Crab Mentality - Ang Kabalbalan ng mga Pinoy
Mako, I laud you for being so fortright in your thoughts and for being so candid and straightforward in your observations about us pinoys. Having been married to a Filipina has definitely made you learn more about our culture.
While I agree that this type of mentality is quite prevalent in our society, I must say also that this behavior is also common everywhere else, and therefore is not unique only in Philippine culture. Filipinos do not deride each other more than other nationalities do.
Anywhere you look, I am sure you will find this kind of behavior - the crab attitude - in any social classes and culture. However, it is perhaps due to the Filipinos penchant for gossips and rumours and tabloid talk that makes this so-called "talangka/crab" mentality seem like an inherent quality among pinoys.
In fairness, though, most of us pinoys somehow are able to transform this negative social concept into something positive. The common observation is that if one crab tries to climb out of a hole, the others follow suit and start pulling the one on top to get ahead of the rest. But if you observe closely enough, and quite amazingly, all of them eventually manage to get out. Now this where the other good traits of pinoys get into the picture. Filipinos are also known for being helpful and compassionate to others. We also have in our culture the so-called "bayanihan" attitude meaning cooperation and helping others. It is very typical in our culture that when a family member becomes successful, he or she feels somehow obligated to help the less fortunate members of the family (and Mako, since you are married to a Filipina, I am sure you are aware of this). And since the analogy is made between us and crabs, we only have to think that the one who managed to get on top should pull the others at the bottom and not vice versa.
This is also true among pinoy expat pilots, well...except for a few I would say. When somebody becomes successful, he helps the others to get to where he is by pulling them. I know that in PAL or Cebu Pac, kahit na sabihin nyo na may mga asshole tayong kababayan, meron din namang tumutulong.
So yes, I agree. Crab mentality, though to my opinion is not too politically correct, is one of those undesirable traits that pinoys have. But we must also bear in mind that crabs, quite instinctively, only fight for good reasons, which is survival.
It is therefore up to us to rise above the challenge. Isipin nyo na lang na kung yung mga talangka kaya nilang makaahon at makalabas sa butas, tayo pa kaya?
PINOY, BUMANGON KA! 
Last edited by expatula; 13th Feb 2007 at 10:40.