MEComposing

A cousin of mine bought his sister-in-law's old PC. From what I know, he couldn't even pay for it upfront (sold, I think, at only P5k or less) but his SIL was okay with staggered payments.

Two or three weeks after the purchase, he texted me inquiring about internet subscriptions, saying he's thinking of getting one. I asked him if he wants to go into business with his one PC (in our barrio in Lipa, he can still probably earn off it somehow). He said he's not going into business and the internet would only be for their personal use.

And then he asked how much webcams cost because he wants to chat with his Mom and brother in the US (the ones whose petitions were approved last in my father's family).

I told him it would just be a waste of money since his Mom and brother don't know how to use a computer and would have to pay for internet services from their own pockets.

Around three days after that, my cousin was already online using Smart Broadband.

To his credit, his brother in the US has already bought a laptop. But they don't have internet yet. And said brother is going back to the Philippines this May. So I really still don't get any practical use for the internet subscription (but at least, if ever I'm in Lipa, I could net away still, no?) contracted for one year.

I really doubt their Mom will ever learn to be computer-savvy. So even if he only wants to broadcast his kids so their grandmother could see them, I doubt that will happen.

Or it will... but only once in a while, when my aunt is at my uncle's (where my sister chats with me).

Now, how am I bad?

I'm bad because I somehow feel that my cousin has no right to this technology. But that's not even true. I am just deeply offended, all the time, by adults who depend on others to finance their living requirements as well as their kapritsos.

Because this cousin of mine is a college dropout who stays home to watch the kids while his wife works. And their mother is working hard in the US so that she can support her grandchildren (she's my aunt who has three useless sons). Who will pay for the internet subscription? My aunt of course! I did say my cousin couldn't pay for the computer yet, did I not?

P999 a month could have bought more milk and healthier food for his kids... or paid for their utilities... or gone into their savings. But no, because the world is internet-savvy, he has to jump on the friendster bandwagon too.

Tsk.

This feeling am feeling is also the feeling I feel when I see my brother carting around different gadgets, albeit secondhand, when he can't even give his wife money to buy vitamins for her pregnancy.

I may be bad, but really... I don't think anyone has a right to luxuries when they can't even put food on the table. That's just wrong.

And I shall stop now lest I begin ranting about the freeloaders of this world.