Sure, it's real

I blame sappy media for my cynical heart. After being bombarded with round-the-clock images of tears, both real and fake, from teen soaps and ballads to contrived reality shows, I have become desensitized to greeting card messages cashing in on creating multiple lumps in my throat. It is easy for me today to be disenchanted by sentimental TV scraps because I’ve had too much of them. It has reached a point that I can predict the exact moment when Oprah/Dr. Phil will move in to hold the guest’s hand, say some random inspira-quote, and let the waterworks fly.

This is why I am allergic to swarmy concocted terms such as “affirmation” and “visioning” that sound like trite positivism. This is also how I knew I stepped into a puddle of estrogenic goo as I dropped in on author Carissa Villacorta’s Surreality seminar last Saturday at Enderun College, The Fort. As I was expecting a fun venture into a Salvador Dali-esque creative workshop, I was met by a group of 20-something women looking into the mirror, after visioning their future and affirming themselves of their inner beauty. As much as it was an A-grade cringeworthy situation, I decided to open my male ego, stay a bit longer and affirm the situation.

License To Inspire

The Surreality seminar by Carissa Villacorta and her group People Ignite is inspired by her book compilation of 13 articles from her monthly eponymous title column on living in New York. Schmaltzy-sounding seminars like this with a tag such as “dreaming the life to living the dream” gets my eyebrow raised because of the way they capitalize on sentimental mantras that leave one with a hollow high. It may sound good, but what happens? Reality sets in and nice-sounding mantras evaporate.

I admit I had problems with the credentials of the author as she launched herself as an inspirational guru. I find it baffling that people can swallow life advice handed out by bloggers, or by writers and personalities like Kris Aquino but not from people who know them more, like parents, teachers, and responsible friends. Before reading Villacorta’s work, I was having trouble believing her accolades as “one of the 100 most influential Filipinas in the US” or that she had appeared on QTV’s Proudly Filipina for a year because her book was launched at Borders Bookstore in NYC. Does having your book released abroad make you a better writer? I believe not because there are Filipinas who are more prolific and with spot-on writing who deserve media attention, too, but haven’t been given the lucky break or grabbed the opportunity to do it.

Also, belief in writers’ opinions is quite dangerous because words are indeed powerful if believed and acted upon; just look at the vamp-camp effect of Twilight on our kids. In the case of writers, their words may only ring true because of their gift as wordsmiths. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the have the expertise or experience as guidance counselors or connoisseurs. It is best to always check the background of your author before you read and believe.

Inspiration Curve

So, does Carissa have the license to inspire? Yes, though it is not greatly hinged on her being a columnist, but as a real woman who worked in the public relations department of the Philippine Consulate General in New York for five years and was a Writing and Business Communications teacher at Enderun Colleges in The Fort in late 2008. This only shows that Carissa does have virtues beyond her words to make things happen in her life and become an example for others. Also, the fact that she came back to Manila proves that her family is indeed her priority.

As for her book, it is all city and no sex, which at least shows that her fan base is based on her writing skills rather than a talent for exploiting her life. It is a witty, aspirational look at a Filipina living in Manhattan mixed with soft feminism like setting time for your girlfriends, quoting chick flicks, and thoughts on being single. I found her rollercoaster ride quips in between articles more fascinating than her actual essays. For example, Rollercoaster Ride No. 7 says “In New York, it is easier to find a boyfriend… if you are a boy.” Carissa-isms like this that tune into both the charming sensitivity of living in New York and being a woman there have attracted many Filipina followers.

This includes the teen blogger mydreamreality who was shocked that Carissa e-mailed her back — it finally made me understand this cult of inspiration. As much as we find these sentiments on TV and film cheesy, Carissa’s words are still potent because these words are not said often enough in our lives by the real people around us. Second, Carissa is adored because of what she has become and how she got there. Readers trapped in their lives see Carissa as a symbol of a successful professional, maybe hoping their lives will beat a path to the Statue of Liberty.

Thus, though I don’t prescribe affirming myself, I discovered that people and maybe genders have different inspiration curves, parallel to learning curves to greatness. Surreality has bizarrely made me appreciate that fact. One man’s You’re the Inspiration by Chicago can be another’s Paper Planes by MIA. Thus, I agree that we all need a little lift to fly from time to time. It’s all good, though, as long as we remember to have the right people around to keep us grounded.

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Visit Carissa Villacorta’s website: http://www.carissavillacorta.com.

Surreality is available at Powerbooks.

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Inspire me at readnow@supreme.ph.