Crab Mentality, Self-Flagellation & Pacquiao

Why I support and not support, oh wait that is contradictory isn’t it, but yes that is what it is on Bong Austero’s contention regarding the much maligned Crab Mentality some people delude themselves as one “monopoly” we truly excel.

I should say that Bong Austero did raise a “valid” point on the so-called call for investigation on the possible “game fixing” in Manny Pacquiao’s close almost losing win errr split decision. How dare the anti-Gloria people even suggest such horrible investigation? I am with Bong Austero on this and if they decide to take this to the street just to discourage the investigation I will be there behind Austero not to protest but hide in shame. lol.

I am referring to the article by Bong Austero titled “Nitpicking after the victory” that was posted at E-lagda Forum where I recently joined and some Pro-Gloria people were like a chorus singing hallelujahs under the baton of Choirmaster Austero. It was obvious that the Christian pagan ritual of self-flagellation was over but the Pro-Gloria people seems vent on whipping our “Filipinoness” all because the Filipinos failed to give the Kamao ng Bayan (Nations’ Fist) their undying loyalty and support to Pacman the symbol of Filipino “greatness”, to quote Austero in all his eloquence:

Pacquiao's stellar status as a crowd drawer is not disputed. That game fixing happens is also a fact of life. But why should it automatically be presumed that the two are related, particularly in that last fight? What kind of a person automatically presumes that any person with an opinion contrary to his is simply a paid hack? Why can't people just agree to disagree and leave it at that? Better still, why can't people just express their personal reservations in a diplomatic and tactful way, while conceding that it is also possible that he or she may be wrong?

But then again, I suppose there's no fun in that. And many among us do think of ourselves as infallible. When we disagree, we do so with the sole objective of proving the other person wrong. We don't want to debate, we want to annihilate. We don't want to listen, we just want to be listened to. Those who disagree with us are simply wrong.

I hear you man, bad idea indeed don’t this people know any better? Well Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao the People’s Champ and now the world is identified with Gloria Arroyo and we know that Gloria takes care of those belonging to her camp. Manny Pacquiao was obviously hurt at the prospect of getting investigated by the Senate or maybe the lower Tongress but fear not Pacman you know what happens in those investigations….. nothing, nada, zilch, zip. So here is the deal, Gloria and the Injustice Department of SiRAULO GOONzales has this perverted sense of justice and if we go by their tract record as in Acsa Ramirez, Jun Lozada etc. where the whistleblowers are paraded on national TV as the principal suspect everything is stacked in your favor. Now, unless they come up with those pesky “wiretapped” conversations out of nowhere and if you have some skeletons in your closet that’s one risk we need to consider.

Let’s assume that an investigation is conducted and judging from their refutation the ones at risk are Juan Manuel Marquez who may get arrested or raided by the NBI, oh wait they can’t go to Mexico right, so let’s scratch that. But then again, there’s this minor problem I believe that your trainer Freddie Roach is at risk because he is an honest man who tells the truth. And for saying you were good at the gym but did the opposite on the actual fight and was not sure you will win before the decision came out. You know how La Gloria hates the truth like a plague and anyone who adheres to it are at risk. So just for that I support the Pro-Gloria in stopping this silly investigation, but there is also an advantage and disadvantage at the same time…… you get SiRAULO Goonzales and his Band of Bozos to act as your lawyer as they do with la Gloria and her minions…….. that is the advantage. The disadvantage is you have bozos for lawyers and if you are charged with let say just jaywalking, the judge might sentence you for life for having such Bozos representing you. Now this is the part of Austero’s article below where I really digress:

I am not even trumping yet the patriotism bit because I think that is a discussion minefield that is best left alone for the moment. I know that we shouldn't take anyone's side simply because of a shared citizenship, but then again, what does it make of us if we can't watch out for our own kind? And even if we can't support our own because of personal or professional conviction, do we really have to be crabby about it and pull everyone else down?

I wish we Filipinos can reduce our tendency to indulge in self-flagellation. When things go well, we do tend to sabotage ourselves and shoot ourselves in the foot as if there is some scripting in our national psyche that's says we don't deserve progress, or global renown, or happiness. Maybe it is time for us to believe that we truly deserve to be victorious.

Let me state this very clearly and if you are such a knuckle head I feel sorry for you, but other races that have been subjected to oppression and exploitation has a tendency that is exacerbated by these analogies against other races like natives in other areas, such as Maoris in New Zealand, coastal Indians in Canada and the United States, Chamorros in Guam and even some Blacks to this day grapples with this mentality promoted of course by ignorance and victim mentality.We definitely need to see things with an open mind to discern constructive criticism against pure heckling (I must admit that I am guilty of this at times, ok maybe most of the times, lol) and the ability to take criticism that may point to aspects where improvements are needed that we oftentimes fail to see because of our tendency to look at things emotionally.

Ok, while there are people fitting the description there are those with open mind and willing to listen for one learns a lot just by listening as we see in forums where majority are lurkers and the noisy few does not necessarily reflect the sentiments of the membership. If Austero really wants to take care of our own then one need not look any further as there are 27.6 million Filipinos right in our own backyard earning less than US$1 a day with 1.9 million families or 12.2 million souls starving and Pacquiao can very well take care of himself with all the coterie of supporters and hangers on in the government and business sector he is definitely in good hands. Can we really say we are taking care of our own when we have so many Overseas Filipinos that are in distress, some of whom are victims of white slavery, and other dire and desolate condition victimized even by our own people and foreigners alike? Now, why do people get upset when in a lousy field of boxing Pacquiao who gets the support of the majority of the Filipinos but not getting 100%, people get upset while our Overseas Workers get screwed and instead of supporting them they also get screwed by corrupt government people?

I am sorry but having a Filipino world champion does not make a difference with our "Filipinoness" and thank you for not touching the “patriotism” aspect as it is silly and juvenile to think along that line. Fer cryin’ out loud boxing is a commercial sports enterprise and the winners are definitely not the country but those who earns a living out of it. So what’s wrong when others root for the other boxer? Pray tell me why these “patriots” (thinking they are) go berserk on silly sports but not have the wherewithal or the cajones to stop the plunder and mismanagement by the trapos?

While others are venting and so is Kamao ng Bayan in this Inquirer article Pacquiao hits crab mentality, voices hurt:

Pacquiao later told Malacañang reporters that the President would overcome the latest corruption scandal hounding her.

“If you have faith in God, nothing can destroy you. Just like me, I cannot be defeated because God is with me. He is always at my side. Just like He is with Ma’am,” he said.

Holy crap, now why in the name of Lady Madaya (Lady Cheat) will he invoke god in this, so Marquez is destroyed because god is not on his side? Of all things and “Ma’am” is also in god’s favor, que barbaridad Manny you are a great boxer just stick with it and stay out of god and politics that is not something you can box your way out, OK? Then, Mr. Pidal or maybe the brother of Pidal (Iggy the younger brother was the fallguy who admitted he is Jose Pidal) has this dumb “uniting” thingy and Pacquiao takes it too seriously that I think is one of the reasons why he ventured into the unknown that is way beyond his league….politics:

Also at the Palace to congratulate him was First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. He said he was thankful that Pacquiao won again. “It’s a good thing what he’s doing for the country. He’s a uniting factor for the country.”

Ayayay, no wonder Alexandre Imperial posted an entry Buwisit at Tinig on Pacquiao's event and I don’t blame him nor do I blame Pacquiao but hopefully his handlers if they are indeed after his welfare will advice him to stay out of politics. After all with this berserk power trippers I don't think he has a choice of staying away as they can make life difficult for someone like him.

Ang Kuwago has a very interesting entry about The Brahmana (priest) and the Prostitute, A lesson on Crab Mentality from an Indian religious perspective which is really about minding your own business.

Jay at Froodee has an entry titled "Hail, Pacman" focused on commentaries by boxing analysis and Pacquiao's lamentation. You can also check out Dita's entry at Mystique titled A Standstill for 12 Rounds.

P. Kenneth Burns takes on crab mentality and black victimhood in Maryland politics just to highlight and prove a point to hopeless ignorant people that Crab Mentality is not the exclusive domain of Filipinos. While Lotus factor blog has Sports and Life Parallel that is a good read on Black sports, athletes and Crab Mentality that goes with it.

The only people that benefits from the false notion that Crab mentality is the exclusive domain of Filipinos are the TraPos and sadly self-flagellation goes hand in hand with this ignorant mindset. Instead of looking at the totality of the problem we tend to put on our blinders and whipped those fellow Filipinos as if they have not been abused and exploited enough. Is it because it is easy and convenient to point the blame on our "Filipinoness" instead of focusing on the Trapos that brought us so much hardship and endemic corruption? Why if they become so good at mastering the nuances of spinning they can even get hired by those numb nuts who will stoop so low just so they distract the people away from them.

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• Pacquiao a victim of PADDING!

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