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The Snake in the Vest: Spotting the Narcissistic Manipulator

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Words: Hook 📸: AI Generated Out on the road, every rider knows one rule: trust is earned, not given. Brotherhood isn't built with loud words, fake loyalty, or empty promises. It's built through respect, sacrifice, accountability, and actions that never change when the crowd disappears. But every now and then, a different kind of rider shows up. Not a brother, just a snake wearing a patch. Psychology calls them narcissistic manipulators. They don't always look dangerous. In fact, many appear charismatic, confident, and convincing. They know exactly what people want to hear because their greatest weapon isn't strength, it's manipulation. A narcissistic manipulator craves admiration, control, and power. According to psychological research, people with strong narcissistic traits often have an inflated sense of self importance, a lack of empathy, and a constant need for validation. When they don't get what they want, they rarely accept responsibility. Instead, they ...

North Things...

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  Words: Hook Photo: Dizzy The most important aspect of brotherhood in a traditional three-piece motorcycle club is the dedication of each member to show up (not only when he is comfortable), and sacrifice all for the love of the club. As an MC man, we have forged our way into our brotherhood with an empty cup. No excuses, no status, no race, no political preferences, and most importantly no biases. We have served with sweat and blood, that is why we deserve to be called brothers. We did not buy our way in, nor used any harm for we only show love, loyalty and respect to one another.  We have come from different walks of life, different in blood and in mind, but we stand firm in believing that we are one under Hector. That simply means that NO ONE CAN F*CK WITH US! For we are the BlackRiders MC. Does your group offer the same?  Come, ride with us! #BlackridersMCPhilippines #BlackridersMCMotherChapter #BlackridersMCEastCapitalChapter #BlackRidersMCNorthCapitalChapter ...

Prospecting is not about being someone's b*tch.

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 Words: Hook 📷Marco For some reason, when you prospect into a club, you may understand the notion that not everyone will appreciate you. Not everyone will talk to you, and not everyone will respect you. That's fine. Toughen up, because you are about to enter a world that is not for the faint of heart.   I remembered a brother's birthday, my second time serving as a prospect. They noticed that I always bow my head when I move around serving brothers. A brother called me and asked me, why do I keep bowing? To which I explained that it was a show of respect to the ones who were talking around the area where I was walking around (a sign of a Filipino way of showing respect). However, despite the explanation I had, his face still showed something unusual, something confusing, as if what I said to him was inadequate. What he told me next made me empty my cup. It made me realize that these moments are the ones you truly have to remember and appreciate. A brother gave his time to exp...

Why Modern Society Hates Chivalry: An Analysis of Why 'Real Men' are the Antagonists of Modernity

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Written by Hook Photo: Brother Kanding posing at a Cafe in Iloilo, while drenched in rain water after a ride on the way to church.  Dear Brothers and Sisters, For countless reasons, I hate to admit that society became too sensitive. Men, who were seen as protectors of the weak (The Knight in Shining Armor) are now portrayed as evil. Without conflict, these so called 'protectors' have no place in a society. People no longer acknowledge what they could do, and what they are ought to do. Branding these real men as toxic, barbaric and uncivilized. Modern society will tell you that there is no conflict to come, and that we should all live in peace and celebrate our weaknesses.  A real man begs to differ. But what makes a real man? Is it because of his sexual organ? Should a man always portray himself as brave and strong, or should he hide it from society? Should a real man be muscular, barbaric, and tough looking? Is a real man someone who can identify himself as argued by the woke...

A Stronghold Now Lay in Ruins

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Words written by Hook Photo captured by Hook  On a beautiful sunny day in a highway, a group of bikers with their handle bars high, ride in a beautiful staggered position. Their engines roaring, men are shouting wildly at it each other. They're quite intimidating, their tattoos showing and their bikes unique to the public eye.Their colors all black and white, their backs with flaming skulls on a cross. While  others don't have them yet. Their numbers were many,  it was an estimate that they were more than 50 riding judging by the numbers as my young nephew counted them one by one until he lost the ability to go further than 50. They were riding with smiling faces and everybody was watching silently.  For some of them, it didn't matter what bikes they were on, v-twins, single cylinders, and even cafe racers. All of them were having fun, all of them were riding. It came to a point that every weekend, I would see them hang around Marikina, a bar named Ruins. They would ...

Masks

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 Words: Hook Photo: Hook I have different masks for different groups of people: -In school, I'm a nerd who always sleeps in the library. -At home, I'm the kid who always goes out to play with his friends and comes back home late at night, only to escape outside the window to play again. -At work, I'm this asshole who loves to work easy and never lets anyone give him bullsh*t. But the most essential identity I have is found within the club. No filters, no restrictions, no drama and most importantly no mask. With my brothers, I am who I truly am. If you want to know who I really am, call me by my roadname, "Hook," cause I earned that shit for real. I am Hook from North Capital Chapter, and a proud member of the Biggest Black and White Club in the Philippines. The BlackRiders MC, I am an Affiliate Outlaw, and my club has been standing since 1972.  We are always riding, and never hiding.  With much love, loyalty and respect.  Salute 🖕🏻 to the all my brothers 🏴🏳️ R...

Challenge Your Own Knowledge

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Words: Hook Photo: Hook( I was tasked to Coach the Basketball Team, and won the championship despite the odds) People hate what they don't understand, and that's fine. A little education won't hurt them. The question is, are you educated enough about your own club, it's history and why it remains until this day?  I've always been sensitive to topics which people do not understand, and as a professor I genuinely give time to explain things to people, especially when they are out of sight. I usually start by asking them a series of questions, trying to understand where they're coming from. Some people would thank me for it, while most hates me for it. But that's fine, as long as I am able to give them that little education, I am more than satisfied enough knowing that I have done my part. Because, at the end of the day, people still have their freedom to choose whether to agree with you or not.  As part of a traditional Motorcycle Club, you will often hear civ...

Silence is your best defense

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  Words: Hook Photo: Taken during a year end party during my prospecting days. (I covered all of their faces as some are no longer part of our club, and some have quit due to personal reasons. Some are still in the club, but posting their faces takes a lot of personal permissions, and I'm too tired for that.) Tired and weary, as I sat in front of the hospital bed waiting for a nurse to finally inject the IV for my son, while he sits on his mother's lap begging for us to go home. A flash of memories suddenly evolved around my mind, wondering  what my brother's have been through or are even going through because of road mishaps or even sickness. Everything became silent all of a sudden, my mind was too focused on the things that could be done for those brothers in need when I suddenly heard the voice' of my old lady getting louder as she calls me by my name, instructing me to hold on to my child as the nurses begin to insert an IV.  Moments have passed, and still the thou...

The 700 Kilometer Journey on a 20 year-old $100 Bike I Bought on Facebook Market that Solidified my Prospecting.

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Words: Hook Photo: Maestro I remember back in 2022 a month before my wedding celebration took place, this photo was taken by brother Maestro while we where at a stop somewhere in Dagupan. We just finished fighting through traffic from Zambales (a day after Outlaws National Run) and we where on our way to Isabela. I remember after this photo was taken, I wondered how the hell did a $100.00 bike come this far. It was never an easy journey to begin with, I can still remember the face of brother Angel when I told the group that I was with (North and Bulacan chapter, including Maestro and Theo from Isabela) around 4am in the morning that my gas tank was leaking, and he had to drag me on a rope somewhere around Pampanga to find the earliest open motorcycle shop so we could continue our journey. I remember draining my gasoline tank in the middle of nowhere just so we can proceed by making a temporary bottled tank and continuously refill it while we where on our way. That is when somebody gav...

Sponsorship

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  Words:Hook P hoto:Dizzy (Max the sponsor in the middle, Splitter at the leftside and Hook at the rightside became full pledge members under Max sponsorship) I cannot deny the fact that sponsorship is a very important thing in an MC. If not, the most crucial thing during prospecting period. Yes you are the prospect of the entire club, but your words, actions and way of thinking all boils down to who mentored you inside the club.  The club will determine your weaknesses and select your mentor based on how they want you to be and in most cases geographical reasons. The club will assign you a sponsor that fits your well-being. Other clubs have sponsorship based on who introduced you to the club, it really depends, their club their rules.  The challenge for most prospects under sponsorship is emptying their cup. I have seen some who quit prospecting because they we're too sensitive about receiving feedbacks from their sponsors. It all boils down to your ability to move away ...

Why Standards Must Be Upheld

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  Words: Hook 📸 :54th Anniversary Being a biker is never just about owning a motorcycle. It is a commitment to a way of life built on sacrifice, discipline, and brotherhood. The road teaches lessons that cannot be learned anywhere else, and the patch on your back is earned not by words, but by the actions you take every single day. When you commit to the club, you give more than you could ever expect to receive. You give your time, your effort, your loyalty, and sometimes even your own comfort for the good of your brothers and the organization. You stand beside your club through good times and bad, asking for nothing in return except the values that hold every true club together: love, loyalty, and respect. These are not optional. They are the foundation of everything we represent. Without them, the patch becomes nothing more than cloth, and the brotherhood loses its meaning. Every member has the responsibility to uphold these values. If someone continually refuses to live by them...

Brotherhood Means Knowing When to Carry Your Own Weight

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  📸 : Ace and Prospect Words: Hook One of the rarest things brothers talk about nowadays is learning how to separate personal problems from club responsibilities. We all have problems. Every man has battles that nobody else sees; problems at home, problems with money, problems in relationships, problems with work, and struggles within ourselves. Nobody is saying that you have to pretend everything is fine. But being part of a club also means understanding that when you accept a position, a responsibility, or a duty, you are entrusted with something bigger than yourself. The club should never become the place where personal problems are used as an excuse to abandon responsibilities. If the club has given you a duty, learn to fulfill it. If you cannot perform that duty, communicate with your brothers and deal with the situation like a man. Don't simply disappear, lash out, create drama, or expect everyone to stop everything because you're having a difficult time. There is a diff...

Borrowers of Legacy: Why No Man Should Ever Become Bigger Than The Club

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  Words: Hook 📸 : AI Generated As the current National Vice President and a member of the council, I have witnessed different generations of members come and go. I've seen brothers rise through the ranks, earn respect through hard work, and become examples for others to follow. I've also seen something far more dangerous than rivalries, disagreements, or setbacks. I've seen the creation of idols. An idol is not simply someone who is respected. Respect is earned and deserved. An idol is someone who is placed above accountability, above the rules, above the club itself. It happens when members begin following personalities instead of principles. When loyalty shifts from the patch to a person. When admiration becomes blind allegiance. That is where the danger begins. At first, it seems harmless. People gravitate toward strong personalities. They look up to experienced members who have contributed greatly to the organization. There is nothing wrong with that. The problem start...

Loyalty a Word Preached by Many, Proven by Few: When You Leave The Club, But Not The Bitterness

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Words: Hook 📸 : Taken during the 54th Anniversary  There is a difference between leaving an MC and leaving with dignity. People come and go. Some decide that the club they once stood beside is no longer where they belong. That is their choice, and we respect it. When someone walks away, we do not wish them failure, harm, or misfortune. We wish them well and continue riding our own road. What is interesting, however, is when those who leave without loyalty later become the loudest voices preaching about love, loyalty, and respect. Principles are easy to preach. Living by them is another matter entirely. Love is standing by your brothers when things aren't convenient. Loyalty is remaining true when walking away would be easier. Respect is knowing how to leave without turning your former brothers into enemies. Loyalty is a gem, rare, valuable, and not something to be casually claimed. It should be earned through actions and protected through character. It should never be preached by ...

From Prison to Brotherhood: The Story Behind ‘Hook’

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Words: Hook 📸 : Hook Today, we live in a time when some young people turn their pain into an excuse for violence. Bullying, trauma, broken relationships, rejection, or difficult experiences are sometimes used to justify hurting or even killing others. I am not saying that pain is not real. Pain is real. Trauma is real. But what we choose to do with that pain is what defines us. I know this because I had every reason to become bitter. When I was around ten years old, almost my entire family was imprisoned, except for my younger brother. I was given the opportunity to live with my family inside the prison during school breaks or semestral breaks in college, experiencing a world of filth, corruption, violence, and danger at an age when I should have been thinking about school, games, and ordinary childhood problems. And nobody in my circle of friends knew.  I saw things no ten-year-old should have to see. I learned very early that the world was not always fair and that sometimes, eve...