Do you know how to use this?

I am supposed to be posting this yesterday but since I got drained of resource credits, I have to wait up a whole day.So, while waiting for my juice to power up, I got to browse the social media and see what my friends there are doing.

One of the things that I always find amusing these days is looking at all the posts of the people in my contact list who lives in urbanized areas - namely the capital of my country, Metro Manila. I find it entertaining that they still posts pictures of them going to the mall and posting trivial things like riding a train as a "novelty act" for us- poor rural relatives and friends to see.

I know, its a weird source of amusement but, growing up in the province- aka barrio (village) aka rural area, there had always this prejudice that we poor folks are ignorant of the whole wide world. I especially observed this whenever my city dwelling relatives would visit us here and, they will always start their conversations with

have you heard of this

do you know how to use this

that on those times, I felt that I am an idiot. The general impression that they would always project then was that, the city is a great place to live in, there are a lot of interesting things to do and, if you live in the city, you are always updated with everything.

One of the things that struck me the first time that I visited Manila was that, everything seems to be dirty, congestive and basically, everyone seems to be in a hurry (this is like in the 1980s folks!). It was even weirder to enter my relatives' houses as they are so tiny (literally folks!). Then there is this continuous fear that we should all be vigilant because in Manila, every person you do not know is a crook!

I know that it was such an interesting perception but then, I was just a kid. It does not also help that the shopping malls, restaurant and amusement centers were not as interesting as they seem to be. Nor are the items seen there. In fact, I get to recognize that the novelty items that my relatives used to brag as one of a kind were not really that. In fact, if I am going to literally describe them, its more of the opposite really.

Well, I let them get away with this because, I filed this memory under trivial things. It was not long before I get to go to the capital to process my documents for working abroad. At that time, my parents felt that it would be safer for me to stay with them rather than live alone in a hotel or any commercial accommodations. So, I said, all right.

One of the things that I immediately noticed was that, their sense of superiority of living in the city is not yet gone. In fact, I have a lot of reasons to believe that it got bigger the last time I met them. While sipping my coffee, I asked one of them if there is a nearby atm machine that I can use and, imagine my surprise and amusement when my relative had this concerned expression-" do you know how to use it?" I answered, "yes." He seemed concerned and he started instructing me on the proper use of the machine. I would have been mean enough to ask him why are we having this type of conversation but, I wanted to be polite so, I let it go.

It did not end there though. In the duration that I had been staying there, he quizzed me on whether I know how to use the elevator, escalator and the train...... Is it just me folks or, is there something wrong with his perception? Perhaps, the thought that I had lived in the barrio and therefore is "innocent" on all these things prompted him to.

Honestly, I did not confront him on those instances and, I do not have any plan of doing so because, as Alexander Pope wrote in his poem, Essay on Criticism

A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again.

You folks must be wondering what the nature of his work is and why does he has this air of superiority. First of all, he never traveled abroad and was never exposed to anything beyond the novelty of city dwelling. He does not read books or does any activities that involves intellectual stimulation. I do not want to give up more clues.But, in my assessment, his greatest accomplishment is being raised in the city.

I would like to end this with a local northener quote:

An empty can is noisy when hit while a filled one silent.