crab mentality

"crab mentality"

Para kanaku there is no such thing. Crab Mentality is a communal effort to get out of a hole, to outsiders. Wa, tutu ya ing nung lalawen mula balamu ing mipanabit la para miluwal ya ing metung. Pero dinan yung ditak a panahon ing pamglawe yu karela, you will notice the hole is empty...now makananu yang milwal itang metung? Ating sinaup kaya inabit ne or sinabit ya ketang mumuna kaya. Oita ing gagawan da reng talangka, ema, alimasag(w/c by they way they are all Family of Crab). Inabit de itang tauling dili. Gagawa lang dalan para milako la ketang karelang kulungan bisa lang mag survive bisa la dugung mie. Being a Filipino, is a part of sacrifice for the family, meko tamu keng bansa tamu para mika bie tamung masalese kaibat abitan tala deng kapatad tamu para mi-hangu la keng kasakitan. Lalu na detang maka pag residente kareng aliwang bansa.

So, comparison of human beings and animals will never tell the whole truth. But well, crabs cling to each other, and this way one pulls the other one out of the hole. Dapat akit taya ing "crab mentality" is something positive, the result of the strong family ties that Filipinos use to have. But I think that (different than crabs) Filipinos do not just cling to each other but help each other in an active, intentional way. There is a Tagalog word for this "Bayanihan", since this active effort to help a neighbor is not a common occurence nowadays, people forget. I try to find the reasons for what people say, sometimes it does not make sense. The Filipino attitude in helping each other do happen.

At deta namang mipanyira keng obra, eke talagang akakit ita karetang talangka, ema or alimasag ing ugaling Filipino. Palage ku ela mikasundo detang adwang areta. So, nung tutu ya man itang Crab mentality keng Obra, bawat Filipinong magobra king Pilipinas antita? Bawat metung antita sasabyan? mmmm Curious ku mu... Keng working environment, agiang nokarin ka munta ating eh mikakasundo pero eh bawat tau antita. At nung ing pipagobran, "elbow to elbow", malapit ing pate. Elbow to Elbow meaning mostly ken yang Factory ini halos siping-siping la at halos pare pareho la gagawan kening antining environment, maligwa ing eh mikakasundo. Lalu na nung pareho ko gagawan kaibat mapali ka buntok itang aldong ita at ikit me ing abe mu pa simpli simpli yamu aysus asahan mu atin mukal a daya. At nung ing obra mu naman kanya kanya malagad kang manakit ating mipapate kanita because you have your own responsibilities.

Keng namang negosyo, mas masanting ing dakal a competition, at deng makinabang deng consumer kalupa tamu. Nung alang competition, "monopoly" ing malyari. Example, If we go back 9years, deng computer ela affordable kanita, and now akakit tamu na mura nala uli na ning competition pababaan presyu. Oita ing buri tamung consumer diba? Oh mas masanting ing alang competition at matas ing presyu? Meragul ku king palengke Floridablanca, obat ala kung dindam mipanyira keng negosyo karin.... magkamali ku mu siguro at nung atin man, pilan? I am sure ating sumabing atin nang insidenteng antita. Ing kutang Pilan la? At nung atin man, do we have to make conclusion na deng anggang magnegosyo king Floridablanca antita la ngan? hmmm hmmm, As I always saying, don't make any conclusion base on your small sample. I am sure most of us knows that...

My understanding of the phrase "crab mentality" is that it is used in a derogatory context to describe a mindset or attitude that is against the concept of other members getting ahead (or away). The behavior that follows involves pulling others *down* to remain with the rest. I think the concept was common knowledge. This phenomenon never discussed in social science/culture courses at Philippine universities it was just common knowledge, and not something you learn from school or i should say "crab mentality" is a common mindset in the Philippines.

I think the phenomena is very interesting from a sociological standpoint.