The Filipino Individual

Are Filipinos so blind to individuals?
...do they have a sense of individuality?
...do they have strong individual role models?

Standout individuals that come to mind are very few:
...Manny Villar (you don't really hear anyone saying 'The Villars...')
...Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (you don't really hear anyone saying 'The Arroyos...')
...Ferdinand Marcos (pre People Power)

You can also say they were corrupt, but that's beside the point
...the point is that these individuals reached the heights of power, and thus money

Other notable Filipino individuals are:
...Manny Pacquiao
...Charice Pempengco
...Cristeta Pacia-Comerford
...no offense if I missed any other ones you know of

You can't really say these individuals reached the 'heights of power'
...but they have reached the heights of individual personal achievement 
...they weren't part of a group or team
...but they are part of a strategic pairing

You could say
...Manny Pacquiao-Roach
...Charice Pempenco-Winfrey
...Cristeta Pacia-Comerford

There is an American behind those successful Filipinos
...and notice that those Americans have gladly taken backseats
...so the Filipino can get all the glory and success
...because Americans are secure
...they don't feel the need to be noticed for their contributions


Filipinos need to focus more on individuality
...and in doing so, they can then form an identity
...because the description of Filipinos right now is not looking so good


Description of Filipinos (please note the 's' at the end)

...insecure
......hyper-emotional
......never admit mistakes

...conservative (closet-liberal)
...full of excuses
...always late
...loves talking about problems
...loves to gossip
...never give direct answers
...never say 'no'


Filipinos hate being described like that
...and they should try to develop their individual identities that are separate from the group description
...don't represent your 'people'
...don't represent your 'country'
...represent yourself

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Maybe DEVELOPING INDIVIDUALITY should be added to school curricula
...as a core subject
...or at the very least, an elective

High school is when kids are supposed to develop their individuality
...but they wind up developing group-think instead

One reason for this is the school uniform
...take into account the definition of 'uniform'
...it suggests 'same-ness'

American High Schools and Colleges encourage individuality by allowing students to dress in civilian clothing
...with certain 'guidelines for decency' of course
...students are free to express themselves through clothing
...students are free to develop themselves without the need for 'books' or 'teaching'

Of course, the people who sell the uniforms will oppose this.

Another reason is because the 'classes' they have stay together for the entire school-day
...they wind up forming groups amongst themselves
...with no individuals in sight

In America, students usually stay together in one classroom for only 1 period
...around 1 hour long
...for their next subject, they all disperse and go to different classrooms
...and stay with different students
...this prevents them from forming groups inside the classroom
...they develop individuality instead

Whatever groups they involve themselves in get formed outside the classroom
...but inside the classroom, they are all individuals


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