Are Expat's Opinions of Thailand Influenced by how much money they have?

[mogandave]

I thought Europe was doing all they could to eliminate culture as it smacks of nationalism. (not patriotism mind you, they’re direct opposites)

[marcusarelus]

52 minutes ago, jayboy said:

It’s nothing to do with Thai culture - of little moment or interest compared with those of the great civilizations of Japan, China and Renaissance Europe for example.

It’s to do with the mindset of foreigners who have no knowledge or appreciation of any high culture.They are therefore happy with the superficial life of a Thailand expatriate (obviously not talking about those who have been sent here to do a proper job of work)

I don’t blame these people and understand the attraction of the dolce vita.
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I have seen in person almost everything Monet ever painted. 

 

I have read everything Joyce wrote and understood it. 

 

In the parking lot before the year turned to 2000 I met a woman and she thought as well him as another and then she asked me with her eyes to ask again yes and then I asked her would she yes to say yes and her heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will.

 

Culture is what we make it.  I saw Monet in the Nana Plaza hotel and Joyce in the parking lot. 

 

Who are you to judge expats lives as superficial?  I know a Brit who takes care of children who are HIV positive from birth.  Another fellow who makes artificial limbs for people to poor to afford them.  There is not typical expat.  Everybody has a story. 

 

Do you think Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa painted hookers because he was attracted to French culture? 

[marcusarelus]

Thailand has a long tradition of poets and writers but many Farang high school drop outs gather over fruit wine and cheer each other on with stories of Western literary superiority.  Thailand has celebrated Phra Sunthonwohan for centuries but since so few Hi So wannabee Farangs read Thai he escapes great notoriety here on Thai visa. 

 

Culture is always an interesting discussion and Opera was the rock and roll of the middle ages. 

 

Who cares.  Because I sing Nessun Dorma when I make Pizza does not make me a better person. 

[metisdead]

A post in violation of fair use policy has been removed. 

[jayboy]

I have seen in person almost everything Monet ever painted. 
 
I have read everything Joyce wrote and understood it. 
 
In the parking lot before the year turned to 2000 I met a woman and she thought as well him as another and then she asked me with her eyes to ask again yes and then I asked her would she yes to say yes and her heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will.
 
Culture is what we make it.  I saw Monet in the Nana Plaza hotel and Joyce in the parking lot. 
 
Who are you to judge expats lives as superficial?  I know a Brit who takes care of children who are HIV positive from birth.  Another fellow who makes artificial limbs for people to poor to afford them.  There is not typical expat.  Everybody has a story. 
 
Do you think Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa painted hookers because he was attracted to French culture? 

Culture is not just what we make it.There is always a subjective element of course - but it’s no use pretending that all civilisations are of equal value, except perhaps to anthropologists.




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[Nyezhov]

33 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

 

Who cares.  Because I sing Nessun Dorma when I make Pizza does not make me a better person. 

????

Only Pavorotti is allowed to do that! Sacrilege!

[Nyezhov]

19 minutes ago, jayboy said:

but it’s no use pretending that all civilisations are of equal value, except perhaps to anthropologists.

Mein freund, you are confusing "civilization" and culture.

 

You get no argument from me that the works of Beethovan are musically better in terms of complexity and richness than the monotonic reed pipe of the Bushman, that Pynchon is symbolically richer than the campfire stories in the Andaman islands, that a Rodin sculpture is more technically difficult than the carved mask of the New Guinea tribesman, but even modern Western civilization is no longer "Western" by way of the influence of so many people and cultures in the world. 

 

But who are you to judge a cultural hierarchy? Have you read the Ramakien? Care to debate the comparison between that and Beowulf? Is modern Japanese literature the best in the world because it is represented by Murakami?

 

And to debate the value of "civilization" is silly. To that extent. please tell me which "civilization" and to what extent, was the best?  Judeo-Christian? Greek/Roman Pagan? Hindu? Buddhist? Confucian? African? Egypt is Africa by the way, don't forget that. Incan? Have you studied the Khmer civilization?

 

Tell us how you define civilization from the get go? Is the civilization hierarchy defined by power alone, or success, or longevity, or its influence on the entire world and the percentage thereof?

 

I think you should give up before you dig yourself deeper.

 

 

[Joe Mcseismic]

On 12/6/2018 at 11:20 AM, BritManToo said:

My kids are doing fine in government school.

Yeah....just keep telling yourself that. Makes you feel good about giving your kids a sub-standard education, eh?

[BritManToo]

12 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Yeah....just keep telling yourself that. Makes you feel good about giving your kids a sub-standard education, eh?

Speaking two languages fluently is advantage enough.

None of my Brit kids educated in the UK can speak another language

How many languages do you speak?

Edited December 11, 2018 by BritManToo

[Nyezhov]

12 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Yeah....just keep telling yourself that. Makes you feel good about giving your kids a sub-standard education, eh?

A school is only a bad school if the parent isnt schooling.

[mogandave]

 
Who cares.  Because I sing Nessun Dorma when I make Pizza does not make me a better person. 

No, but it does make you annoying..,

(just kidding)

[mogandave]

Yeah....just keep telling yourself that. Makes you feel good about giving your kids a sub-standard education, eh?

As long they don’t grow up to be a hateful bigot I’m okay.

I find people bragging about the quality of their education are often fools.

[jayboy]

35 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Mein freund, you are confusing "civilization" and culture.

 

You get no argument from me that the works of Beethovan are musically better in terms of complexity and richness than the monotonic reed pipe of the Bushman, that Pynchon is symbolically richer than the campfire stories in the Andaman islands, that a Rodin sculpture is more technically difficult than the carved mask of the New Guinea tribesman, but even modern Western civilization is no longer "Western" by way of the influence of so many people and cultures in the world. 

 

But who are you to judge a cultural hierarchy? Have you read the Ramakien? Care to debate the comparison between that and Beowulf? Is modern Japanese literature the best in the world because it is represented by Murakami?

 

And to debate the value of "civilization" is silly. To that extent. please tell me which "civilization" and to what extent, was the best?  Judeo-Christian? Greek/Roman Pagan? Hindu? Buddhist? Confucian? African? Egypt is Africa by the way, don't forget that. Incan? Have you studied the Khmer civilization?

 

Tell us how you define civilization from the get go? Is the civilization hierarchy defined by power alone, or success, or longevity, or its influence on the entire world and the percentage thereof?

 

I think you should give up before you dig yourself deeper.

 

 

 

38 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Mein freund, you are confusing "civilization" and culture.

 

You get no argument from me that the works of Beethovan are musically better in terms of complexity and richness than the monotonic reed pipe of the Bushman, that Pynchon is symbolically richer than the campfire stories in the Andaman islands, that a Rodin sculpture is more technically difficult than the carved mask of the New Guinea tribesman, but even modern Western civilization is no longer "Western" by way of the influence of so many people and cultures in the world. 

 

But who are you to judge a cultural hierarchy? Have you read the Ramakien? Care to debate the comparison between that and Beowulf? Is modern Japanese literature the best in the world because it is represented by Murakami?

 

And to debate the value of "civilization" is silly. To that extent. please tell me which "civilization" and to what extent, was the best?  Judeo-Christian? Greek/Roman Pagan? Hindu? Buddhist? Confucian? African? Egypt is Africa by the way, don't forget that. Incan? Have you studied the Khmer civilization?

 

Tell us how you define civilization from the get go? Is the civilization hierarchy defined by power alone, or success, or longevity, or its influence on the entire world and the percentage thereof?

 

I think you should give up before you dig yourself deeper.

 

 

Ah the musings of an autodidact, always good for a giggle.

 

But examine the detail and it's almost always nonsense. It would be absurd to debate which of the Ramakien and Beowulf is "best".

 

The comment on Murakami and Japanese literature is ludicrous - he's in vogue but not even the most accomplished modern Japanese novelist.

 

Who is debating which civilisation is best? Not me. And I note your racist assumption that somehow it needs Egypt to make African civilisation compete. You simply haven't read enough.

[marcusarelus]

33 minutes ago, mogandave said:

 

No, but it does make you annoying..,

(just kidding)

 

The only one here is my dog.

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by marcusarelus

[mogandave]

Ah the musings of an autodidact, always good for a giggle.
 
But examine the detail and it's almost always nonsense. It would be absurd to debate which of the Ramakien and Beowulf is "best".
 
The comment on Murakami and Japanese literature is ludicrous - he's in vogue but not even the most accomplished modern Japanese novelist.
 
Who is debating which civilisation is best? Not me. And I note your racist assumption that somehow it needs Egypt to make African civilisation compete. You simply haven't read enough.

Wow, you’re really smart.

[Nyezhov]

7 minutes ago, jayboy said:

Ah the musings of an autodidact, always good for a giggle.

Ah, the response of the person who has no response. In other words you cant respond to the substance of my post, so you just ad hominem. Got it ????

 

8 minutes ago, jayboy said:

It would be absurd to debate which of the Ramakien and Beowulf is "best".

In other words you have read neither and are unable to cogently expound on the moral lessons derived from either of them.

 

10 minutes ago, jayboy said:

The comment on Murakami and Japanese literature is ludicrous - he's in vogue but not even the most accomplished modern Japanese novelist.

Really? Who then? Enlighten me with your knowledge of modern Japanese literature. You have read Kenzaburo Oe's "Silent Cry" have you? Care to discuss his stylistic differences with Murakami?

 

11 minutes ago, jayboy said:

Who is debating which civilisation is best? Not me. And I note your racist assumption that somehow it needs Egypt to make African civilisation compete. You simply haven't read enough.

You are the one who raised the issue, viz: "but it’s no use pretending that all civilisations are of equal value,"

 

You must be a young American, you use the word "rascist" when you have no counter argument. I wont even respond to your childish assumption of what I "assume".

 

I suggest you call it a night. 

[mogandave]

Ah the musings of an autodidact, always good for a giggle.
 
But examine the detail and it's almost always nonsense. It would be absurd to debate which of the Ramakien and Beowulf is "best".
 
The comment on Murakami and Japanese literature is ludicrous - he's in vogue but not even the most accomplished modern Japanese novelist.
 
Who is debating which civilisation is best? Not me. And I note your racist assumption that somehow it needs Egypt to make African civilisation compete. You simply haven't read enough.

Wow, you’re really smart.

[Naam]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

 

Who cares.  Because I sing Nessun Dorma when I make Pizza does not make me a better person. 

????

Only Pavorotti is allowed to do that! Sacrilege!

what about me in the shower presenting "la donna e mobile"?

[jayboy]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

Ah, the response of the person who has no response. In other words you cant respond to the substance of my post, so you just ad hominem. Got it ????

 

In other words you have read neither and are unable to cogently expound on the moral lessons derived from either of them.

 

Really? Who then? Enlighten me with your knowledge of modern Japanese literature. You have read Kenzaburo Oe's "Silent Cry" have you? Care to discuss his stylistic differences with Murakami?

 

You are the one who raised the issue, viz: "but it’s no use pretending that all civilisations are of equal value,"

 

You must be a young American, you use the word "rascist" when you have no counter argument. I wont even respond to your childish assumption of what I "assume".

 

I suggest you call it a night. 

There is a lot to be said for those who are self-educated (tip of the hat to Wikipedia) even though they might not have what the stuffier type of don would call a trained mind. The problem is they often don't know the difference between real understanding and showing off. And as in this instance, they are often not very analytical (not to mention problems with spelling and grammar!)

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, jayboy said:

There is a lot to be said for those who are self-educated (tip of the hat to Wikipedia) even though they might not have what the stuffier type of don would call a trained mind. The problem is they often don't know the difference between real understanding and showing off. And as in this instance, they are often not very analytical (not to mention problems with spelling and grammar!)

In other words, no response to the meat of the argument, just focus on my two finger typing skills and lack of desire to use spell check.

[Nyezhov]

2 hours ago, Naam said:

what about me in the shower presenting "la donna e mobile"?

thanks for the visual, Ill be sure to fumigate my brain later.

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, jayboy said:

It would be absurd to debate which of the Ramakien and Beowulf is "best".

I read all the Norse legends I could find when I was 12.

Beowulf was one of them (English version).

 

I have no idea about Ramakein, and am not interested enough to use Google.

[observer90210]

The exchange rate with an inflated Thai Bhat perhaps has shattered a few dreams and caused some bitterness ?

[Joe Mcseismic]

On 12/11/2018 at 5:49 PM, BritManToo said:

Speaking two languages fluently is advantage enough.

None of my Brit kids educated in the UK can speak another language

How many languages do you speak?

Two fluently. I've met street kids in India with more, but, they're still street kids. How is their Maths, Physics, Biology, Geography, History Economics etc. etc? You know.....the subjects that are needed for a career (not a job).

[marcusarelus]

28 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Two fluently. I've met street kids in India with more, but, they're still street kids. How is their Maths, Physics, Biology, Geography, History Economics etc. etc? You know.....the subjects that are needed for a career (not a job).

I have a daughter who speaks and writes English and Japanese fluently she is an international marketing rep does quite well at the bank - poorly at Math, Physics, Biology .....

 

I have another child speaks English, Spanish and French and I can't talk about what she does except that I can't talk about it.  Her civilian counterpart makes $250,000 per year.  Math bad language good.  

 

I have another kid who produces TV shows in three languages.  

 

Lots of jobs for people who are fluent in a few languages.  

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

How is their Maths, Physics, Biology, Geography, History Economics etc. etc? You know.....the subjects that are needed for a career (not a job).

 

Not required in most employment. Richard Branson didn't even finish high school.

Although middle-class people who never make much money all seem to have degrees of some sort.

 

Let's face it, the guys all shouting, education, education, education are without exception small-time losers.

Else we wouldn't be living in Thailand.

Edited December 12, 2018 by BritManToo

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Not required in most employment. Richard Branson didn't even finish high school.

Although middle-class people who never make much money all seem to have degrees of some sort.

 

Let's face it, the guys all shouting, education, education, education are without exception small-time losers.

Else we wouldn't be living in Thailand.

Guilty, As a parent I feel an obligation to provide the building blocks for a bright future. When we talk of money we need to define what "good money" is. It's different for everyone. Sort of like when how much money do we spend is discussed. My little girl is going to be a movie star so no worries here.

[Nyezhov]

4 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Guilty, As a parent I feel an obligation to provide the building blocks for a bright future. When we talk of money we need to define what "good money" is. It's different for everyone. Sort of like when how much money do we spend is discussed. My little girl is going to be a movie star so no worries here.

She will make more money as a plumber

[Joe Mcseismic]

OK, I understand now. Education is bad. You can earn more money as an uneducated polyglot. Got it.

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

OK, I understand now. Education is bad. You can earn more money as an uneducated polyglot. Got it.

Doesn't sound like you have much money (like me).

Drive, ambition, danger and/or the right family is what earns people money.

Education just gets you a soft job as a teacher, or a place in a corporate cubby

 

Edited December 13, 2018 by BritManToo