Why do a lot of Filipinos smile when there's poverty all over? ?

Question

Why do a lot of Filipinos smile when there's poverty all over? ?

Answer 1

I couldn't possibly imagine in all honesty.

Really, I wouldn't be able to smile if I was in their situation.

I suppose, they're braver and hopeful and everything everyone else has said?

Answer 2

because no matter how bad it gets in life, you still have your life and positive things to come  

Answer 3

Money does not buy happiness.....

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

Answer 4

Cause they like see'ing it i guess it's true though i hate it when they do that they get jumped sometime's....

Answer 5

Because to some people money isn't everything. Family, friends and overall well being are top of their list.

Answer 6

I'm Filipino, so maybe I can shed some light on this.

What people say or observe about Filipinos/the Philippines is true: we have massive poverty, there is grand scale corruption in all levels of government (we were once ranked the worst in corruption), we have some of the world's most unruly drivers, there is a hypocritical standard for men and women, etc., but despite these (or maybe because of these) the fact that Filipinos are a religious lot (85% are Catholics) has a lot to do with the disposition: there is a prevalent agreement that "God will not forsake us".

It gives way to certain sociological concepts like "bahala na" (Filipino for "leave it be, come what may"), which has a striking resemblance to the Taoist (or is it Confucian?) beliefs of just letting go, and going with the flow.

Plus it would be sheer madness to try to get worked up over every inconvenience we have to encounter - we wouldn't have time to eat, sleep and work if we gave in to frustration and despair, all we would be doing for 24 hours a day is to complain about the inefficient government bureaucracy, the bribes people have to shell out, the lack of water in certain places, the potholes in major thoroughfares - the problems are never ending!

And some social scientists say it is an innate ability in Filipinos to look at the glass as half full always, instead of half empty. Maybe it's because of religion, maybe it's because we are easygoing and friendly, maybe it's because of the abumdance of natural resources we have. We may not have achieved the wealth, status, peace and order and stability of our other Asian neighbors (Singapore comes to mind as the beacon of perfection in Asia), but we do have a democratic government that allows us to have the freedom to think and do as we want.

To paraphrase the writer Jessica Zafra, would you rather be a free yak, or a muted sheep?

Answer 7

Because they have learned to be happy with what they have instead of constantly whining because they can't get more. We should all take a lesson from them.

Answer 8

as a Filipino myself I think we do pride ourselves as one of the happiest people in the world..let alone the universe. I believe that we are not bothered by our problems, well maybe because it's just our outlook of life...let the problem solve itself....manana habit? But then I must give so much credit to all Filipinos as well for not taking all their problems seriously. We are here to enjoy life....so what's the point of pondering too much on problems....let alone poverty....smiles might not slove our hunger but atl east it will relieve our pain. Kudos to all happy Pinoys:)

Answer 9

because the look to the positive, to a better tomorrow  

Answer 10

flips are life and fun loving ppl. i like em. some of my best friends are flips. p.s. flips is not offensive to filipino. you proly already knw that if your a flip

Answer 11

Because they look at the positive things in life

and hold hope for the future

Answer 12

Maybe because they are happy despite a probable lack of money.