5 Problems That Only Filipino Geeks Will Understand

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I noticed that I've been into List-related posts lately. However, this is something that I wanted to share for a very long time. If being an obsessed fan of *insert an incredibly long list of fandoms here* is hard, then being a Filipino fan is harder. Believe it or not, Doctor Who and Star Trek fans are also common around the Philippines. Although I haven't met much "Fandom" (I have an explanation as to why I came up with such a label) fans, the struggles we share are similar and very real. And I can assure you that having the "feels" trip is not the only problem we have.

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1.) The Long-Distance Relationship Problem- I'm sure the Filipino Comic book (particularly Marvel and DC) fans can definitely relate to this post, especially since a great number of us were not able to attend the Comic Con at San Diego this year. To us, attending a Comic Con, witnessing a Q&A Panel, getting an autograph from an awesome author or graphic artist.... that's a dream for us. If not a dream, it is a rare opportunity. Most of the fandoms we love are admittedly from other countries and traveling is a luxury for most of us. I'm sure Filipinos who love One Direction or any band or singer can feel this too. But hey, at least concert tours never forget to pass my country. Yes, we do have conventions, but according to my friend a few months back, the experience is not the same. And its understandable if this is the best we can get since the Philippines is really far from most countries, particularly the countries that have the Harry Potter Universal Studios, the cast of Game of Thrones, J.K. Rowling, and DC/Marvel Stars in them.

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2.) The Accessibility Problem- This is somehow similar to the first problem, but this time I want to talk about the merchandise. Have you ever had this desire to buy something that is related to your fandoms? Like, you wanted your very own Lootcrate or your very own wand (and I am not just talking about any wand, I am talking about a Harry Potter wand)? I don't know how many times I have encountered this feeling and in spite of my parents' advice of being less materialistic, you can't easily shake the feeling of wanting even some Batman Merchandise. I got the same feeling when I realized that Zoella's book might not be sold here in the Philippines (which I would like to read, thank you very much). People buy these stuff to express how much support and love they give to their fandoms. As long as you have the money then you have the right to buy whatever you want. However, getting the right geek stuff is not that easy for us. Based on my experience of buying fandom merch, there are three ways. The first option is for Anime fans. You can buy your cosplay or Anime stuff in Comic Alley, which is a store mainly for Anime or the "kawaii" Stuff. Another way is to go to the conventions where they sell a whole lot of stuff that you can't easily find in stores. The final alternative is to search every inch of every mall in the metropolitan area.  But chances of getting something very authentic is--and I quote Tony Stark on this one-- twelve percent. That's kind of reasonable, simply because Geek things are not that popular in the Filipino Market. And even if they were, they won't come in cheap. Believe me, there are not much nearby Geek stores within my vicinity. The place where they sell actual comic books are miles and miles away from my place and you have to be a dedicated fan with a lot of cash to be able to get through such obstacles. Trust me, I got my Camp Half-Blood Shirt (which is something related to the Percy Jackson fandom) from someplace very far and I was extremely lucky to get my hands on it. 

3.) The Colonial Mentality Problem- I think this is a deep and touchy problem. We Filipinos are highly encouraged to be nationalistic, at least that's one of the many important lessons I had to learn during my elementary days. In other words, having the "Pinoy Pride" is a big deal for us. There are many abstract reasons why and I am sure that this is also the same case for other countries. We always had this issue that if you like something that is not of Filipino origin, then you are officially westernized. The Philippines is doomed in a sense that there are people who do not even notice what our country has to offer because we are so focused on many foreign things, tangible or intangible. As a Filipino, I actually feel bad that I am more knowledgeable about The Mortal Instruments series than Noli Me Tangere (don't get me wrong, though. I actually enjoyed reading the novels of Jose Rizal). And I am sure that I am not the only one who is feeling this way. Although the idea of Colonial Mentality sounds embarrassing and depressing, loving something foreign does not automatically mean that I love my country less. When I read Harry Potter, it does not mean that I abhor anything that is local. When I fangirl about the cast of Arrow, it does not mean that I completely forgot about where I come from. I love the Philippines very much and that is that. I admit, our country has gotten a truckload of foreign influences, but it's not entirely a bad thing. 

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4.) The Anti-"Masa" Problem- Growing up, I encountered two kinds of people in my nation; the first group would be the geeks and fandom peeps that I grew up with, and the second group are people who are not so familiar with the geek interests and are more into the local pop culture, or commonly known as, "pang-masa". In the Philippines, the most common terms for these two respective groups are "Conyo" and "Jologs", however I honestly think these words are sort of vague for me, since I do not really consider myself as a Conyo. Back in high school, my circle of friends and I are not that familiar with the pang-masa culture. We were very content with our interests. Now that I am in college, I slowly became exposed to it, and my friends are very alienated by my interests. My high school friends, on the other hand, find anything in Filipino mass media extremely odd. I know some people who do not really want to dwell in that void because it is filled with romance, Wattpad love stories, and movies of infidelity that are sometimes sickening and honestly overrated. A close friend of mine claimed that she didn't really trust Filipino Media as much, simply because it's cheesy and not so interesting to her. Perhaps this is the reason why I am not so open to our pop culture. I am not really into the whole, "kilig" factor, dramas, and young love teams that they always come up with. Chemical Zeon, a very dear friend of mine and an all-around Geek blogger, shares his testimony about this matter:

"Whenever you talk to your friends, there is nothing you can hear other than the sound of sweet romantic coupley cutesy stuff that just makes you want to barf. Seriously, in all of my years as a student, nothing is more infuriating than having a poster outside a theater relate to you more than your friends ever could. It’s hard to live a geek’s life here in the Philippine’s when the only Batman these people know is Daniel Padilla, that DJ who everyone seems to like because of aesthetic. You can argue that Batman is a universally well known character, and I can argue that the only thing people know about him is he talks like he swallowed a 7-inch vibrator."

You can say that there is slight discrimination between the people who are into and not into the local pop culture. I have a friend who thought that Tumblr was a site for only rich and luxurious lot. Yes, I am serious. The Filipino Geeks are usually perceived as "intellectual aliens" who refuse to open up to something that is of the masses. While these so-called intellectual aliens would sometimes see the people who are into Anne Curtis or Kris Aquino as Jejemons (you may google the terms, if you are not familiar) with lowly tastes. Although it is not a major problem, the blurred lines are still there. 

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5.) The Isolated Geek Problem- Again, this is somehow related to the previous problems mentioned. Geeks are also considered freaks or weirdos. Yes, such a problem is quite evident in the Philippines. Aside from appearing ignorant to mass media, Chemical Zeon once again shares:

"You tell your friends you’re a geek. You talk about the things you like. They try to change who you are, because the things you like aren’t normal. I don’t know if I’m the only one who experiences it, but I’ve been panned in-school a lot for opening books and reading them for fun. This is the Filipino Attitude that I would never understand, it’s as if social climbing is ingrained in our social system, that if we don’t climb it their way then we’re losers. What happened to liking something because you find it beautiful? Whatever happened to wearing something comfortable like my Superman Tee or Iron Man Backpack as opposed to wearing stuff that makes you look good according to the people around you?"

I am not so sure a majority of Filipino geeks are experiencing the same issue, but in high school, good friends of mine were bullied for just liking anime. Apparently in our little community, Anime was deemed as something weird (which is true, but who cares right?). But yes, it happens and I am sure anyone can relate to this.

And those are the five struggles we Pinoy Geeks have to face. Just so you know, these struggles are based on my experiences and observations. So I understand if you did not fully agree on this post. I would like to thank Chemical Zeon for sharing his thoughts. You may pay a visit to his website, where he talks about his fandoms and writes reviews for very interesting films. Hopefully this is enlightening and see you till the next post!