That Meralco ad

That Christmas advertisement from Meralco has got me and the not-so-bitter-half into some kind of an argument. I never really gave a serious thought to that advertisement which looked simple enough. The scenario: two neighbors, one neighbor lighting up his Christmas lights in tiem for the Holiday Season to the chagrin of his neighbor who, it appeared, was already prepared to give his neighbor a run for his money---errr---Christmas lights! Neighbor No. 1 looked pitiful when his minimal lights were dwarfed by his neighbor's lights which almost engulfed the whole house! Talk about lighting extragavance!

So what's the point here?

The not-so-bitter-half said it is a bad ad because it shows the Pinoys' crab mentality. Well, yes I said it indeed reflected a bad attitude among Pinoys. Despite our lovable characteristics, we Pinoys are faulted for pulling down our neighbors whenever we see their success overshadowing our own success. I said me because I believe that no one is exempted from this fault!

But come to think of it, I told him. It is easy to say it's a bad ad because it does portray a bad side of the Filipinos. But what if we take it positively and say that it is really good to be jealous of the success of our neighbors--sometimes. Especially if this jealousy pushes us to do more and to achieve more to be at par with the neighbor. Of course, uncontrolled yearning for material things without the cpaability of earning more can be disastrous because it can only lead one to DEBTS!!! But what if you use all your talent to find more work to earn more and to make life better for the family?

Some people become so content and complacent with what they have that they remain poor forever. Is it bad to yearn for things that can make your life better?

Well, that Meralco ad is not so bad after all.