I'd like to put it down to cultural differences. Taste buds that have been set up differently by virtue of nationality, race, whatever. I'd like to be a forgiving soul. The whole world isn't built to enjoy Jollibee's food, after all. We're probably the only people who use cheddar cheese instead of Parmesan on spaghetti, and liberally sprinkle it with not just ground beef or pork, but also hotdog or sausage tidbits or ham. I'd also like to put it down to the fact that not everybody has encountered the likes of ube and langka. I'd like to refrain from saying anything against those people lest I start some heated arguments, which I haven't had for a while, so I'm really quite out of practice. I'd like to keep an open mind and acknowledge that not everyone does and so I should probably give my mind an extra run around the block just so I can accommodate other people's world views.

But I say to heck with that. I've done my fair share of being appreciative and accepting of other people's cultural folkways and I'd like to be able to come out for once and denounce others for being stupid and narrow-minded, which will only show that I am being the same way as well, but hey, I can be, I really can be.

So yes, I'm really quite pissed. It's probably a little thing, but I can't help being angry. Not just because they made a mockery of food from a well-loved food establishment, food that's not only affordable but really quite good as well, but because of the sheer insensitivity of her post. Those people basically made fun of something that is a major part of our culture, they certainly didn't hold out on saying that the food is disgusting, and I just bet they were thinking they're the only ones who saw the food for what it is ("disgusting") and that Filipinos must be mad for enjoying them. It's perfectly fine to dislike food, but to make such a spectacle of it? So the food is different. So you don't recognize some ingredients. It's proper food, believe it or not, and it's being served neatly in front of you.

Hey, I'll bet if someone went to an American restaurant and found the food disgusting, people will think that person is just some ignorant FOB.

I'll give them props for acknowledging that they were indeed being Ugly Americans, though.

So I guess, you know, it's just too bad that we like food made especially to cater to the Filipino taste, and that we actually enjoy vegetables and fruits that don't grow in temperate regions.

I mean for goodness sake, I didn't know anyone could actually be cowed by fried chicken, burgers, spaghetti, and pies. You brought the concept of fastfood to our country, people! Don't shrink away just because we whipped up something a little different from what McDonald's or Burger King makes! Incidentally, those same fastfood places are given a Filipino flavor in the Philippines, which might also cause some shuddering and dry-heaving in some people as well.

To find out what I'm rambling about, click here.

Update: Pamie has written something new in her blog regarding the whole Jollibee reaction. Pretty funny that she chose to post one of the most ungrammatical, most insulting comments instead of the more thoughtful, reasonable ones.