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Young Life
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2016 Isah V. Red, Editor / Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com
By Bernadette Lunas
“I
DON’T like taking selfies.”
A five-word statement that would surprise many 20-somethings. “Really? Does it mean you don’t take at least one photo of yourself a day?” “Show us your phone!” “You must be lying.” This exchange is somewhat inevitable among the younger set considering that millennials, individuals between ages 18 and 35, are tagged as narcissists, self-absorbed and entitled. But are they, really? As a millennial myself, I can attest that majority of this generation can be quite deliberate in showing the public how much they “love themselves.” A quick look on Facebook or Instagram means being subjected to at least three or five selfie photos your friends have posted. In fact, according to a survey of an American teeth whitening brand, an average millennial could take about 25,700 selfies in his or her lifetime— nine selfies a week on average. The said survey, with 1,000 young adult respondents, also revealed that 95 percent have taken at least one such photo of themselves. Here at home, selfie-taking is prevalent so much so that in 2014, TIME Magazine declared Makati City the “Selfie Capital of the World.” For every 100,000 people in Makati and Pasig, there were 258 selfie-takers, according to TIME analysis. Experts posit that millennials are “dedicated” to chronicling their lives with selfies. Parties, travels and other important milestones and events never happened if not one selfie was posted on social media. Status updates and tweets no longer cut it without an accompanying photo. It’s fine if the objective of said photo is to record a memory, but when it is used to gauge a person’s relevance in terms of the number of “likes” or “hearts” his photo got, that’s when it becomes dangerous.
Narcissistic and no identity
In an article posted on elitedaily. com, clinical psychologist Dr. Bart Rossi said that “If someone is obsessed with taking selfies it is most likely because the individual is selfabsorbed and narcissistic.” Such assertion could be extreme, sadly however, Dr. Rossi is not alone as many psychological professionals fear that we are in the age of selfie-addiction—and the generation in the middle of this, which is composed of young adults, is turning into attention-seeking human beings with no identity. Selfie, and its perceived value to a person’s worth, is influencing individuals to create and curate a version of themselves deemed acceptable by the public.
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SMILE! A study revealed that an average millennial could take about 25,700 selfies in his or her lifetime—could this be a sign of narcissism?
Are MILLENNIALS so full of themselves? Generation Y is being called narcissist for taking too many selfies
Apps that help enhance and “correct” the images—smoothing out the skin, erasing dark eye circles, whitening teeth and slimming facial features, among other “beautifying” options— are used to come out with nearly perfect, if not perfect, picture.
‘The Selfie Expert’
Recently, Chinese electronics company Oppo launched in the Philippines its mobile phone that is primarily geared towards people who love to take selfies. The Oppo F1s features a 16-megapixel front camera, higher than its 13-megapixel rear snapper. The 5.5-inch smartphone, which runs on the latest ColorOS and MT6750 octa-core processor, boasts of the built-in Beautify 4.0 software that allows users to tweak their pho-
tos—giving selfie lovers “a satisfying photo experience.” “We came out with a phone that has a very good front camera because we are very passionate of our day-to-day life, we like to document it that’s why we take a lot of selfies,” Oppo Brand Marketing Manager for the Philippines Stephen Cheng told Manila Standard. Recognizing youth’s love for taking selfies, Cheng revealed that F1s along with other mobile phones the company offers target the younger market.
A visual diary
Is it that bad many millennials take selfies on the daily and are concerned about the way they present themselves? Psychologist and author Dr. Kelly McGonigal avers “being overly concerned about pictures of yourself doesn’t make you a narcissist.” She justifies the a c t
by saying that “it’s entirely normal to be obsessed with gossip about yourself, pictures of yourself or responses to you online” when you are part of a society. On the flip-side, selfies can be used to have some fun and show good traits of individuals exploring life, according to Dr. Rossi. For 26-year-old Roxanne, her selfies are not posted on social media for her to fish for compliments, but rather serve as an online visual diary where she can look back and see what she looked like or where she had been at a particular time. Besides it’s not only younger generation who share selfies on social media. A 2014 study by Pew Research Center showed that while major-
ity or 55 percent of its respondents who share their photos are millennials, trailing on second spot with 24 percent are Gen X followed by Baby Boomers at 9 percent. While the incidence of narcissistic personality disorder is seen high among individuals in their 20s, according to National Institutes of Health, it’s unfair to say that millennials are full of themselves just because they are taking selfies. One could look at selfies as the ultimate symbol of the narcissistic age, but it could very well be just a form of self expression of the generation that is regarded the most optimistic despite of the conflicts and challenges they face. So don’t frown, and smile for the camera and the rest of the world.
Members of Generation Y have been tagged as narcissists and self-absorbed
Different individuals argue whether selfie is the ultimate symbol of narcissistic age or a tool for self expression. One thing’s for sure though, its meaning depends on the person who takes them.
Young Life
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2016 isahred@gmail.com
5 ‘80s fashion trends on a comeback trail THE groovy decade of bold style and colors is making a stylish return, and the young loves it. Here are five clothing items in the ‘80s that are finding a space in the closet once again.
Off-the-shoulder
Parties in the 80s meant women in off-the-shoulder dresses. This cut emphasizes the neckline and allows the wearer to show some skin in a chic way.
Crop tops
OPEN YOUR HEART. Ray-Ban believes that doing something, even if it is deemed basic, takes courage.
Madonna loved baring her midriff in a crop top. Today, crop tops are worn by mostly everyone— regardless of body frame. It works well with high-waist skirt, pants or shorts.
Eyewear brand pushes youth to be
courageous H
AVING courage is not limited to doing something considered scary or dangerous.
“Opening your heart to somebody takes courage, fighting perfection takes courage.” Neelam Gopwani, division marketing manager of Branded Lifestyle, Inc., stresses that it takes courage for someone to do even those deemed basic things in life. Branded Lifestyle is the official distributor of eyewear label Ray-Ban in the Philippines. And for Gopwani, courage happens “when you wear a pair of Ray-Ban.” From its nine-year “Never Hide” campaign, the eyewear label now calls on the youth to be courageous with its new message “It Takes Courage.” Assistant Trade Marketing Manager Sabu Cabahug explains that courage can be found in the most mundane daily activities, and “doesn’t necessarily have to be as grande as going sky diving or getting up on stage.” In essence, the brand simply stands for having the courage to be original instead of following the status quo. The #ITTAKESCOURAGE campaign tackles six courageous acts that encourage the youth to step out of their comfort zone, and features five new styles in Ray-Ban’s latest collection: Clubround, Gradient Flash, Double Bridge Story, Metal Heroes and Active Lifestyle.
Fight Perfection
Ray-Ban believes that #ITTAKESCOURAGE to ignore society’s definition of what’s attractive and instead appreciate being different. Featuring the Aviator with Gradient Flash Lenses, the brand encourages their consumers to fight perfection in a society that pressures the youth to fit into a certain mould that is deemed “perfect.”
Face Critics
#ITTAKESCOURAGE to be outspoken and passionate despite the negativity and criticism out there. Highlighting the classic Round, the second act reminds people how courageous it can be to pursue a dream without fearing judgment.
Start New
Cabahug predicted that by this year, metal will be the newest trend that everyone will be wearing. In fact, most of their collection is going full on metal. Metal Heroes comes in three different
Denim jacket
From acid-washed to bedazzled, denim jackets were all the rage in the ‘80s. It has made a comeback as casual outerwear that keeps one warm during chilly months but stylish enough to be worn on summer.
Metallic fabric
Metallics remain trendy in this modern age. But from shimmery materials, this trend is used more sparingly, most popularly as accent. It takes courage to be passionate despite the negativity and criticism
designs: A Clubmaster-inspired model, Erika metal and rimless caravan. The message behind this is that #ITTAKESCOURAGE to leave all the negativity and baggage behind and start new, preferably in stylish metal shades.
Push Yourself
Ray-Ban introduces the new Flash Lens—putting a twist on the classic flash lens by adding a gradient. Just like the message behind this act of courageousness, the Gradient Flash pushes the boundaries by continuing to surprise Ray-Ban consumers with new and innovative style. Outlined by black rims that emphasize the shine of the mirror shades with a metal frame, a pair of Flash Lens now makes it easier to break through barriers.
Unplug
In this day and age of social media and online dating, Cabahug explained that “something as simple as ditching the screen to have a real conversation” takes courage. Ray-Ban, along with their featured Round frames, encourages the youth to unplug and experience life outside social media.
Open Your Heart
Cabahug explained that this act doesn’t just apply to lovers and romantic partners. #ITTAKESCOURAGE to be transparent and vocal when it comes to expressing emotions, may it be towards a sibling, a complete stranger or a friend. This sixth act of courage features the newest and latest Ray-Ban legend—the Clubround, a combination of the brand’s two most successful trends: Clubmaster and Round models. Created with premium quality acetate and metal, the phantos sun-shaped frames guarantee protected and clear vision. The recent launch of Ray-Ban’s new campaign, held at Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, served as a showcase of the brand’s latest collections along with older models—to give the guests a preview of how far the eyewear brand has come. The gallery was decorated with neon red lights that gave off a grungy and youthful vibe that Ray-Ban represents. An electrifying performance by Filipino rock band Pupil and lead singer Ely Buendia capped off the event. Natalia Alexa Sy
Graphic tees
The wild graphic abandon to which the ‘80s were best known returns on t-shirts of today’s younger generation. SM Youth offers white shirts in graphic stripes, plain black tees and vintage-washed shirts stamped with pop culture icon Mickey Mouse himself; an ostentatiously orange T-shirt bears rough illustrations of fast food; the classic military in soft pastels; and handwritten typography expresses youth slang in singleword statement shirts. Photos: Off-the-shoulder from Zara; crop top from Mango; denim jacket from Levi’s; metallic dress by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images; graphic tee from SM Youth
Showbiz
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2016 isahred@gmail.com
Why do
CELEBRITIES want to be AUTHORS, too? T
The Pambansang Bae is now a published author with the release of ‘Alden Richards: In My Own Words,’ which delves deeper into local showbiz’s Golden Boy’s life
here’s a new trend in showbiz circle, suddenly every celebrity insists on being authors and wanted to be taken seriously like any other literary geniuses. Just recently, actress Claudine Barretto announced that she’s going to publish a tellall book, which will coincide with her showbiz comeback. Once published, Barretto will be part of the roster of celebrities who use their personal brands to sell books, ostensibly they wrote personally (or with the generous assistance of a ghost writer, we suppose). Now, answering the question as to why celebrities want to encroach on a territory initially known only to wordsmiths who have the luxury of time to be in front of their computers weaving words and sentences, it’s simple – they want validation and they want to prove that they are more than just pretty faces. This Sunday’s “listicles,” we are having a rundown of showbiz personalities who have become published authors this year. It’s good to note that some of them even landed on the bestselling list of the country’s major bookstores.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE Sunday, October 2, 2016
ACROSS 1 Neutral color 6 Camel relative 11 Mamas’ bandmates 16 Fix up 21 Aunt in “Oklahoma!” 22 Not apathetic 23 Fridge maker 24 Card-game expert 25 There you are! 26 Reverie 27 Chest protector 28 Hypnotized 29 Ecol. bureau 30 Not barefoot 32 Pegs 34 Good farm soil 36 AAA suggestion 37 Speaker’s prop 39 All through 40 Fakes out 41 Medieval defense 42 W-2 collectors 43 Mountaineer’s tool (2 wds.) 44 Ruining a nylon 46 — all she wrote! 49 Jaywalk 50 Revenuers 51 Breadthless? 55 Dragster 56 Fleeces 57 Camp furnishings 58 Deep crack 59 2001, to Livy 60 I-beam lifter 61 Clarified butter 62 Tuneful Turner 63 A thousand G’s 64 Oppositeness 66 Favoritism 67 Tempo 68 Form glaciers 69 Naive 70 Shrill bark 71 Talks to a beat 72 Sea swallows 73 Mare’s morsel 74 Mountain hazard 76 Took the title 77 Immunity shot fluid 80 Mortgage 81 CD- — 82 Shorten 86 Lump of clay 87 Greenhouse supply 88 Kind of school 89 Mistletoe, to a tree 90 Sunburned 91 Resume cousins 92 Genuine 93 Poker hand 94 “— Rosenkavalier” 95 Unvarying 97 Drum sound 98 Clammy
99 Deejay’s disc 100 Kind of bike seat 101 Instance 102 Ms. Zellweger 103 Foamy 104 Roundabout ways 106 They may shock you 107 Romaine lettuce 108 Teeth holders 111 Journalist — Ducommun 112 Regatta lineup 113 Cruddy wheels 117 Med. plan 118 Tacks on 119 Why? (2 wds.) 120 Actress — Powers 121 Through 122 Buenos — 124 Duck down 126 Caterpillar foot 128 Mallards’ kin 130 Errands 131 Web, for example 132 Ham it up 133 Chinchilla habitat 134 Trapshooting 135 Looks after 136 Pauses 137 Like watermelons DOWN 1 Cut obliquely 2 Flee to the JP 3 Of the pelvis 4 Hair goop 5 Mistake correctors 6 Lured (2 wds.) 7 Frying medium 8 Mature 9 Spite 10 Mighty fleets 11 Measured off 12 “Rag Mop” brothers 13 Waterlily leaf 14 Some watches 15 Lamour’s attire 16 Baba au — 17 Many millennia 18 Clean energy source 19 Prince Val’s wife 20 Jaunty lid 31 Paycheck abbr. 33 Neighbor of Guat. 35 Totally stupid 38 Broz 39 Pierre’s school 40 Heels 41 Baseball VIPs 43 Sarcasm 44 Leap in a tutu 45 Apollo acronym 46 Florida bay 47 Mood 48 With lance in hand 49 Suit pieces 50 Opposing sides 52 Scuttlebutt
53 54 56 57 58 60 61 62 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 82 83 84 85 87 88 89
Hunter constellation Rural necessities Arm part Thicket Is the right size Dairy product Breathing organ Duct — Not in a whisper Coffee source Gridiron shouts Dollar fractions Montand of film Sgt. Preston’s group Rabbi’s reading Dots on maps Eggnog time Berlin sausage Cancel a launch Helen, in Spanish “The Thinker” sculptor Tower over Reason Lent a hand Gossip tidbits “Bad, Bad — Brown” Copied illegally Volcano goddess Tissue layers
91 92 93 96 97 98 99 101 102 103 105 106 107 108 109 110 112 113 114 115 116 118 119 120 123 125 127 129
— up (review) Antarctic sea Tahoma et al. Temporary trends At a premium “The Velvet Fog” (2 wds.) Nightfall Literally, “kitchen” Oven pan Piano pieces Most ancient Oath — -de-sac Steps to the Ganges Kayak’s kin Dah-dit man Long-winded ones Green minerals Hem and haw Miffed Smart-mouthed Type of prof Drover’s charge Dillon or Helm Just scrape by Comic Aykroyd Sister of Helios Compass pt.
Alex Gonzaga After coming up with a bestselling book last year, the witty and talented host authored her second book entitled Dear Alex, We’re Dating. Tama, Mali?! Love, Catherine. It is a breakup survival guide that aims to help broken-hearted readers let go and move on from their heartaches, and help them on their journey to a happy single and independent life. Kathryn Bernardo Fueled by her endeavor to inspire every girl to be her best self, the 20-yearold shares everything she’s learned about fashion, beauty and friendship in a book entitled Everyday Kath: Kathryn Bernardo’s 365 Ways To Be A Teen Queen. The book is a token of appreciation for those who have been supporting her career. Kathryn’s book is also about how to be stronger in life and how to stand on your own feet – something that she herself realized when she celebrated her birthday this year. Vice Ganda The colorful personality of the box-office actor and comedian is the essence of President Vice: Ang Bagong Panggulo ng Pilipinas, a book he released in July. He was convinced to write this book
James Reid and Nadine Lustre coauthored ‘ Team Real,’ which sold over 100,000 copies upon release proving that JaDine loveteam is a force to reckon with
because he was inspired by the current president’s message of change. In an interview, Vice shared, “Ang librong ito ay pang pa-good vibes lang. It has nothing do with the government. Para lang ito sa katuwaan ng lahat.” So there, don’t take it seriously. JaDine There’s no better way to celebrate the “realness” of their relationship than immortalizing it through a book they co-authored. Entitled Team Real: Your AllAccess Pass Into James Reid and Nadine Lustre’s World, it focuses on how their actual selves won the hearts of many people that support them. The book also talks about travel and adventures, money talk and life hacks. Most importantly, Team Real is about teaching a reader to love himself, embrace his uniqueness and endeavor to reach his ultimate dreams. The book sold 100,000 copies upon release. Andrea Brillantes The 13-year-old Kapamilya, who has more a million fans on Facebook, shared that her book #GOALS: Your Journey To Be The Best You contains a combination of entertaining stories, tricky comics and advice for the youth to be confident in their own skin. Through her own words, she encourages young people her age to be proactive and go for they really want to achieve in life. If there more 13-year-olds out there who have the same passion to influence people,
this world will be such a better place. Judy Ann Santos Busy playing her important roles in life as an actress, a wife, and a mother, she gave herself a chance and pursued her passion in cooking when her husband Ryan Agoncillo encouraged her to go to culinary school. Now armed with “delicious knowledge” to share, the celebrated actress published a book entitled Kitchen, which highlights 44 recipes categorized in five sections: Comfort Food, Friends, Kiddie Parties, Wifey Duties, and Health & Discoveries. You see, Judy Ann is no longer just the Ula, Mara or the Esperanza that made her a TV darling. Alden Richards The book Alden Richards: In My Own Words, reveals everything there is to know about the reluctant celebrity who was born Richard Faulkerson, Jr. It recounts the path the 24-year old actor, singer, and TV host took before hitting showbiz gold with Aldub—a history that includes male pageants and failed auditions. The book then delves deeper into Alden’s life as an ordinary guy by spilling revealing truths and endearing facts about the down-to-earth star. Alden, an old-fashioned romantic, also sets readers’ hearts aflutter by candidly letting his views on love and dating be known. Conchita Edwards and Denise Amador
E4
Showbiz
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2016 Isah V. Red, Editor / Nickie Wang, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com.ph
POP QUEEN As the brightest recording star of her generation, Sarah G believes that she’s already at a stage in her life where she is ready to start giving back; (inset from the top) Sarah G with the kids of Gawad Kalinga in an event organized by Manulife
By Nickie Wang Images by Sonny Espiritu
S
arah Geronimo has changed so much from the time she burst onto the entertainment scene after winning the television-singing contest Star for a Night in 2003. She subsequently rose to fame with the release of her debut album Popstar: A Dream Come True. Since then, the country’s new Queen of Pop continuously reinvents herself to keep her star in the limelight. And with numerous accolades under her belt, 49 Platinum and 8 Gold Record Awards in a span of 10 years, selling more than a million albums, Sarah has crafted one of the most successful recording careers on the local music scene. With her reinvention comes her endeavor to provide something new to her fans. And in the latest music video for her single “The Great Unknown,” her collaboration with the band Hale, we see a very different Sarah singing an unconventional song and portraying a more mature image. For people who have been following her recording career, it’s a pleasant surprise that Sarah G opted for a more mature sound, not even pop or R&B. It’s a glaring testament that she is really after for musical reinvention. “As a music artist, I still have a lot of dreams. I want to record more original material. I want to keep on surprising my fans. I don’t want to limit myself because I know I can do more,” the pop star told the Manila Standard in a recent interview. The 28-year-old actress and recording superstar is aware that she’s part of a very dynamic industry that the only way to keep herself relevant is to become aware of her limitations and strengths. By doing so, she can work on her weaknesses and further improve on what she’s already good at. “It’s all about overcoming your fears. I remember my father telling me when I was young that I can’t expect for something to happen tomorrow if I didn’t do anything today,” she shared. She related her father’s advice when she was still a virtually unknown singer trying to win all the singing contests available. It actually took her three attempts before she was accepted as a Star for a Night contestant. “I almost gave up after my second try. But my family pushed me to go for another try. I told them I’m not cut out to be a singer. Then when I went for that third try, I was told I’m already in,” she narrated. And as the saying goes, the rest is history. Realizing how fortunate she is to have been able to fulfill a lot of her dreams at such a young age, Sarah has started doing philanthropic efforts. The most recent being is her visit to Museo Pambata where she met with kids of Gawad Kalinga. “I have been given so much early in life that I want to give back this time around. I am fortunate that I was able to invest my blessings in a trusted financial partner. Now that I am confident of a secure future for me and my family, I can start helping others follow their own dreams,” said the pop star who’s also one of Manulife’s celebrity ambassadors. Sarah furthered that with most of her ambitions fulfilled, she is at a stage of her life where she wants to start giving back. “Sometimes, even if you have achieved success, you feel empty. I think we can find a lot of joy in being able to reach out to those who have not been as fortunate and interact with them, as we are doing with the GK kids,” she mused.
A bright star called
SARAH G Everybody is hitching on the ‘PEN-PINEAPPLE-APPLE-PEN’ bandwagon
Japanese comedian Kazuhiko Kosaka, the man behind the ultra catchy song ‘Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen’
YouTube had to upgrade its counter when the “Gangnam Style” video from South Korean superstar PSY surpassed the “view” limit. And everybody thought that it would take a while before another crazy song comes to take its place. But just a few days ago, a video posted by the entertainment portal 9Gag on its Facebook page took over the entire wired universe. Yes, even Justin Bieber calls it his most favorite video on the Internet. With a hilariously simple dance that goes with a catchy lyric that talks about a pen, a tropical fruit and a sweet pomaceous fruit, the video went viral amassing over 60 million views, a million share and half a million comments to date.
The lyric goes like this: “P-P-A-P. I have a pen. I have an apple. Uhh! Apple pen. I have a pen. I have pineapple. Uhh! Pineapple pen. Apple pen, pineapple pen… Uhh! Pen-pineapple-apple-pen. Pen-pineapple-apple-pen.” The infectious song, which is sure to be stuck in your head for hours (for some, it’s days), is sung by Japanese comedian Kazuhiko Kosaka, under his fictional personality of DJ Piko-Taro. The caricature was first invented by the 40-year-old comedian at one of his live shows, but the DJ quickly became a personality in his own right. The DJ has already been dubbed the next Psy, after the “Gangnam Style“ singer, while hundreds of covers have been cropping up on the web.