We beg to differ.
Being an avid reader, I couldn’t help but jump for joy when an independent, inexpensive bookshop opens up nearby. That was my feeling upon finding Bookay-Ukay at Maginhawa street in Teacher’s Village, Quezon City some years ago. It has inexpensive books, mostly older, outdated pieces, but still nice to read. I especially go for the…
Why say something if you don’t intend to mean it? That, in essence, is the dishonest underpinnings of Charot Culture. The word charot in normalspeak is “joke only”. Filipinos who say something tongue-in-cheek, sarcastically, or to convey a sense of irony often have to resort to appending their statement with either one or even both…
Read More “The word “charot” reflects Philippine society’s cowardly COP-OUT culture” »
The late Carlos Celdran’s claim to fame is being a promoter of heritage and culture. He caters to those who believe that preserving heritage and culture is what Filipino need to improve the country. I disagree. Let me borrow Ronald Reagan’s style for this: heritage is not the solution to our problem; heritage is the…
Read More “Holding on to Heritage Causes rather than Solves our Country’s Problems” »
Nobody owes Carlos Celdran anything. He made a name for himself going up against the mighty Roman Catholic Church. But this is something many Filipinos have already been doing in manners that do not get them in trouble with the law. In this context one’s gotta take with a bit of bemusement what “thought leader”…
Our webmaster Benign0 and other bloggers have all mentioned how the jeepney is a symbol of the Philippines’ backwardness. Recently, efforts to improve it, or replace it with a better vehicle, met resistance from the likes of “transport groups” like PISTON and Manibela. What’s funny is how even celebrities and middle-class commenters insert themselves and…
Read More “Resistance to Jeepney Modernization symbolizes Filipino Primitivism” »
Some people are so defensive of Greta Thunberg because they think her tantrum was necessary to alert people on environmental issues. I however believe her speech is based on a myth: when you talk of saving the environment, it must include climate change. Either you’re with Thunberg or you’re an enemy of environmentalism. Not for…
Read More “We can Talk About Environmental Issues Without Climate Change” »
Another SJW moment made the latest buzz as a young Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, made a “stunning speech” where she called world leaders “evil” for ignoring environmental concerns. Fellow SJWs and left-leaners or “let’s force the world to embrace our kind of good” types are all aflutter about it. Add to that U.S. president Donald…
Read More “Greta Thunberg’s Tantrum Won’t Save the Environment” »
Actor-turned-politician Richard Gomez’ painting of a male organ elicited reactions that range from disgust to laughter and mockery. I’ve personally seen more of the latter. But perhaps it spurs discussions on what art is and what to do about “offensive” art. It reminds me of the PragerU video about offensive art, which likely received much…
Read More “Why There can never be Universal Rules on Art and Beauty” »