Category: Culture

On Jessica Zafra’s pseudo-psychoanalysis of Duterte’s appeal to Filipino voters’ id

April 19, 2016April 19, 2016 benign0 17 Comments

Jessica Zafra is right about the substance behind Rodrigo Duterte’s rise to prominence, of course. Duterte’s campaign appeals to the Filipino’s id. Id is one of three parts of the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud’s structural model of the psyche. Id, together with the other two, ego and super-ego, form Freud’s hypothetical mutually-counter-balancing psychical…

Culture, Media, Society

The re-education of Rodrigo Duterte

April 19, 2016 Ilda 63 Comments

They say it takes a village to raise a child. In Davao City Mayor and Presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte’s case, it might take an entire nation to help him watch his tongue. Since announcing his candidacy, 70-year old Duterte has been experiencing a public berating, probably for the first time in his life, for his…

Crime, Culture, Politics, Society

Why do Filipinos find rape jokes so hilarious?

April 19, 2016April 19, 2016 benign0 21 Comments

The interesting thing about democracy is that it introduces inconvenient transparency to societies that adopt it as a form of government. In a democracy, the truth comes out in many ways unexpected. In the Philippines which is in the midst of election campaign fever, many such uncomfortable truths are coming out. One of them is…

Crime, Culture, Media, Society

Leni Robredo is not presidential enough to be Vice President of the Philippines

April 18, 2016November 1, 2021 benign0 13 Comments

While other great nations land men on the moon, project naval power half way around the planet, and build research centres that churn out wondrous technologies that benefit mankind, Filipinos look to elect to higher office widows of “martyrs” who count “humility” as their primary qualification for office. It is quite baffling that Filipinos are…

Culture, Politics, Society

Leni Robredo proved in Sunday’s #HarapanBise debate that she cannot MAN UP for the job

April 18, 2016April 18, 2016 benign0 22 Comments

Watching Leni Robredo in last night’s vice presidential debate deliver her closing statements voice quivering and on the verge of tears, I thought: Ok, if Chinese troops started parachuting onto Manila while Leni Robredo was VP, what’s she gonna do? Cry and talk about her mommy issues? But that is exactly what she’s framed her…

Culture, Politics, Society

Pinoys Really Need To Develop Their Sense Of Humor

April 18, 2016 Grimwald 26 Comments

Okay, so I finally got to see the video wherein Mayor Duterte of Davao allegedly made fun of the tragic death of Jackie Hamill, the Australian missionary who was raped and killed in a prison back in 1989. I also heard more details of the tragedy and, from watching the video, hearing the man’s later statements and…

Crime, Culture, Media, Society

Duterte ‘rape joke’ video highlights the disturbing way Filipinos regard European foreigners

April 17, 2016April 17, 2016 benign0 33 Comments

The thing I noted about the whole ‘Duterte rape joke’ episode captured in the now-viral video is not the offensive joke per se but the way the audience hooted in unison as Duterte delivered the punchline. This, plus the fact that the video had sustained its remarkable obscurity for this long points to a disturbing…

Crime, Culture, Society

The sad reduction of Leni Robredo

April 17, 2016April 28, 2016 FallenAngel 22 Comments

Leni Robredo, the wife of the late Jesse Robredo, is emerging as one of the more seemingly popular choices to be Vice President for the coming National Elections. Whether she is fit for the post is another question entirely. Several critics, some among them commentators here at GRP, have pointed out that she seems to…

Culture, Government, Politics