Monday, November 26, 2012

Likeability is Overrated

Facebook, and our eventual dependence on that platform for our communication, has introduced the concept of "LIKE" as a form of feedback, a reply, a reaction, and I think it's not for the best. People nowadays are so concerned with their "likeability" more than ever.

Likeability is overrated. Twilight is likeable. Kimpoy is likeable. Vanilla ice cream is likeable.

Likeable things aren't interesting. There's nothing to love or hate about them. Nothing in them that stirs others into great throes of passion. If you're going to present something to the world and ask others to bother themselves with it, it should either incite in them either a paralyzing sense of disgust or a stupefying sense of the sublime. Greatness isn't likeable.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

It would be nice

If you have nothing to do all day but go to the gym and work on your physique. Like, if that's all you ever think about. And you can focus on making yourself look good. And you tire yourself out by lifting weights. It would be really nice.

Friday, November 16, 2012

GREGORY LLAMOSO - Amawhat Now?

What does it say about GREGORY LLAMOSO that when he witnessed an altercation between two women his first instinct is to SHOOT A VIDEO OF IT AND UPLOAD IT ON YOUTUBE?

A couple of months ago, I was in a movie house with my friend Don. The movie was horrible, and it starred John Cusack--those two facts may not be causally related. After the movie, two patrons started screaming at each other. A middle-aged guy called a girl "a bitch" for a.) her phone ringing loudly in the middle of the movie, and b.) for answering the call loudly in the middle of the movie. The girl's date, a young, virile man (the virile part is creative liberty on my part) waited until the movie was over (how considerate, thank you) to confront the middle-aged guy.

When I saw them going for each other, my first instinct is to get myself in between them and stop them from doing anything stupid. I left my friend in his seat, I went between two strangers, AND TRIED TO PACIFY THEM. They still went on having a row, but I know I was able to manage two egos.

What was in it for me? What had I to gain?

One time, I was riding a taxi, and a bus rudely cut ahead of us. The taxi driver blared his horn, the bus driver hit the brakes. The bus driver came out of his bus wielding a wheel wrench. I told the taxi driver to stay put, and don't provoke the other driver further. The bus driver started to hit the taxi's hood with the wrench. That's when I came out of the taxi and talked to the bus driver. I told him to stand back, calm down, and go back to his bus.

Now here's the unexpected thing: as soon as I started pacifying the two drivers, STRANGERS STARTED JOINING MY SIDE. Other people started standing by me in pacifying the two. Whereas we see people in movies egging fighters on, the reality is quite touching. In the end, we managed to stop the two drivers from going for each other's throat.

Now, let's take a look at the AMALAYER situation. We have GREGORY LLAMOSO who witnessed Paula Salvosa having a very public meltdown. What was his first instinct? Did he try to pacify her? Did he even try to defend the lady guard who he felt was being abused?

No.

Like the little rat that he is, Gregory Llamoso HID COMFORTABLY behind a pillar, took a video of the scene DISCREETLY, and then uploaded it on Youtube.

How can anyone see that as ethical?

How is that HIS BUSINESS?

HOW IS THAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO?

Here is the right thing to do: When you are in the position to STOP TWO PEOPLE FROM GOING FOR EACH OTHER'S THROAT, DO SO.

BE A MAN. That's the right thing to do.

Paula Savosa is not a threat to society. She is not a menace that must be exposed. Paula Savosa is just as feisty as most women in my life, and don't you know it, I love them for being feisty. In fact, Paula Savosa has shown MORE BALLS than anyone I know in that video.

The world is not improved on by RATS ARMED WITH VIDEO CAMERAS who thinks they are amateur journalists beyond ethical reproach. The world is changed by people like Paula Savosa who will fight for herself with a passion, in spite of public scrutiny.

So, people, remember to do the right thing, and we'll all be fine.

Unrequired Reading: Diary + Duma Key

Hello. I'm gonna start posting my recommended readings here in my blog. They're not exactly reviews. The idea is if you want to find your way around the vast landscape of printed literature, then I can be your gofer guy.

For no particular reason, my first recommendations are:


Both novels involve artists haunted by their art. I want to juxtapose these two narratives not as contrasting stories, but as complimenting each other. In Palahniuk's DIARY, we explore the sublime effect of art. In King's Duma Key, we look at art as the reflection of reality (and vice versa, perhaps). Both novels can be classified in the horror genre. Not the Hollywood kind, or the Asian "creepy dead girls haunting living girls" sort. These two go for the kind of horror that haunts inside your head.