Those who never traveled

[georgegeorgia]

The other topic on wisdom was quite interesting but I tend to think sometimes younger people are more wiser and accepting today of race , sexuality and interracial couples.

 

 I was working my hospital job ..I usually out & about in the large hospital I work in and come across workman  who are fixing the outside pavement areas.outside the hospital.

 

There were about 10 of them, and I got talking to a few the past few weeks,they were over the age of 55 and were apparently forced to take on the job by the Job Dept/Centrelink otherwise they would lose their unemployment benefits .( Apparently the federal govt pay their wages for 12  months as long term mature unemployed.

 

Anyway got talking to a few of  them many who had been unemplyed for many years one in particular 18 years, 15 years etc he just didn't want to work he said 

 

He was 55 fat baldy guy who lived in a Dept of Housing house by himself  paying cheap rent , I must say all the others basically looked the same .

 

Any way they all had things in common, they were all unfit looking, unkempt appearance, all between 55 & 65..and every second word was a swear word.

 

Anyway after talking to them over the past few weeks another thing stood out...they never traveled overseas particularly to Asia .

 

Now when I brought this up to one guy he was 61 , he started making jokes etc .." I love you long time " etc 

The other guy 57yo would on seeing Asian nurses walk past comment to me look at all the "fish faces" etc Ching a lings etc

 

On seeing male nurses .." poofters" and other derogatory terms ..these comments were all directed by old guys to people who were a quarter of their age

 

Now I didn't get angry because I was intrigued on their past lives , they seemed to be very immature, none of them had saved money it appears , it just like they had floated thru life relying on Govt housing & social security benefits ..maybe even past jail etc

 

They were all of caucasian Australian appearance 

 

But the embarrassing thing was in seeing young people walk past them such as trainees young doctors or nurses ( usually of Asian) indian background) and these old guys would make jokes about them ..eg I love you long time" ...I wonder if she gives happy ending " etc these younger people would ignore them look at them for a minute  and continue walking etc to the lunch cafes 

 

I even told them I had a Filipino GF which wasn't a great idea with some making comments I must be desperate etc ..

 

The thing is I believe it's because they never traveled particularly to Asia where they have to be non judgmental.

 

I never forget back in 2011 having a very homophobic workmate (Ron) old Aussie bloke rough as guts,  travel first time to Thailand, he ended up going about 3 times before I caught up with him again, he had completely changed , he even defended ladyboys in one conversation.

He nature in the years before he retired was completely different after he traveled Asia.

 

Ultimately he ended up retired to Udon Thani haven't seen him for years since 

 

I find younger people travel more than our generation , I find that's why they are more wiser & accepting of interfacial couples etc and non judgmental.

 

I don't hate those older guys but it seems to me travel is the key to becoming more confident..more mature and accepting of life , I find it interesting guys who are over say 55 and still act very immature in the sense they need to make racial comments to guys who have Asian partners , it's not I believe racism as such directed personal I believe it's because they never " experienced" travel overseas ...they never matured in that sense .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by georgegeorgia

[CharlieH]

One word springs to mind "Bogan" and that says it ALL. ????

 

"Bogan" is the most significant word to be created in Australian English in the past 40 years. It is defined as "an uncultured and unsophisticated person; a boorish and uncouth person" in the 2016 edition of the Australian National Dictionary.

[georgegeorgia]

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

One word springs to mind "Bogan" and that says it ALL. ????

Thats a Aussie slang word..not sure what the other countries description is ..is it Chavs in the UK?

[CharlieH]

4 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Thats a Aussie slang word..not sure what the other countries description is ..is it Chavs in the UK?

"The colloquial term, used widely in Australia and New Zealand, has been likened to the British term "chavs" and the American term "white trash".

[Will B Good]

12 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Now I didn't get angry

You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din.

[Sparktrader]

Bogan is like country hick or hillbilly. Chav is like gangsters.

 

Unemployed bogans have very low iqs.

 

Bogans swear non stop, think tattoos and smoking is cool. Really racist mostly.

 

I love asia. 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

If you google 'Housos' you'll get the gist. A funny Australian show set in an area of mainly government housing where most live off benefits.

They actually had a double episode where they cheat a current affairs program to give them a free trip to Thailand. Funny. 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Fat is a type of crazy

[Inala]

"They were all of caucasian Australian appearance"

 

Does a caucasian Australian look any different from a caucasian British or American or French person? I mean apart from being generally of a more muscular build and handsome appearance, I think the caucasian Aussie is much the same appearance as other caucasians?

So they must've been muscular and handsome which led him to conclude that they were Australian.  

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

"The colloquial term, used widely in Australia and New Zealand, has been likened to the British term "chavs" and the American term "white trash".

White trash is simply about being white & poor, and not really about ignorance or bigotry.  American term ... bigot works.

 

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime." - Mark Twain

[Chris.B]

Op, they sound like a bunch of layabout losers to me.

 

[robblok]

Racism usually stems from not having done much oneself and then needing to feel better then someone hence the remarks. People who are confident usually don't need to denigrate others to feel better.

 

 

[KhunLA]

Racism, bigotry is a taught, learned skill.  Peer driven and can be learned, sharpened or ignored.  Though my parents (bigots) tried their best, somehow even at 6 yrs old, I was already a free thinker, and ignored their teaching ????

 

Luckily I grew up in a mixed race neighborhood, on the other side of the tracks (literally) and one block away from white/black border line ????

 

Sort of a white trash DMZ, changing neighborhood, as my neighbor was the first to sell house to a black family.   And there went the neighborhood ????

 

It was a trip, watching the transition.  Friends turned to enemies, the fear & panic.  

[OneMoreFarang]

50% of people have an IQ below average. And many of them are a lot below average.

There are many millions of them. And there always will be many millions of them.

Obviously it's not all about IQ but it certainly is part of the problem.

 

 

 

[Sparktrader]

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

50% of people have an IQ below average. And many of them are a lot below average.

There are many millions of them. And there always will be many millions of them.

Obviously it's not all about IQ but it certainly is part of the problem.

 

 

 

Bogans 40 to.60

[OneMoreFarang]

4 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

Bogan is like country hick or hillbilly. Chav is like gangsters.

 

Unemployed bogans have very low iqs.

 

Bogans swear non stop, think tattoos and smoking is cool. Really racist mostly.

I am not a fan of all these people. And obviously I am happy if there would be fewer of them.

 

But if we are fair then I think we can't blame them much for being often stupid, uneducated, etc.. That's the way they were born. That's the way they were raised, probably by parents like that.

 

Many of us had/have smart and educated parents. And many of us lived in reasonable or even good conditions. We visited (maybe good) schools, maybe visited university. And with that education we could get well paid jobs, we could travel, experience other cultures and races, etc. And now we are to a big part what we are because of how we were born. That's wonderful for us.

 

But how would we be now if we would have had poor stupid ignorant parents? 

 

I also like to joke and point my finger at all those idiots. But to be fair, many of them are the way they are because they never had a realistic chance to be anything else.

 

[Sparktrader]

23 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I am not a fan of all these people. And obviously I am happy if there would be fewer of them.

 

But if we are fair then I think we can't blame them much for being often stupid, uneducated, etc.. That's the way they were born. That's the way they were raised, probably by parents like that.

 

Many of us had/have smart and educated parents. And many of us lived in reasonable or even good conditions. We visited (maybe good) schools, maybe visited university. And with that education we could get well paid jobs, we could travel, experience other cultures and races, etc. And now we are to a big part what we are because of how we were born. That's wonderful for us.

 

But how would we be now if we would have had poor stupid ignorant parents? 

 

I also like to joke and point my finger at all those idiots. But to be fair, many of them are the way they are because they never had a realistic chance to be anything else.

 

Their choice if over 30yo. I went to bogan school no money. Choose not to be bogan.

[pgrahmm]

It takes an adventurous spirit & a inquiring minds to travel - it broadens and enriches the soul....

Some never had the opportunity.... Others never had the curiosity....Still others, (like my late great Dad) feel they had enough travel courtesy of their military service....Many more travel inside their own country & feel they've done it all....Coming from the US it's easy to understand - you could take many years and still not see all of it....

Others are stymied by work, family, routine, the money chase, beer, pubs, habits, laziness, isolation....

Some are happy as internet moderators ???? - proving to themselves daily they haven't seen it all yet....????

It takes many folks to make this world....

We are among the privileged, lucky ones....

But, I believe it was Emerson that said "no man is my equal, in that I may learn from them".....

The OP has delivered the truism within that statement.....

 

I think it's time for me to break out my RWE collection & reread it - good for the soul.....

 

 

[LaosLover]

Everyone wants to travel. And many people who can't will deride travel as a defense mechanism.

 

When I was young and poor, I denounced expensive restaurants. Last night, I had a $24 plate of Penang curry in Manhattan. Lovely it was.

 

The young in the states don't have the travel bug as much as past generations. And those that do, love Mexico and romanticize it the way we do SEA, or our parents did the Med. Is going Tulum really any less horizon-broadening than going to Ko Phangan? Can say the same thing about Kuta Beach. Substitute Bintang wife beater joke for Chang one.

 

But people who want to travel beyond cruises and casino's have always been a small minority. Even the Bintang lager louts are sort of on my team.

 

As to the rest of it, it just sounds very Aus. I was not even off the plan there 20 minutes before I heard the term, shirt lifter. It really is its own special place.

 

I grew up in Staten Island and married someone from the Bible-est part of the Bible Belt, so I'm only in a limited position to make fun of Oz-ers.

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by LaosLover

[OneMoreFarang]

5 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

Their choice if over 30yo. I went to bogan school no money. Choose not to be bogan.

What is your IQ? < 80?

I guess not, because if you were unfortunate like that then you wouldn't have had a choice.

And I don't really know how low the IQ must be before there is (almost) no choice.

[scorecard]

5 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

Their choice if over 30yo. I went to bogan school no money. Choose not to be bogan.

I had smart balanced parents who spoke often when I was growing up about equal opportunity, respect for others in every way, etc., and they treated all with dignity etc. 

 

My mum wrote text books and gave lectures about methodology to teach handicapped kids to learn language, to learn maths and more.

 

We lived in the centre of Australia and summers were scorching. On super hot days mum was waiting under the canopy at the front gate for the guys who collected the garbage with fresh sandwiches and cool drinks and facilities to wash their hands. The 'garbos' loved her to death, she saw it as 'the right thing to do'. But some neighbors made it plain they didn't approve.

 

The first assisted migrants who came to our town were from Italy, husband was an engineer and from memory his wife was a midwife, both well educated, both spoke advanced English.

 

My mum and dad befriended them but it didn't take long until we had a knock on the front door, dad opened the door, it was a deputation from our neighbors. The leader said 'we've come to ask you to reconsider your friendship with the new '<deleted>' down the street.

 

Dad (always a quick good thinker) didn't respond for a few seconds, then said 'is that it, any other requests', he waited a few seconds then calmly said 'I'm going back to the dinner table to finish my dinner'. He walked away but left the front door open. 

 

It was quickly obvious dad had shocked them to the point where most were reconsidering their own behaviors and attitudes.

 

One neighbor (perhaps a bogan) decided to visit the <deleted> and a couple of weeks later there was a big BBQ in the bogans backyard and the <deleted> brought plenty of their home made grapa. Next BBQ at a different house and several ladies made pavlova, which the <deleted> loved, all washed down with grapa.

 

I was conscripted and did war service in Vietnam. We had very little time or opportunity to see the country but it planted the desire in me to explore other cultures, food etc. And I was lucky enough, after army discharge to get a position which quickly had me posted to Singapore and then quickly to Thailand. Wow a whole new world to explore and I did .

 

But there was a downside, I went back to my hometown often enough to see my parents and of course I caught up with old school buddies etc.

 

First time I went home, and spoke with old buddies was quite awkward, I was telling them about food and vehicles in Thailand, then I realized they weren't responding at all; silence.

 

Why? Because they couldn't join my conversation, they had never been more than 100 Km outside of the home town, there was no TV and newspapers were very parochial.  And they saw me as a 'smart ass' bragging about my travels.

 

I often wished I could share but I quickly learned to keep my comments very local. 

[pomchop]

11 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Thats a Aussie slang word..not sure what the other countries description is ..is it Chavs in the UK?

Deplorables.

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

The other topic on wisdom was quite interesting but I tend to think sometimes younger people are more wiser and accepting today of race , sexuality and interracial couples.

Nothing to do with wisdom, IMO.

 

The guys you reference probably never had a chance in life ( it happens ) and they are bitter. Such people probably go after the "other" as it makes them feel better about themselves, as in "I'm not as rubbish as them".

Often used by politicians to gain votes. Many examples in history- Hitler and the Jews etc.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

First time I went home, and spoke with old buddies was quite awkward, I was telling them about food and vehicles in Thailand, then I realized they weren't responding at all; silence.

Big mistake, IMO. I've been visiting/ living in Thailand for decades, and in that time not a single work colleague or friend has brought up the subject. Few of them were travelers themselves, and far as I could see had no interest in anything outside their own little bubble.

The rare times Thailand comes up with others that have actually visited Thailand the conversation begins and ends with "I loved Thailand", but not, apparently, enough to have a discussion about it.

 

I spent time in Antarctica, and on my return not a single family member or friend asked me about it, so it's not just Thailand they have zero interest in.

[robblok]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Big mistake, IMO. I've been visiting/ living in Thailand for decades, and in that time not a single work colleague or friend has brought up the subject. Few of them were travelers themselves, and far as I could see had no interest in anything outside their own little bubble.

The rare times Thailand comes up with others that have actually visited Thailand the conversation begins and ends with "I loved Thailand", but not, apparently, enough to have a discussion about it.

 

I spent time in Antarctica, and on my return not a single family member or friend asked me about it, so it's not just Thailand they have zero interest in.

Never had a problem with my friends and Thailand, but then again Dutch people are in general open minded and of course my friends are of different generation. 

 

If your from a country as small as the Netherlands then its unlikely that you havent travelled.

[BritManToo]

18 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

I find younger people travel more than our generation , I find that's why they are more wiser & accepting of interfacial couples etc and non judgmental.

Or maybe you just mix with a lower class of person ............

My parents traveled around France and Spain for 3 months a year (1960s/70s/80s).

My grandfather went to kill natives in Africa 1880s/90s.

My great grandfather killed many in the second Ashanti war (1860s).

My relatives are spread all over Canada/South Africa/New Zealand. 

 

My family motto ......

Join the army, travel the world, encounter many different cultures, kill them and take their lands.

Edited March 1, 2022 by BritManToo

[Sparktrader]

10 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What is your IQ? < 80?

I guess not, because if you were unfortunate like that then you wouldn't have had a choice.

And I don't really know how low the IQ must be before there is (almost) no choice.

135

[Enoon]

 

 

 

I assume it to be the least travelled expats who complain about their lives in Thailand the most.

 

 

 

[KhunLA]

7 minutes ago, Enoon said:

I assume it to be the least travelled expats who complain about their lives in Thailand the most.

Nah, they would complain no matter where they lived.  They obviously think Thailand is better than where they came from, so you'd think they'd be happy and appreciate they are no longer back 'there'.

[Enoon]

19 hours ago, Inala said:

"They were all of caucasian Australian appearance"

 

Does a caucasian Australian look any different from a caucasian British or American or French person? I mean apart from being generally of a more muscular build and handsome appearance, I think the caucasian Aussie is much the same appearance as other caucasians?

So they must've been muscular and handsome which led him to conclude that they were Australian.  

Isn't the post talking about observations in Australia?

 

It dentifies the characters as Caucasian, rather than Aboriginals, or any of the other racial types/sub-types who constitute the Australian population.

 

 

 

 

 

[Enoon]

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Nah, they would complain no matter where they lived.  They obviously think Thailand is better than where they came from, so you'd think they'd be happy and appreciate they are no longer back 'there'.

Your observation is certainly correct of one type.

 

However I submit that a very large pecentage of expats have indeed arrived in Thailand as a member of the age group described in the OP,  and with little or no experience of foreign cultures.

 

20 years holidays in Benidorm, or its equivalent elsewhere in the world, does not count as experiencing foreign cultures.

 

Consequently the moaning and non-stop criticism of Thai culture/society, within which their age/experience renders them pathologically incapable of being at ease.