This personality feature on Dennis was published in 'The Scroll' after he won the Student Council Presidency.
And then, out of anonymity emerged the answer to the challenge: a figure so dynamic, so different, and so possessing of leadership that the impact upon the students was staggering.
It was during the last election rally that he really came to be known. One could see then that he was not the best of speakers; he may not follow any of Dale Carnegie's speech rules, but anyone listening could feel that he sure can drive home his points. The rally was the climax of the election because after it, it was just a matter of acceptance on the part of the students. It was already evident: a new leader is among us, our leader : DANILO MORALES.
We have quite emphasized from the start that he is different. Different in his ideas, beliefs and principles. Or maybe he is not different from the rest of us at all, maybe he just possesses what we all possess, in a comparatively higher degree. Maybe this is why our interview with him is, if anything else, thought-provoking.
To begin with, Dennis (as he is fondly called by everybody) is human, too -- he has his own likes and dislikes, just like any of us. He says he likes people with high spirits, people who are not easily discouraged. However, he shys away from show-offs (and he claims that this means something more than the literal meaning of the word). He also dislikes non-nationalistic and non-realistic people. Of the latter group, he gives the beatniks as an example. he dislikes them because instead of adopting a positive action towards their problem, they indulge in the negative attitude and disregard the normal life altogether.
For those who stick to convention, his principle in life would prove highly controversial. He believes that the highest and strongest will (purpose) of life does not find expression in a miserable struggle for existence but in a will to war, a will to power, a will to over-power. Asked to explain further, he said that existence of life would be useless if one exists only for the purpose of existing. If there is no advancement, if there is no challenge to progress, we might as well not exist. And that we need to war, either war of action or of words, so that at the end, we may be triumphant. By way of explanation, war means to him any struggle in meeting the challenge of life.
On life, be believes that the best is to be realistic. he holds the idea that one order of life cannot exist successfully while another still exists. He offers one solution: extermination. Annihilate other orders so that one may triumph. As we have said, he possesses very strong yet highly controversial ideas. Nevertheless, they are his ideas.
Being intensely nationalistic, he dreams of his ideal Filipino youth: a new breed of strong, intelligent and powerful youths. Having a different outlook in life, we have indulged ourselves and went on to ask him: What would be your immediate action, if you were given the chance and the power to do just one thing, anything at all that you would like? What would you do? (It was a probing question we intended just for him and his line of thinking. hesitant at first, he gave in after a little goading on our part.) He answered: I may sound silly and out of bounds, but if I had the power and the chance, my immediate action would be to unite the 3 Malay stattes and to make it so powerful, that it could rule the world. (We were expecting an unusual answer but what he gave struck us dead. We thought, there's really something in this guy).
Well, we have probed, analyzed and dissected his soul, still we are left wanting. But we don't dare go any deeper, because we're already neck-deep in his ideas and principles (we might get super indoctrinated). So we stop here with his serious side and let's traverse his sunny side of the world.
Don't get deceived now, because for all his serious ideas, dennis is still the laugh-ingest, noisiest and one of the most outstanding jokers in class. You could not miss him when he's "at it." he can make any of the girls cry just by teasing, and can he tease! As we have said, we're going light this time, so we bombarded him with the usual teenage blah-blahs.And his answers come as follows:
favorite color:
black
favorite subjects:
History and Arts
favorite actor:
Peter O'Toole
favorite actress:
none (I don't like Elizabeth Taylor)
favorite book:
biographies and essays
favorite sports:
soccer
favorite dish:
anything (that satisfies the stomach)
There they are, his favorites. Oh, and one thing more, he says he likes listening to Chopin and Wagner whenever he is in one of his depressed moods. It lifts one's spirit, he averred.
And here's a line for the girls-- he says he likes girls who are simple, conservative, calm and who possesses a keen sense of humor; one who likes the home and is beautiful. (Well, girls . . . there's the challenge. Take it or leave it).
This is just a thumbnail information
on our male personality -- Danilo Morales. (For further particulars . .
. we advise you to see him in person).
How does the adult Dennis match up with this?