filipino culture – TYPiNG ouT oF THe BLue

In the United States, there is an unofficial occasion called Festivus. It became known through the TV show Seinfeld, but the idea behind it exists beyond television comedy.

Festivus is observed on December 23. There are no gifts, no decorations, and no pressure to be cheerful. Instead, it centers on something unusual called the Airing of Grievances, where people openly say how others disappointed them during the year.

For Filipinos trying to visualize it, Festivus is often compared to an open forum—but the comparison only works on the surface.

In the Philippines, open forums usually have moderators and clear boundaries. You cannot openly humiliate someone. The goal is dialogue, not exposure. These forums are common in schools or youth groups, and they happen when needed, not as an annual tradition.

Festivus removes all of that structure. There is no moderator, no requirement to be constructive, and no expectation of resolution. People speak in front of everyone, the awkwardness is intentional, and the gathering simply moves on.

That difference alone explains why Festivus does not translate well to the Philippines.

Filipino culture places strong value on hiya, pakikisama, and protecting dignity. Public correction, especially without boundaries, is easily experienced as shaming. Instead of reflection, it triggers defensiveness or silence that lasts longer than the conversation itself.

What Festivus treats as satire, Filipino culture experiences as social risk.

In theory, Festivus promotes honesty. In practice, done locally, it would likely result in offended egos, no one admitting fault, and relationships quietly weakening.

This is not because Filipinos cannot handle truth. It is because truth is expected to be delivered with care.

In the Philippines, correction works best when done privately. One-on-one conversations preserve respect. Being right matters less than how and where something is said.

Some traditions are interesting to observe from a distance. Not all of them are meant to travel.

⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ

Digital Albums by Darem Placer on Bandcamp — Listen. Buy. Download.

Some crowd reactions online don’t come from facts—they come from old habits. Generations of social conditioning shaped the way Filipinos choose who to believe, who to defend, and who to ignore. Hindi ito about logic. Hindi rin ito about truth. It’s about culture—deep, old, and automatic.

1. Colonial mentality — “Kung sino maganda, mayaman, sikat… sila ang tama.”

For centuries, Filipinos lived under strict hierarchy:

• Spanish ruling class
• American superiority mindset
• Local elites

Kaya nakatanim sa generations na ang may power, pangalan, at mukha—sila ang credible. Ang ordinary citizen? Hindi agad pinapakinggan. At hanggang ngayon, nakakabit pa rin yan sa mindset ng marami.

2. Showbiz culture domination

For decades, artista ang idol, authority, at “standard of truth.”

TV conditioned people to think:

• kung sikat ka, mabait ka
• kung sikat ka, victim ka
• kung sikat ka, hindi ka gagawa ng mali

Kahit may scandal or abuse, the crowd still protects the celebrity. At ngayon, vloggers and influencers ang modern artistas—same worship pattern, same reflex.

3. Crab mentality turned upside-down

Pinoys tear down people on the same level pero worship those above them. The reflex becomes:

“Equal tayo? Babanatan kita.”
“Sikat ka? Ikaw ang bida.”

It’s insecurity flipped into hero worship.

4. Poverty psychology — people cling to “winners”

Sa bansang maraming naghihirap, success becomes escape. Seeing someone famous gives people:

• hope
• escapism
• pride-by-proxy
• the feeling of joining something “better”

Kaya automatic ang pattern:

Support the famous para maramdaman na part ka ng panalo.

Attack the ordinary para ma-distance ang sarili sa own struggles.

5. Herd mentality amplified by Facebook

Pinoys love Facebook more than any other country. Doon nabuo ang toxic version ng bayanihan:

• what the majority says feels right
• what goes viral feels true
• who has more followers becomes the “voice”

Facts are optional. Views become truth. Followers become morality.

6. Fear of going against the crowd

Maraming Pinoy avoid conflict.
Kaya kung sino ang mas sikat at mas maingay, doon sila sumasabay.

Mas safe. Mas simple. Mas tahimik ang buhay.

At bihira ang taong lalaban sa millions of supporters.

7. Historical distrust of ordinary voices

For generations, systems taught people:
“The elites know better.”
“The masses don’t.”

Kaya pag ordinary person nagsalita, madali siyang tawaging:

• papansin
• naghuhuthot
• bitter
• sinungaling

Even when valid ang point.

The system was built to protect the famous and silence the powerless. Matagal nang ganito—hindi bago. Ang nagbago lang, social media made everything faster, louder, and harsher.

In this culture, the fight is never equal. And the ordinary voice has to push twice as hard just to be heard.

⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ