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Crab Mentality

 

             Have you ever observed the behavior of crabs in a pot? There they are, confined in a container desperately trying to elude consumption. All possess the same motives: survival and freedom. Despite this common thread, their struggle to escape is complicated by suppression.That is, just as a crab is about to get out, another one .
             takes its claws and pulls it down. This metaphorically illustrates the prevalent "crab mentality" that exists among many of our people. Such a tendency to pull each other down is deeply ingrained. Apparently, this practice can be traced to colonization. Even before the Spaniards conquered the Philippines, conditions within the country made unity extremely difficult. For one, the mountains and water separated the Filipinos geographically. Language also created barriers as different tribes spoke their own distinct dialect. During Spanish conquest, they took advantage of the existing factors to promote disunity. As a result, Filipinos had no feeling of nationalism before the 19th century.
             Now let us fast forward to the present day. I'm sure many can relate to having experienced the crab mentality in some way or other. It manifests itself in various forms (verbally and nonverbally) and levels (individual and group). Stories have been told about the struggles of individuals and organizations both in the United States and in the Philippines that have fallen victim to the practice. Whether it was an artist trying to establish himself or herself in the industry, a politician hoping to create positive change, or just a person trying to realize their dreams, there was someone to hinder their efforts. The "crabs" do what they can to keep others down: belittle, criticize, manipulate, lie, scorn, etc. In other words, they are not supportive. What happened to the Bayanihan Spirit? You know, the outlook characterized by helping others and a feeling of commitment to the community. It is this unified spirit that FilipinoPeople.


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