The greatest fear

A Mexican basketball varsity in Coach Carter, a film starring Samuel Jackson realized that the greatest fear in life is not darkness but lightness. Brilliant men and women have consciously dimmed their brilliance to please superiors and prevent them from feeling inferior. Similar idea is gleaned in the 48 Rules of Power: “Never outshine your master.”

“Respect” for superiors is one reason behind dimming of brilliance. In a highly politicized corporate world, it is inappropriate and untimely to show your knowledge and skills because these can threaten the boss. It can boomerang to you because the boss has the bargaining chips to promote you or to give you elusive favors. Hence, despite the shortcomings of some superiors one pretends to be a Yes Man to secure a better future.

The brilliance of others is not a problem if the leader is sure of him/her self. Great leaders surround themselves with great men and they keep on empowering others to have a support system for increasing tasks. But for the insecure, offense is the best defense. They nip in the bud anybody who has the potential to grow especially when his or her growth can jeopardize the boss’ bread and butter. Even a constructive criticism is construed as an assault to authority.

I am saddened by corporate struggles. There are ass-lickers, fence-sitters, and the repressed. Lack of expression is regarded as decency. Camaraderie is faked for the sake of personal interests. Several ignore the value of truth in the name of self-preservation. They say truth is a point of view.

Yes, truth can be a matter of perspective. But there are certain realities that can’t be faked. There are certain realities with only one interpretation. At one point, some leaders must accept that they have committed mistakes and they need others to reach the apex of any corporate success. When success is defined based on how it benefits personal interests, the success is ephemeral.

Success also involves the empowerment of many so that when succession of power comes, the empowered members will continue the legacy of the great leaders.

What a life! What a pretentious world! I hope meritocracy becomes a practice otherwise the best minds will leave to find a more meritorious working environment.

Sundry matters

I want to design my own blog. The available templates are already appealing but I want it my way, not just a rearrangement of the elements. Any help is welcome. Thanks in advance for your emails.

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I am recently doing a freelance stint as writer of a business-fashion magazine. I have contributed three articles and I hope all will get published. The pay per article is minimal but I grabbed the opportunity to improve my networking. I am excited to see its copy due for release on the second week of June.

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I am very happy for Karen Remo’s growth as a professional. She works as editor of energy magazines in Dubai and she has been to different countries as her paper’s official representative. I asked her to edit one of my works and I learned a lot from her. Her writing style has tremendously improved. She is brevity and substance personified.

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I watched X-men last Saturday with Brian and Rose Lyn at Gateway. I am not so happy about the story because I expected a purist film version of the comic book series. Inability to control Jean Grey is too early. Death of Prof. X is too early. Continuity of the story can be a problem for future sequels. I hope there will be more planning or vision like the Harry Potter series or Star Wars so that X-men producers can maximize the twists and turns of the original story.

Next target: Superman!

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I highly recommend that you try Mr. Bellini’s, an authentic Italian restaurant in Cubao near the Marikina Shoe Expo or COD area. The ambience does not have the commercial and esthetic touch of other restos but its cuisine is to die for at reasonable prices. The taste from the antipasti, to the pasta, to the desserts, can overwhelm any other Italian resto. Thanks Brian for the treat!

Cultural Enrichment at AUDC 2006

I am very happy and honored last week because of the award as Asia’s 8th Best Adjudicator in the 2nd Asian Universities Debate Championship (AUDC) held in Ateneo. It has strengthened my credibility in the debate circle in one way or another. For all the teams I have adjudicated, thank you very much for your evaluation. Well, it pays to be fair and attentive!

It is my challenge to translate the award as an inspiration for FEU debaters. With more dedication, passion, and hard work, they can surely reach their goals.

The tournament was enjoyable because I had a cultural enrichment after a short encounter with the foreign delegates. A Buddhist debater from Mahidol University, Thailand particularly amazed me. He speaks clear and good English. I learned that he only eats from dawn to noon. I wonder how he felt when he attended the championship dinner with sumptuous food and sinful chocolate fondue around him. All throughout the tourney he was wearing an orange blanket-like cloth. I wonder whether he brought many pieces of it because the very hot temperature surely made everyone sweat. I also learned that girls couldn’t touch his outfit because he would have to fast for 3 days if touched.

The Japanese debaters are cool and friendly. I love their elegance and confidence. They are so sure of themselves even if debate is not their turf. I learned too that they are more down-to-earth than the Koreans.

I had a picture taken with a Korean wearing hanbok. My fascination with Jang Geum has forced me to introduce myself for a photo shoot.

I was shocked by sight of an “intimate” Malaysian couple. Equally shocked was a Bedan who also saw it. When I was in Singapore I had observed that the most that Muslim Malaysian lovers could do in public was to talk while seated beside each other with approximately 12-inch distance. This “code” was broken at the door’s corner of Ateneo’s Escaler Hall. I have seen the guy kissing the girl’s neck as if he was trying hard to mark a hicky. Perhaps, Malaysia’s conservative environment was so repressive that they have found liberty to express themselves in the Philippines where PDA is tolerated.

Filipinos are the best in debate. No wonder that the final round had two competing Ateneo teams. It was tightly contested with a 5-4 decision.

I hope that the intellectual and analytical prowess of the Filipinos can be translated to action. As always, we have think tanks but not actors. I hope that the next best leaders of the country will come from this group.

The Filipino hospitality is very conspicuous among the organizers. They tried their best to make the event as memorable as possible. Each school got a souvenir of a wooden carabao with a blue ribbon. Each delegate got a shell key chain etched with the word "Philippines".

Next year, if God and budget permit, I shall visit Bandung, Indonesia for the 3rd AUDC!