mGa KuRo-KuRo Ni Ka UrO

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Crab Mentality??

Isa sa parating dinadahilan kung bakit backward pa rin ang Pilipinas ay ang tinatawag na “crab mentality”. I used to think of this social concept negatively until someone from one of my Yahoo groups came out with a rather opposite interpretation of it. I was quite impressed it convinced me to look at “crab mentality” in a different light. And here is what he said summarized in my own words.

“Crab mentality” is used to describe our apparent cutthroat behavior of pulling others down in our quest for success. It likens this behavior with how the talangka in their desire to climb out of a hole try to pull those on top in order to get ahead of the rest.

Yan nga naman ang usual na observation natin sa mga talangka. But once you take a few more minutes to observe these amazing crustaceans you’ll notice that eventually almost all of them are able to climb out of the hole. Isn’t that amazing? Lahat sila nakaahon! Since the analogy is between us and the talangka, therefore it follows, may pag-asa pala na tayong lahat ay makakaahon din sa butas ng kahirapan.

Isipin natin papaano ba nakaahon ang mga talangka? Simple lang, nagtulungan sila. At first ang akala natin yung nasa ibaba hinihila nila yung nasa itaas pababa. Actually baligtad pala dahil yung nasa itaas ang siyang humihila doon sa mga nasa baba para silang lahat ay makaakyat. Teamwork at mutual support ang ginamit nila.

This same behavior, we observe among our kababayans everyday. Tutulungan ng magulang at ng mga kapatid ang isang kapatid para makapag-abroad. Once settled na ang kapatid kukunin naman nito ang mga magulang at ang ibang kapatid at kamag-anakan. Very typical hindi po ba?

The challenge for us now is to go beyond our immediate families in helping others. Magtulungan at magbayanihan para sa ating bayan. One of the organizations that have been meeting this challenge is Pinoyz2NZ. This is a group of Pinoys wishing to migrate to NZ. Some of them have just started applying for residency, some waiting for the results of their applications, some have already been granted visas, while some may already be living in NZ. I was very impressed with this group because of the unselfishness of its members in sharing their experiences, knowledge and tips about the application process to other members. By acting collectively, they provide moral support and encouragement to others. By sharing information they help newcomers avoid common mistakes and thus increase their chances of success in their applications. Unaware of it, each of them is behaving like crabs but in a positive way.

I’m proud to be associated with this group. To the members of Pinoyz2NZ, I’m looking forward to seeing you all in your 8th Philippine Meet on the 24th of September at Megamall. Mag-iispits pa nga raw ako. Ano naman kaya ang ikukwento ko? Mga kabalbalan namin ni Don Atoy? Bahala na basta huwag niyo akong pag-barongin or americana. Di bagay sa akin.


Pinoyz2NZ: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pinoyz2nz/


Pinoyz2NZ 8th Phil Meet - 24 Sept 2005 (Saturday) 10am to 3pm
Mega Trade Hall Function Room (beside Wedding Library)
5th Floor SM Megamall - Mega B Building

For entrance fee and further details, please email pinoyz2nz@yahoogroups.com

25 Comments:

  • Looking forward to meet you, ka uro.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:50 PM, September 14, 2005  

  • abangan ko yan... papaautograph ako sayo! =)

    By Blogger kukote, at 11:39 PM, September 14, 2005  

  • Mabuhay si Pareng Uro! KU for Mayor of Auckland. Pag nakapagmigrate na yon mga nabalak dito mararami na rin tayong botante lilipat na rin ako sa Auckland basta promise mo fafa ako ang gagawin mong City Administrator at si Pareng KaDyo ang ating City Treasurer.
    Magandang halimbawa yang mga ginagawa ng mga Pinoy na nagbabalak magmigrate dito. Sana ipagpatuloy nila ang kanilang tulungan sapagkat sa ganyang paraan lang tayo makakasulong sa halip na hilahin natin pababa itulak natin pataas ang ating kapwa at nang hilahin naman nila tayo sa itaas pag sila ay nandoon na upang makaalis tayo sa hukay na ating kinalalagyan. Sa ganyang paraan lamang tayo makakaahon. Mabuhay ang bayanihan spirit. Ako man pareng KU ay magpapapirma sa yo ........ng blank check!

    By Blogger RAY, at 11:53 PM, September 14, 2005  

  • banjan,
    me too.

    marhgil,
    ako ang dapat magpa-autograph.

    atoy,
    kahit pirmahan ko yung blank check, wala naman pondo. nyahahah!

    By Blogger Ka Uro, at 8:40 AM, September 15, 2005  

  • Good morning po Ka Uro....cant wait to see you in Manila on the 24th Sept. Ingat po lagi and God Bless your family always

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:50 AM, September 15, 2005  

  • Ka Uro,
    Alam kong dyan sa Auckland eh di ka masyadong sumasama sa mga pinoy groups kaya maraming salamat sa pagpapaunlak mo sa amin.

    I'm really glad to be part of Pinoyz2NZ. Tama ka, tulungan ang essence ng group. Example yung 2 members na paalis na soon. Yung members na nauna nang nakalipad ang nag-arrange ng pick-up nila from airport at accommodation nila. O di ba, di na mahihirapan yung mga newbies.

    By Blogger jinkee, at 12:52 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • Ka Uro, dadaan ba kayo ng Sg? mura lang yata ticket :)
    Pwede ba kong sumali dyan sa Yahoo Groups na yan?

    By Blogger Tanggero, at 2:10 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • Naku! Matagal ko na ngang iniiwasan yang mga may CRAB MENTALITY na yan, di ko alam kung bakit ako pa rin nang ako ang binibiktima, HAY! Buti nandyan si ka Uro para magbigay ng saklolo...salamat *wink* alam mo na yun!

    By Blogger Teacher Sol, at 3:07 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • Pwede po ba pumunta ron sa 8th Phil Meet ng Pinoys2NZ if ever? Welcome po ba kahit di pa official members?

    By Blogger Bluegreen, at 3:44 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • "This same behavior, we observe among our kababayans everyday. Tutulungan ng magulang at ng mga kapatid ang isang kapatid para makapag-abroad. Once settled na ang kapatid kukunin naman nito ang mga magulang at ang ibang kapatid at kamag-anakan. Very typical hindi po ba?"

    Yun ang nakakapagtaka, ano ang mali sa current government natin na kung saan ang nangyayari, para makaahon sa kahirapan, kailangan pang lumabas ng bansa?

    I am not condemning the ones na nag-abroad. Hindi ako nagpapakamakabayan. Hey, I myself is here overseas. Pero, hindi ba na mas magandang maging resulta ay ang umunlad ang sariling bansa, sa halip na ang mangyari ay ang matira ang mga di-mapalad sa bansa, and rot?

    I have nothing against immigrants. I believe that it is survival, and not patriotism, that matters. If one's survival depends on one's getting out of the country, then so be it.

    Pero napaka-pathetic naman ng bansa kung ganoon ang iniisip ng mga mamamayan nito.

    LIW

    By Blogger Jeruen, at 3:51 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • lyn,
    me too, excited na rin. eto pinapraktis ko ang ispits ko. parang ispits ng kandidato sa baranggay captain. =)

    jinkee,
    maganda nga ang mga ganyang samahan para sana pagdating dito maging close lahat ng pinoy at hindi nag-iisnaban.

    tanggerz,
    hindi kami dadaan ng sg. next time sg airlines sakyan ko para makadaan diyan. pwedeng sumali kahit sino sa pinoyz2nz.

    teachersol,
    huwag natin iwasan. instead na hilain tayo pababa, hilain natin sila paakyat.

    bluegreen,
    hindi ko sure kung pwede pumasok dun sa venue kung hindi member. masikip yata kasi yung hall. anyway madali naman mag-member may "join group" button dun sa website.

    By Blogger Ka Uro, at 3:56 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • LIW,
    appreciate your candidness. something has to be done by people running our country para di na kailangan pang mangibang bansa ang mga mamamayan. but with the way things are going from bad to worse, the ordinary pinoy is losing options back home. most can only look outside the country for jobs. i honestly wish more and more people are like you who although are out of the country still feel patriotic for their country. perhaps pinoys all over the world are only waiting for things to be improve at home, then they'll come back.

    By Blogger Ka Uro, at 4:18 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • KU,
    Thanks sa another revelation about crab mentality....it does ignites hope!!!

    By Blogger Flex J!, at 5:04 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • hi ka uro,

    first time ko mag-comment sa blog nyo....though i always visit your site :)

    this is really a nice note :)..marami na talagang natulungan ang pinoy2nzgroup at isa na po ako dun....

    sayang nga po at di ako makakapunta sa 8th meet ..


    God bless....

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:47 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • Naku may event ka pla dito sa pinas ah.. Aabangan ka namen ni Marhgil mga fans mo kami e.. Ganda ng last post mo worth reading talaga, at least may pag-asa pa pinas kung marealize natin ung totoong essence ng "crab mentality" .. BTW nag-member nako dun sa group sana approved.

    -Francis

    By Blogger CoB, at 9:27 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • This sure gives a new meaning to the stereotyped "crab mentality" Nice...seeing the good in what seems to be a negative thing. Sana nga Ka Uro, mag-elevate ang thinking nating mga Pinoys into this new kind of mentality.

    By Blogger Bluegreen, at 9:37 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • magaling..bilib talga ko sau kaUro!
    so tama, tulungan nlng naten un mga kabayn na nten na umalis ng piNas, hayaan naten si gloria at mga ka-alay niya na maiwan don?! heheheheh

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:35 PM, September 15, 2005  

  • This is a very inspiring topic Ka Uro. I think this change in attitude and outlook in life is what the Philippines need to get out of the rut we’re in. The success story described in the link below is a testament that we can be successful if we cooperate and unite.

    http://www.inq7.net/globalnation/sec_phe/2003/may/14-01.htm

    We have always seen this limited application of the new crab mentality in politics where people in power help only their relatives and friends – it’s called cronyism. To your point, extending this new found meaning of ‘crab mentality’ beyond our immediate family and friends (a.k.a. bayanihan) will ‘pull all crabs out of the pail’.

    More power Ka Uro!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:10 AM, September 16, 2005  

  • flex j,
    kung minsan kasi we tend to only look at the negative. meron din palang positive na dapat makita.

    jane,
    thanks for leaving a comment. sayang naman wala ka pala sa meet.

    cob (francis),
    barkada mo pala si marhgil. sigurado kalog ka rin tulad niya. hope to see you at the meet.

    blueegreen,
    oo kaya ng pinoy ito. it takes time but it will happen.

    pobs,
    ano kaya ang mangyayari kung sila na nga lang ang natira don ano? baka naman mag-member na rin sila ng pinoyz2nz? hahahah

    huwan,
    galing nung link na binigay mo. siyang-siya ng sinabi ko dito. sana nga matuto tayo sa mga ganong examples ng bayanihan.

    By Blogger Ka Uro, at 9:12 AM, September 16, 2005  

  • Igata na nga natin yang mga lintek na alimangong yan para maubos na nang sa ganoon tayo ay umusod ng pa abante imbes na paatras.
    KU, tip sa iyong "spits" dala kang kodigo tapos parang first time naka receive ng Oscar ang reaction pag hawak ng mic - nyehehe...

    By Blogger Huseng Busabos, at 9:15 AM, September 16, 2005  

  • dalawang tulog na lang makakatikim na ako ulit ng alimango. yheey! ok yung tip mo. style oscars. "i'ld like to thanks my father, my mother, my lola..." hahahah

    By Blogger Ka Uro, at 9:27 AM, September 16, 2005  

  • more power to your group, KU! and totoo, 'circle' (tulungan w/in the family) ang buhay nating pinoy..pero proud ako sa atin kahit na hindi maintindihan ng ibang pinoy ang sistema natin na yan, na hindi tayo 'kanya-kanya'.

    wag mo kakalimutan pasalubong ko ha? ^_^

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:51 PM, September 16, 2005  

  • ganito gawin natin.. on first sight of KU.. tumili tayong lahat at magsisisgaw para yung ibang tao magtaka kung sino yun.

    Tapos ikalat natin na si KU yung nawawalang kambal ni aga mulak.

    By Blogger Senorito<- Ako, at 7:18 PM, September 16, 2005  

  • This is one you call seeing the other way. Instead of looking at the glass as half-empty, we say half-full.

    I agree with you that we should also go beyond our limited circle of friends and families (Kamaganak Inc,etc..)instead we unite as one, and help one another to suceed.

    Mabuhay ka.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:16 AM, September 17, 2005  

  • I agree with you... kelangan lahat tayo nagtutulungan... pero the reality is, it does not happen like that. Crab mentality is probably the wrong phrase to describe this pinoy attitude, since crabs do it for a good reason.

    Pero you know what? Crab mentality or whatever you wanna call is not really the reason kung bakit hindi umuunlad ang Pilipinas... you know what the real reason is?

    Kasi, halos lahat ng Pilipino gustong mangibang bansa. Okay lang naman yun, pero ang karamihan at nangingibang bansa at nagpapalipin para lang sa pera.

    Ironic noh?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:44 AM, February 20, 2007  

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