End Moral Poverty

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Excerpted from the book 'Children Learn What They Live' by Dorothy Law Nolte and Rachel Harris (1998)

Enrich our youth, people. Enrich them. End moral poverty.

Anti-Intellectualism

I confess to anger. I am baffled at how some people can be so hostile to intellectualism; to how deep their fellowmen see things. If these unappreciative simpletons feel uncomfortable with the weight of Grecian discourse, then keep silent. Don't scorn us for our wordiness; listen, add something, or just leave. As Edith Sitwell once put it: “I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it.”

Breathes. Patience, man, patience.

Silent Romance

I'm seeing someone.



...just so y'all know. (But no questions, please. Not yet. The silence is ceremonial.)

How To Become A 'Real Man' (tm)

In response to a thread in Pinoy Exchange:

If you're desperate to be a 'Real Man' or appear 'Manly' ("Tunay na Lalaki" or "Lalaking Lalaki" in Tagalog) in the eyes of the masses (God bless their superior intelligence), or at least the masses of American and Americanised society (that includes you, Philippines), you must remember to follow the steps below like dogma.

1. Don't ever, ever let anyone see you cry. Emotions are for sissies. Suck it up like a man!

2. Never, ever worry about hygiene or fashion. Real men don't bathe, care about the oil on their faces, clean their ears, or worry if they're wearing crosstrainers or rubber shoes to a wedding.

3. If your male friend says "I love you", even if he means platonic love, humiliate his feelings and rudely point out that he's gay. Then punch him hard. Real men are very violent and rarely think before doing anything. Like gorillas.

4. You are the hunkiest, handsomest man in the world. Every other guy is a twit. But when another guy acknowledges this handsomeness of yours, point out he's being gay. Men are in constant competition with each other, why should he praise you?

5. Stop being articulate or philosophical. Men don't have to worry about brains. The only body part that matters is the penis (and maybe the balls).

6. Play every god-damned sport there is. (In the Philippines, this is limited to basketball.) Culture can only be expressed through sports. Writing, dancing and the others are for girly men.

7. Eat like a pig. Slurp, chew with your mouth open, talk while your mouth is full, and belch as rudely as possible. Men are the kings of the world, why worry about good manners?

8. Treat girls like they're sexual objects. Never ever respect what they say, or how they think. Slap the bitch if she doesn't want to have sex with such a hunk like you. Being gentlemanly is so gay.

9. Be insecure. Be very insecure. Always doubt other guys' sexuality and/or gender identity. You're the only one that's macho, remember. All the others must learn from you.

10. Don't even think of cooking, washing clothes; fixing them; ironing them, gardening, knitting, or reading. Those are girls' stuff. Men were designed to hunt deer, and that should be it.

11. Do not show affection towards your son, nephew, or younger brother/cousin/friend. This way, the little boy's psycho-emotional needs would be so messed up, he'd turn out exactly the way you are when he screws up, err, grows up. Be a role model, and repress.

That said, I pity those who actually believe being any of what I just satirically pointed out makes them real men. Fuck, these are the unfair stereotypes that brand us men as the insensitive, inutile, dick-brained trolls of feminazi mythology. Please, stop giving Manhood a bad name.

Friends

From my online bulletin board, 5 March 2007:

I was reading through my Friendster messages (not all of them, of course, there were 704) and it just dawned on me how I had jollier relationships before than I do now, number wise. Now I have friends who ignore me; who've ditched me at some point of my life; who consider me dead (judging by awkward year-long silences); who've broken their promises of perpetual brotherhood; who've totally forgotten the sweet things we once shared. It makes one wonder whether one has done something wrong; something unnatural. Tell me. Have I changed for the worse? What ills have I cast, what evils have I spun? I need to know and I want to. So I can atone for them; and better myself.

That said, at least now I know who my true friends are. Those who've been patient with me all this time. The numbers may have been reduced drastically, but the sifting is worth it. Painful, considering how I've always treasured memories, but the Gods are wise and sweet in their cruelty.

I thank you, friend, for staying with me. I thank you for your sincerity and loyalty. I promise to stay with you as long as you want me to.

To those who've "gone", I still consider my part of our friendship valid. You are still very welcome to reclaim your end, if you wish. If you wish.

Sincerely, this week's drama.

...
AND just when I was about to fade back in time and regress again, a friend replied:

“It's gonna go away. Savor the pain because in the long run, when you are old and weary and you'll look back... you'll realize that they were the best years of your life.

There is always a price for being who you are or what you are becoming. We pay for it on a daily basis... with interest.

And you are right, the Gods are sweet and wise in their cruelty. And we can only hope that there is a purpose for all this.”

Very wise....and sweet (the whole message). I will remember his words forever. May it also send you comfort in dim times. Safest winds...