Dear Charlie Bird

Princess Urduja (1892–1972) by Fernando Amorsolo

Dear Charlie Bird,

Do you remember that iconic video of our esteemed President breaking down at his parents' grave before his inauguration? Or when he was caught murmuring those poignant words, "Help me Mum. I'm just a nobody." Those were rare instances when he showed vulnerability to the world. Or perhaps it was a Freudian slip, and what he really meant to say was, "Mum, you wouldn't believe it—I deceived my way into this position by embellishing my speeches and making empty promises to my naive compatriots. Strangely enough, they have blind faith in me, so they elected me as President. I'm not sure what to do next. For the next 3 or 6 months, I'll just wing it and pretend to campaign against illegal drugs and eradicate extreme poverty in the country. That should keep the masses under my spell. I'm also considering selling the country to China. Jinping seems well-qualified to lead a nation drowning in debt. As for me, I'll retire to our hometown and indulge in the luxuries my bonus pay from taxes can afford. I'd like to start by purchasing tons of mosquito nets to honor your memory. I hope you're not mad at me. Know that everything I do is for you. Love you always. Your boy, Digs."

His sentiments almost tempted me to sympathize with him. He embodies the qualities of a typical angsty sad boy that many girls dream of fixing. But unlike those who sympathize with sad boys, I would love nothing more than to slap some sense into our President until he wakes up and forgets about his fixation on his mother. I want to shake him and all the sad boys in our country.

I simply cannot comprehend, Charlie, why there are so many sad boys like our President in our nation. Teenage sad boys and girls may be endearing, but as they reach adulthood or the age of, say, 76, I become repulsed by their extreme immaturity. It seems they never outgrew their mommy complex. I feel partly responsible for perpetuating the sad boy/girl culture. The traits of a sad boy, stemming from family dynamics, can be unlearned. However, what disturbs me is that some acquaintances, friends, and even partners unconsciously tolerate or sometimes even encourage these undesirable qualities in sad boys through excessive coddling and praise. It feels like our generation is manufacturing girls and boys disguised as adults, unfit to lead a nation. If we truly desire proper leaders for the next generation, we must avoid the mistakes of our parents and grandparents in raising children, such as spoiling them and granting their every wish.

Recently, I came across a well-made YouTube video explaining the psychology of the man-child. Sad boys and girls, in general, resemble the present-day men-children. Apparently, in the past, an antidote to the mommy complex was the celebrated initiatory rites of passage, where tribal elders subjected young boys to harsh environments, such as the wilderness, in order to sever their ties to childhood. The boys were only welcomed back into the tribe once the elders deemed them worthy of being called men, having found their individuality and the ability to adapt and overcome adversity. Sadly, we no longer practice these rites of initiation. We have become hesitant to expose children to challenging conditions that would teach them to think independently, creatively, and resourcefully. We have shied away from the old ways of our ancestors, which aimed to cultivate spiritually and psychologically mature individuals. However, all hope is not lost—we can still expose young individuals to the metaphorical wilderness. This wilderness may represent the unknown, immersing people in experiences beyond their comfort zones, such as the deep sea, the jungle, the desert, psychedelic journeys, wars, isolation, or even embracing their androgynous nature. These experiences are key to building character, broadening perspectives, fostering problem-solving skills, and enhancing creativity. I deeply admire individuals like da Vinci, Wilde, Byron, Lawrence, Woolf, Sontag, Sexton, Oliver, Nin, Curie, Franklin, Monroe, Kahlo, Ginsberg, Basquiat, Haring, and Schiele, who explored and stretched the capacity of their androgynous minds. Our hypermasculine culture is fueled by men (and women) who struggle to unite and make peace with the masculine and feminine energies within them. I believe that if our President had confronted his mommy issues, he may have realized his potential to become an ideal leader. Unfortunately, it is too late for him—darkness has consumed him entirely.

Another good alternative to the rites of initiation is mate selection. I've been reading about the life of the warrior princess, Urduja, our national heroine, who vowed to marry only the man who can defeat her in combat. Her strategy for mate selection may be emasculating to those who fail to defeat her in battle but, the way I see it, it should be taken as an inspiring call to challenge men to shed their protective shells and to not be afraid to pursue the likes of Urduja. If it's true that it takes a woman's love to make a man (and vice versa), then we can shape a great nation composed of great individuals if we choose to love (or to select mates) just like Princess Urduja.

Yours, S

Yours,

S

P.S. I take it back, Mr. President. You and your lambs reek of incompetence.