isa sa isa kaya nagkakaganoon. Kung masama kang tao na social climber, lalapitan mo lang naman siguro ang isang taong mayaman at sikat na hindi mo naman lubos na kilala dahil kailangan mo makilalang katabi noong sikat na iyon. Ang pari, pinapakinggan at dinarayo dahil nabibigay niya ang Diyos (o karanasan ng Diyos, at iba pang mga aral) sa mga tao. Kahit sa negosyo, kaya mayroong mga business organizations ay 'di lang para mapadali ang pagsasagawa ng mga transaksiyon at proyekto, kundi para makapagbuo rin ng mga 'pagkakaibigan' o koneksiyon na magagamit para sa kabutihan ng negosyo. Kung may kailangan mula sa kumpanya mong gumagawa ng semento ang taong gumagawa ng gusali, baka ibigay mo pa sa kaniya ng mas mura ang semento 'di ba, dahil magkasama kayo sa organisasyon? Ganoon 'din sa fraternity. Brad mo ko, brad kita. Kailangan mo ko, kailangan kita. Mahal mo ko, mahal kita. Kung mapahamak ka, sabit ako pero tutulungan kita at tutulungan mo ko 'pag kailangan ko. Kahit sa mga taong mahilig magbigay, puwedeng isipin (kahit baka makasakit ng damdamin), na kaya siya naghahanap ng mga natutulungan kasi kailangan niya ng pakiramdam na mapagbigay siya, at 'di niya yun makukuha kung di siya makabigay.
Sa totoo lang puwedeng tignan sa mabuti o masamang paraan itong ganitong pag-iisip eh. Masama siguro siya dahil nakakalungkot na kaya lang tayo lalapitan ng isang tao ay dahil sa mga kaya nating ibigay, pero mabuti rin siya dahil alam mong may malalapitan kang mga tao sa oras ng kagipitan, o kahit kailan mo trip.
Pero 'di ba? Nakakayanig isipin 'di ba? Isipin mo kaya 'yong mga nakaraang karanasan mo na may lumapit sa'yo, nakangiti, tapos may hiningi sa'yo. Tingin mo lalapitan ka niya kung wala kang ganoon? Tingin mo friends kayo? Hmmm...
Hoy, huwag mapapraning ng sobra ah.. 'Di naman masama ang mundo eh. May mga masama lang, pero 'di lahat. Pero maganda rin siguro na paminsan-minsan may ganitong gumugulo sa ating isipan, para 'di rin tayo maloko. Basta, peksman, walang todohang praningan ah?