11 hours ago, Keeps said:

I would call that a combination of ignorance and arrogance.

I strongly disagree. I've mentioned before that I don't give a flying f *uck what people think of me, or if they disrespect me etc. But none of my colleagues AFAIK consider me either ignorant or arrogant. They praise me for my quiet and confident attitude, my self-control, my generosity, my keeness to learn the local language so that I understand others blah blah blah.

Does a monk worry about what others think of him?

Edited May 22May 22 by simon43

5 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I strongly disagree. I've mentioned before that I don't give a flying f *uck what people think of me, or if they disrespect me etc. But none of my colleagues AFAIK consider me either ignorant or arrogant. They praise me for my quiet and confident attitude, my self-control, my generosity, my keeness to learn the local language so that I understand others blah blah blah.

Does a monk worry about what others think of him?

Yea, what he said, except for local language thingy. Spanish, no prob, but Thai's tonal BS, nah, just enough to get by, and half of that is probably spoken wrong, but tolerated.

4 hours ago, simon43 said:

I strongly disagree. I've mentioned before that I don't give a flying f *uck what people think of me, or if they disrespect me etc. But none of my colleagues AFAIK consider me either ignorant or arrogant. They praise me for my quiet and confident attitude, my self-control, my generosity, my keeness to learn the local language so that I understand others blah blah blah.

Does a monk worry about what others think of him?

Never judge a man til you walk a mile in his shoes comes to mind.

17 hours ago, Pear Shaped said:

I would not say I have a strict set of precepts that I think about every day, but over time there are a few things that I have picked up that have become part of my nature and how I try to move through life.

In no particular order...

Try not to be off putting to other people.

Try to treat others with respect.

Do not wrong people or take advantage of others.

Do not take anything that is not yours.

Try to do some good while you are here.

Try not to be too hard on yourself.

Try not to sweat or overthink the small stuff.

Try to be honest, even when it is uncomfortable.

Try not to waste time trying to change things you cannot change.

Try to listen more than you speak.

Try to keep your word when you give it.

Try to stay grateful for what you already have.

Be reliable.

Try to take responsibility for your own mistakes without excuses.

Try to leave people and situations a little better off than how you found them.

Try to value consistency over intensity.

Try to spend time thinking things through. Not everything needs to be answered or decided upon right away.

Try to remember that how you treat people when you are stressed says more than how you treat them when everything is easy.

It is not always a perfect plan, and I do not always get it right, but these are the kind of things that sit in the background and help keep me on the straight and narrow.

My goodness what a pious man you're, I don't thing that even the pop has such list as you have.

50 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

Never judge a man til you walk a mile in his shoes comes to mind.

It goes like this: "Never judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes. Then you will be a mile away from him, and you will have his shoes."

18 hours ago, Pear Shaped said:

I would not say I have a strict set of precepts that I think about every day, but over time there are a few things that I have picked up that have become part of my nature and how I try to move through life.

In no particular order...

Try not to be off putting to other people.

Try to treat others with respect.

Do not wrong people or take advantage of others.

Do not take anything that is not yours.

Try to do some good while you are here.

Try not to be too hard on yourself.

Try not to sweat or overthink the small stuff.

Try to be honest, even when it is uncomfortable.

Try not to waste time trying to change things you cannot change.

Try to listen more than you speak.

Try to keep your word when you give it.

Try to stay grateful for what you already have.

Be reliable.

Try to take responsibility for your own mistakes without excuses.

Try to leave people and situations a little better off than how you found them.

Try to value consistency over intensity.

Try to spend time thinking things through. Not everything needs to be answered or decided upon right away.

Try to remember that how you treat people when you are stressed says more than how you treat them when everything is easy.

It is not always a perfect plan, and I do not always get it right, but these are the kind of things that sit in the background and help keep me on the straight and narrow.

One of my general rules is to avoid putting a long list of my own moral values out for others to hear/see, because I know it will probably come across as virtue signaling.

8 hours ago, Rockyroad said:

Never judge a man til you walk a mile in his shoes comes to mind.

3 thumbs down

3 real sad people lol

22 hours ago, simon43 said:

I strongly disagree. I've mentioned before that I don't give a flying f *uck what people think of me, or if they disrespect me etc. But none of my colleagues AFAIK consider me either ignorant or arrogant. They praise me for my quiet and confident attitude, my self-control, my generosity, my keeness to learn the local language so that I understand others blah blah blah.

Does a monk worry about what others think of him?

You got 3 thumbs down too lol

They must want people to listen to their negative thoughts and be miserable like them. Miserable people hate happy people.

Contrast Effect:

Seeing someone happy can highlight their own unhappiness. Imagine you’re already feeling gloomy, and then someone bursts in radiating joy—it can feel like a mirror reflecting your own dissatisfaction, which is uncomfortable.

Cognitive Dissonance:

Negative people often have an internal narrative or worldview that focuses on problems, risks, or pessimism. When they encounter happiness that doesn’t fit that narrative, it creates a mental clash: “Why is this person happy when life is so unfair?” This clash can unconsciously generate irritation or resentment.

1 hour ago, Rockyroad said:

Contrast Effect:

Seeing someone happy can highlight their own unhappiness. Imagine you’re already feeling gloomy, and then someone bursts in radiating joy—it can feel like a mirror reflecting your own dissatisfaction, which is uncomfortable.

Cognitive Dissonance:

Negative people often have an internal narrative or worldview that focuses on problems, risks, or pessimism. When they encounter happiness that doesn’t fit that narrative, it creates a mental clash: “Why is this person happy when life is so unfair?” This clash can unconsciously generate irritation or resentment.

And where do you place yourself on that scale? You do not come across as very happy on this forum.

I agree with what you say above, but you could use some more positivity too when you post something, instead of always going dark on everything. People are not judged by one single post; they are judged by their history and pattern.

And yes, you also have your share of stalkers who just see your name and press thumbs down, which obviously can lead to a more resigned and hostile style over time.

Choose freedom.

Be grateful.

Be kind.

Don't willingly hurt anyone in your sphere of influence.

While in Rome, do as the Romans do!

Basically … assimilate!

26 minutes ago, RMK54 said:

While in Rome, do as the Romans do!

Basically … assimilate!

I think that is what the Borg do?

Surely better to adapt and to a lesser extent adopt.

1. Remember to tell the wife how great she looks when she's having a bad day.

2. Er.....

Not a guide, just things to remember as you trudge down the road of life.

If the women don't find you handsome, they can at least find you handy.

Know which way the wind is blowing before going into a sh-tstorm.

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.

& of course ...

When did Noah build the ark ... before the rain, before the rain.

Edited May 23May 23 by Dcheech

On 5/21/2026 at 7:18 PM, Pear Shaped said:

I would not say I have a strict set of precepts that I think about every day, but over time there are a few things that I have picked up that have become part of my nature and how I try to move through life.

In no particular order...

Try not to be off putting to other people.

Try to treat others with respect.

Do not wrong people or take advantage of others.

Do not take anything that is not yours.

Try to do some good while you are here.

Try not to be too hard on yourself.

Try not to sweat or overthink the small stuff.

Try to be honest, even when it is uncomfortable.

Try not to waste time trying to change things you cannot change.

Try to listen more than you speak.

Try to keep your word when you give it.

Try to stay grateful for what you already have.

Be reliable.

Try to take responsibility for your own mistakes without excuses.

Try to leave people and situations a little better off than how you found them.

Try to value consistency over intensity.

Try to spend time thinking things through. Not everything needs to be answered or decided upon right away.

Try to remember that how you treat people when you are stressed says more than how you treat them when everything is easy.

It is not always a perfect plan, and I do not always get it right, but these are the kind of things that sit in the background and help keep me on the straight and narrow.

On 5/21/2026 at 7:18 PM, Pear Shaped said:

I would not say I have a strict set of precepts that I think about every day, but over time there are a few things that I have picked up that have become part of my nature and how I try to move through life.

In no particular order...

Try not to be off putting to other people.

Try to treat others with respect.

Do not wrong people or take advantage of others.

Do not take anything that is not yours.

Try to do some good while you are here.

Try not to be too hard on yourself.

Try not to sweat or overthink the small stuff.

Try to be honest, even when it is uncomfortable.

Try not to waste time trying to change things you cannot change.

Try to listen more than you speak.

Try to keep your word when you give it.

Try to stay grateful for what you already have.

Be reliable.

Try to take responsibility for your own mistakes without excuses.

Try to leave people and situations a little better off than how you found them.

Try to value consistency over intensity.

Try to spend time thinking things through. Not everything needs to be answered or decided upon right away.

Try to remember that how you treat people when you are stressed says more than how you treat them when everything is easy.

It is not always a perfect plan, and I do not always get it right, but these are the kind of things that sit in the background and help keep me on the straight and narrow.

1. Use it or lose it.

2. You are what you eat.

Everything else is common sense and courtesy.

Edited May 23May 23 by IsaanT

3 hours ago, Hummin said:

And where do you place yourself on that scale? You do not come across as very happy on this forum.

I agree with what you say above, but you could use some more positivity too when you post something, instead of always going dark on everything. People are not judged by one single post; they are judged by their history and pattern.

And yes, you also have your share of stalkers who just see your name and press thumbs down, which obviously can lead to a more resigned and hostile style over time.

The forum is just words on a screen. Don't you find it interesting how so many farangs don't follow buddhist teachings in a buddist country?

25 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

The forum is just words on a screen. Don't you find it interesting how so many farangs don't follow buddhist teachings in a buddist country?

It is like asking Muslims to be Christians?

I'm in general against such belief systems, but I also se the positivity about it. Except when they gather fortunes from poor people done by fear, guilt and hope.

Generally, I just try not to get caught.

But seriously, I try to at least acknowledge some of the worker bees among us and try to be friendly and kind to them. The cleaning ladies, the street sweepers, the security guards, the taxi drivers. I admit that last one is more difficult, especially in and around the Sukhumvit area.

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

It is like asking Muslims to be Christians?

I'm in general against such belief systems, but I also se the positivity about it. Except when they gather fortunes from poor people done by fear, guilt and hope.

Buddhism has no god.

Any time I see a policeman I give him a 20 baht tip.

Pear shaped, the Bible calls these sorts of things "the works of the law", and it is impossible to keep the law because man's nature it habitually sinful. If you are aiming at Heaven because of your good works, you'll never make it. That's exactly why Jesus Christ came. His atoning work on the cross fulfilled the law, so now, those who put their faith in Him and receive Him into their heart as Lord and Savior, to them He will send the Holy Spirit to indwell them and give them the power to overcome sin and practice the kind of behavior to which you are referring. Without Him, you are toast...literally!

Edited May 23May 23 by fittobethaied

On 5/21/2026 at 2:25 PM, Rockyroad said:

True confidence is walking into a room and not caring what others think of you.

What? You mean like Trump does?

On 5/22/2026 at 2:36 AM, simon43 said:

Does a monk worry about what others think of him?

Looking at the news I think probably not.