bakit hinde?

Picture this: a bunch of bright minds peeking out of their own skulls, discussing (and subsequently, sharing) ideas, dreams and experiences with other bright minds, all for their mutual benefits. Ever wonder how it would feel like sitting in-between that?

My name is Paolo, and I did just that.

Having had the opportunity of being told about the 6th Why Not? Forum — I jumped at the chance of attending. (Also, what won me over was the LomoManila talk. Because of Hrulga. Ironically, it was drizzling here at home, so I left the house without Hrulga/Beybehtar and wore a sweater. Ugh, it was sunny in Ortigas.)

This being my first WhyNot? Forum, I had no ideas what tribes were — and why Marcus Fenix and a Lego man were standing just inside Alchemy, right after the registration booth. Bam Aquino hosted the forum, introducing first, how and why the edgier (the alternatives) Filipino obsessions — lomography, gaming, cosplay, doodling, graffiti, entrepreneurship, backpacking, all-manner-of-geekery, nationalism, comics and foodtripping — will prolly save the lot of us, and of the tribes that have formed around these interests.

Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet goes in first — sharing his story, his ULTIMATE day and some tips behind the succses of his blog-turned-entrepreneurship. How awesome indeed, is working 4-hour days … from home?

This was followed by introductions from the people behind One Tama and Youth Vote Philippines, essentially urging the audience to be a little bit more responsible.

Phil Cahiwat of Level Up Games and Gabby Dizon of Flipside Games followed, with a tandem talk about gaming. Phil’s talk was focused on how games that are centered on community-building promote certain values that one might find taught in schools, like teamwork, etc. Gabby’s was more of how you could turn your passion into your profession, and how there’s so much talent here in the Philippines that would probably make a good fit for the games development industry.

The people behind Y Trip, Entrepbuff and J Zone are all then introduced, sharing their unique takes on how to better your life — may it be via travel, entrepreneurship or spiritual growth.

Bong Rojales of LomoManila followed, giving a little lesson of what lomography essentially is, and how it brings people together — like photographs, we’re not all perfect, but each has a story to tell, only differing in how the storyteller delivers. (Around his neck was a Mr. Pink Diana F+, of which Ven wants. :p)

Beside me, The Out of Body Special shared how love for music, even if it doesn’t fit a certain genre, or if your bandmates come from different backgrounds, can get you featured on Time Magazine.

The cameras followed Bam outside, as he showcased WeWillDoodle and PilipinasStreetPlan working on their separate pieces outside, of how we could tell stories via doodling, or graffiti(-ing?).

Rej Layug of New Worlds Alliance then followed with an interesting talk of how AWESUM being a geek is — I refrain from asking my “So, how will you show Star Wars to your children? Original trilogy, then prequels, or prequels->original trilogy?” — and of how, you will find acceptance and understanding with your fellow geeks — end even potential-future-fiancés. What followed was a little showcase from Cosplay.ph — and a little contest. Lego man won, of course, through sheer … Lego-ness.

Several comic creators, Jaime, Elbert Or and Jonas Diego share how they’re using their medium in delivering their message. Also, Elbert Or was wearing a “The More the Manyer” shirt! (“The More the Manyer” is a funny little book about several Pinoy cliches — my copy, I got from a kris kringle, from Cheekie! (Of whom, I saw this past week, when my phone was going bonkers. And yes, this is a parenthesis-within-a-parenthesis, and a sentence beginning with a preposition.))

FLOY QUINTOS SUCKED ALL THE AIR IN THE ROOM. And held it ’til his talk was over. Almost everyone held their breath while he was giving his talk on the current state of “Pop”. (Which also made me think — am I merely mirroring what I think is individualism, or am I BEING an individual?) He also raised certain points about the strengths (and ultimately, weaknesses) of Pop culture. Because what may be fresh for now, will be dated — it will lose its relevance, and of the individual talk that revolve around -insert-popular-thing-to-talk-about-here- will often resolve in a glibbening contest. Of who has the last say, for the sake of having something to say.

What struck me most is his advice: for whatever art/craft you may be playing with, it is always, always, always better to have a foundation in it, so you could break it, and eventually, build your own.

The forum then closed with a performance by TriboManila — house music with a festive (and definitely Pinoy) flavor. What’s even more surprising, is that the band features members who aren’t purely from Manila — only that their love for the Filipino sound has anchored them here.

I left soon after — I was seated where the lights were blinding my eyes, and, well, I needed a cigarette.

***

Many thanks to The WhyNuts and Azrael, for sharing this interesting event!

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