Why do Filipinas always talk about their financial problems to us rather than about love and romance?!

[yick]

That was actually pretty deep. Good on you for the quality post.

It isn't all that deep, as much as it is simple common sense. The problem with @Winston is how he wants everything to be "deep". He comes up with all these crazy, elaborate theories in his head as to why he's failing in life, failing in love, and why he isn't getting the type of woman he wants... he seems to resent practical advice, which is why he'll respond when someone calls flat earth theory retarded (I recently did this) but will ignore solid, factual advice.

And my advice is super simple: he's in a shithole town full of bars and whores and strippers... and this is all he's lived in, all he's seen and experienced, in the Philippines. Therefore Winston doesn't really know the Philippines, yet he continues to make huge, broad generalizations of the whole country. He's selling the country short, and himself, by not venturing out more. I've been with girls who are professors, lawyers, professionals, entrepeneurs, once even the daughter of a politician... if I went to and stayed in a place like Angeles, I wouldn't have gotten with any of them... I'd be just as jaded and cynical as Winston is.

The difference between men like me and @publicduende and Winston is that we're not self-defeatist and we're more goal-oriented. Whereas Winston is more "here's some fanciful deep-sounding reasons for why I cannot reach my goals" oriented.

Bottom line: all the members of this forum who went to the Philippines have had a number of relationships with often quite cute girls, most have eventually gotten married, have had families, and are now quite stable and happy with their life choices. Winston is the only one, to my knowledge, who ended up empty-handed.

Great post, I think at Winston's age he has made his choices and they're the ones he truly deep down wants - back in 2006, he was more youthful and better looking but these days he is a fat, middle aged man so they're going to be more mercenary - I think what Winston misunderstands about their needs is that they think he knows the score and that the relationships between him and they are purely transactional.

To get with the women you got with - the doctors, lawyers and professionals - what would he need to do to make that step physically? He would have to move to another city and work on himself that would take a year or two minimum (get into shape, take lessons in grooming, learn how to make friends and influence people etc) become a respectable person around the city and then he might find something he doesn't particulary want - he could have had that with Dianne who actually gave birth to his offspring.

The only thing he seems upset about to me is that the women these days don't see him as they did in 2006 when he was in his twenties - no f***ing shit! And he wants the pretence to be carried on from those times, well, time comes to us all Winston - no different to you than it is for anyone else - even in Angeles City.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

Winston's whining about it on the internet certainly doesn't help.

[galii]

That was actually pretty deep. Good on you for the quality post.

It isn't all that deep, as much as it is simple common sense. The problem with @Winston is how he wants everything to be "deep". He comes up with all these crazy, elaborate theories in his head as to why he's failing in life, failing in love, and why he isn't getting the type of woman he wants... he seems to resent practical advice, which is why he'll respond when someone calls flat earth theory retarded (I recently did this) but will ignore solid, factual advice.

And my advice is super simple: he's in a shithole town full of bars and whores and strippers... and this is all he's lived in, all he's seen and experienced, in the Philippines. Therefore Winston doesn't really know the Philippines, yet he continues to make huge, broad generalizations of the whole country. He's selling the country short, and himself, by not venturing out more. I've been with girls who are professors, lawyers, professionals, entrepeneurs, once even the daughter of a politician... if I went to and stayed in a place like Angeles, I wouldn't have gotten with any of them... I'd be just as jaded and cynical as Winston is.

The difference between men like me and @publicduende and Winston is that we're not self-defeatist and we're more goal-oriented. Whereas Winston is more "here's some fanciful deep-sounding reasons for why I cannot reach my goals" oriented.

Bottom line: all the members of this forum who went to the Philippines have had a number of relationships with often quite cute girls, most have eventually gotten married, have had families, and are now quite stable and happy with their life choices. Winston is the only one, to my knowledge, who ended up empty-handed.

Great post, I think at Winston's age he has made his choices and they're the ones he truly deep down wants - back in 2006, he was more youthful and better looking but these days he is a fat, middle aged man so they're going to be more mercenary - I think what Winston misunderstands about their needs is that they think he knows the score and that the relationships between him and they are purely transactional.

To get with the women you got with - the doctors, lawyers and professionals - what would he need to do to make that step physically? He would have to move to another city and work on himself that would take a year or two minimum (get into shape, take lessons in grooming, learn how to make friends and influence people etc) become a respectable person around the city and then he might find something he doesn't particulary want - he could have had that with Dianne who actually gave birth to his offspring.

The only thing he seems upset about to me is that the women these days don't see him as they did in 2006 when he was in his twenties - no f***ing shit! And he wants the pretence to be carried on from those times, well, time comes to us all Winston - no different to you than it is for anyone else - even in Angeles City.

What these NPC girls don't get is that Winston evolved alot. He is much better with conspiracy theories and the spiritual worlds a bit like magic guy from Marvel. He knows now more about flat earth but these bitches don't appreciate a refind spiritual intellectual.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

That was actually pretty deep. Good on you for the quality post.

It isn't all that deep, as much as it is simple common sense. The problem with @Winston is how he wants everything to be "deep". He comes up with all these crazy, elaborate theories in his head as to why he's failing in life, failing in love, and why he isn't getting the type of woman he wants... he seems to resent practical advice, which is why he'll respond when someone calls flat earth theory retarded (I recently did this) but will ignore solid, factual advice.

And my advice is super simple: he's in a shithole town full of bars and whores and strippers... and this is all he's lived in, all he's seen and experienced, in the Philippines. Therefore Winston doesn't really know the Philippines, yet he continues to make huge, broad generalizations of the whole country. He's selling the country short, and himself, by not venturing out more. I've been with girls who are professors, lawyers, professionals, entrepeneurs, once even the daughter of a politician... if I went to and stayed in a place like Angeles, I wouldn't have gotten with any of them... I'd be just as jaded and cynical as Winston is.

The difference between men like me and @publicduende and Winston is that we're not self-defeatist and we're more goal-oriented. Whereas Winston is more "here's some fanciful deep-sounding reasons for why I cannot reach my goals" oriented.

Bottom line: all the members of this forum who went to the Philippines have had a number of relationships with often quite cute girls, most have eventually gotten married, have had families, and are now quite stable and happy with their life choices. Winston is the only one, to my knowledge, who ended up empty-handed.

Great post, I think at Winston's age he has made his choices and they're the ones he truly deep down wants - back in 2006, he was more youthful and better looking but these days he is a fat, middle aged man so they're going to be more mercenary - I think what Winston misunderstands about their needs is that they think he knows the score and that the relationships between him and they are purely transactional.

To get with the women you got with - the doctors, lawyers and professionals - what would he need to do to make that step physically? He would have to move to another city and work on himself that would take a year or two minimum (get into shape, take lessons in grooming, learn how to make friends and influence people etc) become a respectable person around the city and then he might find something he doesn't particulary want - he could have had that with Dianne who actually gave birth to his offspring.

The only thing he seems upset about to me is that the women these days don't see him as they did in 2006 when he was in his twenties - no f***ing shit! And he wants the pretence to be carried on from those times, well, time comes to us all Winston - no different to you than it is for anyone else - even in Angeles City.

What these NPC girls don't get is that Winston evolved alot. He is much better with conspiracy theories and the spiritual worlds a bit like magic guy from Marvel. He knows now more about flat earth but these bitches don't appreciate a refind spiritual intellectual.

Like that Doctor Strange guy in Marvel movies.
Wiseton has went through a spiritual ascension. That's why those simple minded NPC bitches don't understand Winston's wisdom and intellectual prowess. All of Philippines should make a Holiday dedicated to Winston Wu and offer tribute and sex to him in reverence to his greatness.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

All hail, the Great Wise-ston "Bossman" Wu - our Lord and Brilliant Saviour and Eternal Prophet and Guru of humankind.

[galii]

That was actually pretty deep. Good on you for the quality post.

It isn't all that deep, as much as it is simple common sense. The problem with @Winston is how he wants everything to be "deep". He comes up with all these crazy, elaborate theories in his head as to why he's failing in life, failing in love, and why he isn't getting the type of woman he wants... he seems to resent practical advice, which is why he'll respond when someone calls flat earth theory retarded (I recently did this) but will ignore solid, factual advice.

And my advice is super simple: he's in a shithole town full of bars and whores and strippers... and this is all he's lived in, all he's seen and experienced, in the Philippines. Therefore Winston doesn't really know the Philippines, yet he continues to make huge, broad generalizations of the whole country. He's selling the country short, and himself, by not venturing out more. I've been with girls who are professors, lawyers, professionals, entrepeneurs, once even the daughter of a politician... if I went to and stayed in a place like Angeles, I wouldn't have gotten with any of them... I'd be just as jaded and cynical as Winston is.

The difference between men like me and @publicduende and Winston is that we're not self-defeatist and we're more goal-oriented. Whereas Winston is more "here's some fanciful deep-sounding reasons for why I cannot reach my goals" oriented.

Bottom line: all the members of this forum who went to the Philippines have had a number of relationships with often quite cute girls, most have eventually gotten married, have had families, and are now quite stable and happy with their life choices. Winston is the only one, to my knowledge, who ended up empty-handed.

Great post, I think at Winston's age he has made his choices and they're the ones he truly deep down wants - back in 2006, he was more youthful and better looking but these days he is a fat, middle aged man so they're going to be more mercenary - I think what Winston misunderstands about their needs is that they think he knows the score and that the relationships between him and they are purely transactional.

To get with the women you got with - the doctors, lawyers and professionals - what would he need to do to make that step physically? He would have to move to another city and work on himself that would take a year or two minimum (get into shape, take lessons in grooming, learn how to make friends and influence people etc) become a respectable person around the city and then he might find something he doesn't particulary want - he could have had that with Dianne who actually gave birth to his offspring.

The only thing he seems upset about to me is that the women these days don't see him as they did in 2006 when he was in his twenties - no f***ing shit! And he wants the pretence to be carried on from those times, well, time comes to us all Winston - no different to you than it is for anyone else - even in Angeles City.

What these NPC girls don't get is that Winston evolved alot. He is much better with conspiracy theories and the spiritual worlds a bit like magic guy from Marvel. He knows now more about flat earth but these bitches don't appreciate a refind spiritual intellectual.

Like that Doctor Strange guy in Marvel movies.
Wiseton has went through a spiritual ascension. That's why those simple minded NPC bitches don't understand Winston's wisdom and intellectual prowess. All of Philippines should make a Holiday dedicated to Winston Wu and offer tribute and sex to him in reverence to his greatness.

Thanks yes I meant Doctor Strange. Yes Winston the king of debunking stuff in every metaverse. Fighting the just fight against NPCs who do not get his uniqueness and his inner Chad.

Edit:
I feel like Wiseton should get a honorary degree for his life work. Dr. Wiseton I am shure found some laws and stuff.

Edit 2
The bargirls should react all these 80s movies where Dr. Wiseton can relive things he could not do in the past.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

It isn't all that deep, as much as it is simple common sense. The problem with @Winston is how he wants everything to be "deep". He comes up with all these crazy, elaborate theories in his head as to why he's failing in life, failing in love, and why he isn't getting the type of woman he wants... he seems to resent practical advice, which is why he'll respond when someone calls flat earth theory retarded (I recently did this) but will ignore solid, factual advice.

And my advice is super simple: he's in a shithole town full of bars and whores and strippers... and this is all he's lived in, all he's seen and experienced, in the Philippines. Therefore Winston doesn't really know the Philippines, yet he continues to make huge, broad generalizations of the whole country. He's selling the country short, and himself, by not venturing out more. I've been with girls who are professors, lawyers, professionals, entrepeneurs, once even the daughter of a politician... if I went to and stayed in a place like Angeles, I wouldn't have gotten with any of them... I'd be just as jaded and cynical as Winston is.

The difference between men like me and @publicduende and Winston is that we're not self-defeatist and we're more goal-oriented. Whereas Winston is more "here's some fanciful deep-sounding reasons for why I cannot reach my goals" oriented.

Bottom line: all the members of this forum who went to the Philippines have had a number of relationships with often quite cute girls, most have eventually gotten married, have had families, and are now quite stable and happy with their life choices. Winston is the only one, to my knowledge, who ended up empty-handed.

Great post, I think at Winston's age he has made his choices and they're the ones he truly deep down wants - back in 2006, he was more youthful and better looking but these days he is a fat, middle aged man so they're going to be more mercenary - I think what Winston misunderstands about their needs is that they think he knows the score and that the relationships between him and they are purely transactional.

To get with the women you got with - the doctors, lawyers and professionals - what would he need to do to make that step physically? He would have to move to another city and work on himself that would take a year or two minimum (get into shape, take lessons in grooming, learn how to make friends and influence people etc) become a respectable person around the city and then he might find something he doesn't particulary want - he could have had that with Dianne who actually gave birth to his offspring.

The only thing he seems upset about to me is that the women these days don't see him as they did in 2006 when he was in his twenties - no f***ing shit! And he wants the pretence to be carried on from those times, well, time comes to us all Winston - no different to you than it is for anyone else - even in Angeles City.

What these NPC girls don't get is that Winston evolved alot. He is much better with conspiracy theories and the spiritual worlds a bit like magic guy from Marvel. He knows now more about flat earth but these bitches don't appreciate a refind spiritual intellectual.

Like that Doctor Strange guy in Marvel movies.
Wiseton has went through a spiritual ascension. That's why those simple minded NPC bitches don't understand Winston's wisdom and intellectual prowess. All of Philippines should make a Holiday dedicated to Winston Wu and offer tribute and sex to him in reverence to his greatness.

Thanks yes I meant Doctor Strange. Yes Winston the king of debunking stuff in every metaverse. Fighting the just fight against NPCs who do not get his uniqueness and his inner Chad.

Edit:
I feel like Wiseton should get a honorary degree for his life work. Dr. Wiseton I am shure found some laws and stuff.

Edit 2
The bargirls should react all these 80s movies where Dr. Wiseton can relive things he could not do in the past.

Wiseton should start a Cult of Wisdom consisting of unlimited reproductive bonding with his female followers, month long lecture about
conspiracy theories, NPCs, Aliens, Flat Earth, and how to find oneself in the world of the insane and his followers should donate half of their assets to Wiseton to receive his blessings and spiritual wisdom.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

Great post, I think at Winston's age he has made his choices and they're the ones he truly deep down wants - back in 2006, he was more youthful and better looking but these days he is a fat, middle aged man so they're going to be more mercenary - I think what Winston misunderstands about their needs is that they think he knows the score and that the relationships between him and they are purely transactional.

To get with the women you got with - the doctors, lawyers and professionals - what would he need to do to make that step physically? He would have to move to another city and work on himself that would take a year or two minimum (get into shape, take lessons in grooming, learn how to make friends and influence people etc) become a respectable person around the city and then he might find something he doesn't particulary want - he could have had that with Dianne who actually gave birth to his offspring.

The only thing he seems upset about to me is that the women these days don't see him as they did in 2006 when he was in his twenties - no f***ing shit! And he wants the pretence to be carried on from those times, well, time comes to us all Winston - no different to you than it is for anyone else - even in Angeles City.

It must be kind of hard to be fifty and still looking for that once in a lifetime special unicorn girl... and knowing that you're missing out, being aware of it, sad from it, and also incapable of getting off your ass and actually working towards the goal of getting her. It's sad. At first I admired Winston quite a bit. Then, I used to mock Winston a little, before, and after that I would get into somewhat heated arguments with him as he would complain of his woes and I made the mistake of thinking he actually wants advice lol.

He doesn't want advice, or help, he just wants to talk about the earth being flat and he why Murphy's Law is real because it totally happened to him and everything that could go wrong for him has always gone wrong. At the end of the day he's not so badly off; he has disposable income, generous elderly parents and, being an only child, he'll have a pretty solid inheritance sooner or later. He has a son, too, who by all means appears to be a solid young man; @AngeloTheMage has a profile here on HappierAbroad and I chatted to him a few times, briefly, in the chatbox. Good chap.

Even if Winston doesn't find his dream lady, he could at least have some fun with his son, go to some exotic islands with him, go snorkeling or diving or island-hopping in a little boat and have some awesome father-son bonding adventures. Lady or no lady, that'll no doubt give Winston a ton of fulfillment. And if he's super close to his son, maybe by the time Angelo is 20+ he'll bring some friends home and Winston gets to hang out with young hip people even when he's in his late fifties. Not a bad trade off. If he turns his life around and becomes a fit, lean man and leans into his silver daddy phase, maybe one of his sons friends will even think: "Hey, Angelo's dad is kinda cute!" lol. @Winston needs some out-of-the-box solutions.

if Winston wants money, sex , and power then he should just start a Cult in the Philippines. It's that simple. Everyday is Winston Wu day.
Winston Wu is a God's Messenger, Truth seeker, Spiritual master.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

if Winston wants money, sex , and power then he should just start a Cult in the Philippines. It's that simple.

He could be like that Appolo Quiboloy pastor in the Philippines who said he could "pray away" hurricanes and tsunamis and every once in a while he let one pass because "people are sinful and they deserve to be punished by God". Dude is an absolute nutter but he's a multi-millionaire with a ton of followers in the Philippines. All the leaders of the INC (Iglesia Ni Cristo) cult have their own private jets. If he had the drive for it, Winston could get filthy rich and get all the punani in the world; Filipinos are by nature rather gullible for those who play their cards right.

Exactly this! Winston should stop whining and start a cult.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

Believe it or not, there are many different cults in South Korea too.
Koreans, despite their confrontational temperament, are devoted believers in cults...
Some famous ones.

1) World Mission Society, founder Ahn Sang-hong
2) Shincheonji, or the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, founder Lee Man-hee
3) Grace Road Church, founder Shin Ok-ju
4) Providence or Jesus Morning Star or JMS, founder Jung Myung Seok
5) Unification Church, founder Moon Sun Myung
6) Guwonpa, or “Salvation Sect”, founder Yoo Byung-eun
7) Haneul goong or "Sky Palace", founder, Huh Kyung-young also a South Korean Politician.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

All kidding aside though, I did like my earlier suggestion... for Winston to lean more into fatherhood, into being a good dad to his son Angelo. It makes Winston look more palatable to women, if he's a good, involved father. They'll see him as better partner material than if he lives the desolute life of an aging monger. I'd often go to Church, in the Philippines. Dating different girls I'd see the insides of various churches, various denominations. I'm not much of a believer myself, but Filipinos are all about "keeping up appearances".

Like if you're a foreigner and a Filipina asks you where you're based in the Philippines... and you say "Angeles City" you might as well wear a sign on your t-shirt that says "I'm a whoremonger" lol. Filipinas, even the slutty ones, like to project an image of wholesomeness as much as possible. A man who comes across as respectable, wholesome, will do better. A quasi-intellectual middle aged pot-bellied Chinese man who believes the earth is flat and who, in all his five decades on earth, has never tied the knot with a woman and is an absentee father to his only son? That's about as far from wholesome as you can get.

Winston could do very well with limited changes, I believe. It wouldn't even take an Oscar-worthy performance, just the absolute barest minimum level of effort and he'll get the sweet girls he's after. Like the genuine sweet ones, not the "imma pretend to be sweet to get his cash" sweet ones that he's getting now.

or just start a cult. People can give his lazy butt tribute, free labor, free p***y, and tax exemption. That's how Korean churches are still surviving in America. Extracting as much labor and money from it's followers as possible.

[galii]

Great post, I think at Winston's age he has made his choices and they're the ones he truly deep down wants - back in 2006, he was more youthful and better looking but these days he is a fat, middle aged man so they're going to be more mercenary - I think what Winston misunderstands about their needs is that they think he knows the score and that the relationships between him and they are purely transactional.

To get with the women you got with - the doctors, lawyers and professionals - what would he need to do to make that step physically? He would have to move to another city and work on himself that would take a year or two minimum (get into shape, take lessons in grooming, learn how to make friends and influence people etc) become a respectable person around the city and then he might find something he doesn't particulary want - he could have had that with Dianne who actually gave birth to his offspring.

The only thing he seems upset about to me is that the women these days don't see him as they did in 2006 when he was in his twenties - no f***ing shit! And he wants the pretence to be carried on from those times, well, time comes to us all Winston - no different to you than it is for anyone else - even in Angeles City.

What these NPC girls don't get is that Winston evolved alot. He is much better with conspiracy theories and the spiritual worlds a bit like magic guy from Marvel. He knows now more about flat earth but these bitches don't appreciate a refind spiritual intellectual.

Like that Doctor Strange guy in Marvel movies.
Wiseton has went through a spiritual ascension. That's why those simple minded NPC bitches don't understand Winston's wisdom and intellectual prowess. All of Philippines should make a Holiday dedicated to Winston Wu and offer tribute and sex to him in reverence to his greatness.

Thanks yes I meant Doctor Strange. Yes Winston the king of debunking stuff in every metaverse. Fighting the just fight against NPCs who do not get his uniqueness and his inner Chad.

Edit:
I feel like Wiseton should get a honorary degree for his life work. Dr. Wiseton I am shure found some laws and stuff.

Edit 2
The bargirls should react all these 80s movies where Dr. Wiseton can relive things he could not do in the past.

Wiseton should start a Cult of Wisdom consisting of unlimited reproductive bonding with his female followers, month long lecture about
conspiracy theories, NPCs, Aliens, Flat Earth, and how to find oneself in the world of the insane and his followers should donate half of their assets to Wiseton to receive his blessings and spiritual wisdom.

I wonder what Dr. Wiseton would do if he had crazy money.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

What these NPC girls don't get is that Winston evolved alot. He is much better with conspiracy theories and the spiritual worlds a bit like magic guy from Marvel. He knows now more about flat earth but these bitches don't appreciate a refind spiritual intellectual.

Like that Doctor Strange guy in Marvel movies.
Wiseton has went through a spiritual ascension. That's why those simple minded NPC bitches don't understand Winston's wisdom and intellectual prowess. All of Philippines should make a Holiday dedicated to Winston Wu and offer tribute and sex to him in reverence to his greatness.

Thanks yes I meant Doctor Strange. Yes Winston the king of debunking stuff in every metaverse. Fighting the just fight against NPCs who do not get his uniqueness and his inner Chad.

Edit:
I feel like Wiseton should get a honorary degree for his life work. Dr. Wiseton I am shure found some laws and stuff.

Edit 2
The bargirls should react all these 80s movies where Dr. Wiseton can relive things he could not do in the past.

Wiseton should start a Cult of Wisdom consisting of unlimited reproductive bonding with his female followers, month long lecture about
conspiracy theories, NPCs, Aliens, Flat Earth, and how to find oneself in the world of the insane and his followers should donate half of their assets to Wiseton to receive his blessings and spiritual wisdom.

I wonder what Dr. Wiseton would do if he had crazy money.

I don't know, probably expand his message and possibly take over the Philippine government...

[yick]

All kidding aside though, I did like my earlier suggestion... for Winston to lean more into fatherhood, into being a good dad to his son Angelo. It makes Winston look more palatable to women, if he's a good, involved father. They'll see him as better partner material than if he lives the desolute life of an aging monger. I'd often go to Church, in the Philippines. Dating different girls I'd see the insides of various churches, various denominations. I'm not much of a believer myself, but Filipinos are all about "keeping up appearances".

Like if you're a foreigner and a Filipina asks you where you're based in the Philippines... and you say "Angeles City" you might as well wear a sign on your t-shirt that says "I'm a whoremonger" lol. Filipinas, even the slutty ones, like to project an image of wholesomeness as much as possible. A man who comes across as respectable, wholesome, will do better. A quasi-intellectual middle aged pot-bellied Chinese man who believes the earth is flat and who, in all his five decades on earth, has never tied the knot with a woman and is an absentee father to his only son? That's about as far from wholesome as you can get.

Winston could do very well with limited changes, I believe. It wouldn't even take an Oscar-worthy performance, just the absolute barest minimum level of effort and he'll get the sweet girls he's after. Like the genuine sweet ones, not the "imma pretend to be sweet to get his cash" sweet ones that he's getting now.

I think the Philippines would be a great place to meet a wholesome lady. We have talked about this before but I don't think Angeles City is where I would head personally. I have heard about Iloilo City - some reasonably well off city with a good infrastructure and go and spend my days at the mall wear my nice aftershaves and my Hawaiian shirts and people watch - find out the cafes that have cute waitresses.

Like you said, he doesn't have to push against the earth, just a few small changes would do it.

[publicduende]

I've seen that scene, too, briefly. Never liked it. It's the same in any town, any city, be it in the province or away from it; there are bars, bar girls, and their sad, tired patrons. No one there is truly happy. No one is truly fooled. It's a sad, tragic little world of make belief. At some point you hope a man would age out of it. But perhaps Winston has become too jaded. His resistance to change will continue to be the number one source of his lack of fulfillment in life. Him, and many others. Such is life.

You couldn't have put it in better words, @MarcosZeitola.

Thing is, most of those tired patrons are also extremely disillusioned people, with more divorces under their belts than actual money in the bank. They know AC is the minimum common denominator for cheap "GF experience" (but not so much anymore, according to @ladislav and even my own impression) sex.

I think @Winston is trapped in this cognitive dissonance of wanting, or deserving, a better woman, one who is sweet, romantic and dedicated, and who listens (and even engages) to his intellectual arguments with genuine interest. The PH are a country of almost 100M people and the kind of mentally-open, quirky and intellectual girl does exist, especially in Metro Manila and the large college towns. Even for someone like Winston who lacks spirit of initiative, the possibilities of finding one such girl at an non-mainstream movie, a cultural event space or an independent coffee shop are non-zero. I truly believe that.

Yet, it's a bit like that famous joke, where a man is constantly praying Jesus to let him win the lottery. Does it first time, nothing happens. He prays harder. Second time, same. He prays even harder. Third, fourth, fifth, sixth time, nothing. At the 30th attempt, Jesus finally appears to him in all his blazing glory and speaks: "dude, work with me...buy the f***ing ticket!".

This is more or less what I believe is happening to Winston. Lots of praying (his intellectual argumentation) and wishful thinking...but he has yet to buy his ticket out of Whoreville.