A Sunday Rant: Things That Matter In Life

Okay ladies and gentlemen, it’s Sunday again so time for another sermon!

After your misbehavior towards the Chinese after the tragedy that befell them, I thought that it was time again for you to get another values education lesson. Oh and don’t worry, this one is fairly secular so even our non-Catholic readers can probably appreciate it. So is everybody ready? Do you have your hymn books with you?

The thing is, many of our local shows are big on what they perceive as “values”. Remember, one of the biggest reasons why the MTRCB took out anime from the schedule of regular TV is because they were believed to not impart any values to children. However, more often than not, I cannot help but notice how so many typical Pinoys miss the point of things that really matter in life. While yes, I’m not really an expert on anything but I still think that the root of some of our problems is our lack of foresight and our inability to see the deeper meaning in things. You see, as I’ve said in my rant about superficiality, we almost always forget to read between the lines and listen to not just what is being said but how it is being said.

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notes

Anyway, here are three big things we keep missing on:

Wealth

Let’s face it, doesn’t everyone want to be rich?

But then again, notice how Pinoys prioritize making money over everything else. Remember also that the reason why trashy shows are the norm in local TV because producers just want to make money. However, one has to remember that while money is good to have, there are things it can’t buy.

To be honest, if there’s anything we should value, it’s the wisdom to maintain wealth. I mean sure, you can have all the money in the world but if you don’t know how to spend it wisely, you’ll be broke in the course of the week. If you want evidence of what I’m talking about just take a look at all the “one-week-millionaires” out there.

Beauty

Sure, having a pretty face is nice. Heck, I think it’s how Marian Rivera gets away with not being able to speak English well. But, while I’m not exactly handsome, I don’t think having a pretty face will get you everything just as money can’t buy you everything.

Look, I have to take extra time to at least look presentable to people but there are some people out there who can look good even from just after getting up from bed. However, to be really beautiful takes effort as well as you need time to organize your appearance as well as maintaining a healthy diet to keep your body attractive. Take a look at people like George Clooney, Helen Mirren and Anderson Cooper (take that Mar Roxas) who will probably be beautiful people forever as they take time to maintain their appearance and continue to make good use of their wit and charm.

Power

Power is another great thing to have but unless we know how to manage it properly, it will just continue to kick our butts ad infinitum.

The problem with a lot of our politicians is that they want power but they don’t have the foresight to use it wisely. At the end of the day, they behave more or less like Gollum from Lord of the Rings who use their power to commit petty misdeeds.

11 Replies to “A Sunday Rant: Things That Matter In Life”

  1. A bit more quality and less quantity regarding posts please.

    Your posts are usually great but some of these seems like posting for the sake of posting, are you on a quota or something bro?

    Apart from that, have a good weekend!

  2. Absolutely spot-on, grimwald.

    >> if there’s anything we should value, it’s the wisdom to maintain wealth. I mean sure, you can have all the money in the world but if you don’t know how to spend it wisely, you’ll be broke in the course of the week.

    Couldn’t agree more. The average lower-class pinoy is forever wandering around with his palm held out, waiting for his betters to deposit something into it. He’s like a rat in an intermittent-reward experiment: every so often he hits the jackpot, whereupon he’s off to the karaoke shop or the Red Horse vendor, and he’s right back where he started after the weekend, asking for a ‘loan’.

    In fairness, they probably emulate the attitudes of their families (how many of those street beggar kids do you think have been sent out there by bone-idle parents?). If only financial management were taught in schools, this vicious cycle might be broken, and there would be far fewer poor people.

    >> they behave more or less like Gollum from Lord of the Rings who use their power to commit petty misdeeds.

    It’s funny cos it’s true 🙂

    1. This is due to the abysmal wages paid in the country. 1ST world status can never be attained until 1ST world wages are gained. Until then, the avg. low-wage Juan is doomed to this vicious cycle, it is not all his poor as dirt fault.

      1. Sorry i think you are way off on this one..how many times have i heard of the filipino overseas worker scammed by their own family? Domestic helpers scrubbing floors on their hand and knees all day,washing toilets,cooking,shopping for food and abused by their employers.Do you think the family back home has any idea of their sacrifices,and hard work? OH NO !!! PLEASE SEND US MORE MONEY WE NEED A BOAT,PLEASE SEND US MONEY WE WANT TO START A SARI SARI STORE,PLEASE SEND US MONEY LITTLE DODONG IS IN THE HOSPITAL,PLEASE SEND US MONEY I WANT TO BUY A MOTORBIKE….IT GOES ON AND ON…THE OFW SENDS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PESOS HOME,DUTIFULLY,SMILING,THINKING THAT SHE IS DOING THE RIGHT THING,ONLY TO COME HOME TO FIND NONE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED IMPROVEMENTS !! SQAUNDERED CASH,SQUANDERED OPPORTUNITIES,SQUANDERED FUTURE!!WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE MONEY I SENT YOU??? HINDI KO ALAM EVERYONE REPLIES WITH THAT SHY, SHIT EATING GRIN! IF YOU THINK THE PHILIPPINES WILL ATTAIN FIRST WORLD STATUS BY IMPROVING THE WORKING WAGES YOU ARE SORELY MISTAKEN!! FILIPINOS HAVE TERRIBLE MONEY MANAGEMENT SKILLS,and place absolutely no value on MONEY and the hard work it takes to earn it,otherwise you wouldnt have such a hand out,mendicant culture….Talk about money burning a hole in your pocket,give a filipino a million pesos,and its gone in a NEW YORK SECOND ….TALK ABOUT A LACK OF DISCIPLINE…GET REAL PHILIPPINES!!!!

        1. First world status,first world wages and first world conditions will never be obtained until a first world consciousness and mentality are implemented….to motivate some people you need to pat them on the back,to motivate others,you need to kick ’em in the ass…which do you think the Philippines would best respond to?? My money is on the kick in the ass !!

  3. Well the Filipino is a strange creature of habit, but once observed and reality of preferences is discerned…they become a quick read.
    A National frailty? IDK, but it seems ,and it always has been, that water partakes of the river bed it runs through. That said, maybe the only way to change the strange creature known to the world as the ‘Filipino’ is to remove the Filipino from its homeland and get another river to partake from,yes?As early in life as possible, just get out of there or get a role model for the children that is not like a ‘Vice Ganda’, how many little kids has that thing single-handedly screwed up ?

  4. Thanks Padre Thaddeus Grimwald. You forgot this most important feature in your article: Good Deeds or Good Works. You may have all the wealth, beauty and power. However, if you don’t have goodness in you. You are nothing.

    Like Jesus Christ said: “You are like whited tombs, beautiful on the outside, but inside, full of dead men’s bones.”

    On wealth and power. I quote again Jesus Christ: “What does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul…”

    That is enough , for a guy, who does not believe in organized religion…

      1. @Presidente Emilio:

        I am married with three (3) children. My wife is a member of the Anglican Church. I do not believe in Organized Religions.
        I have known that the Roman Catholic Church, had a Pope named Alexander; who had mistresses and illegitimate children.
        When did they accept married Popes, with children? Besides, I don’t like the job as a Pope…

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