Something For The Life Of Me I Just Can't Understand

[ray23]

Recently a friend was stung by a bee, his wife thought it was extremly funny, this big farrang hurt by a bee, In the meantime he has great difficulty in breathing and is having chest pains. Finally after his pleading in between her laughing, he finally gets her to a call an ambulance. Where he get treatment. He is allergic and could have died. When she relates this story to this day she still thinks it's funny.

Had my own experience tonight, not as drastict by any means but not a lot of fun at the moment. Had a cap come off and to be honest it hurts like hel_l. The wife thought it was funny.

I just don't get it I find no humor in others pain. Why do these people find things like this funny?

[qualtrough]

My wife freaks out if I have a sniffle or stub my toe. Sorry about yours!

[elkangorito]

Had my own experience tonight, not as drastict by any means but not a lot of fun at the moment. Had a cap come off and to be honest it hurts like hel_l. The wife thought it was funny.

I just don't get it I find no humor in others pain. Why do these people find things like this funny?

Cap? How can a cap coming off, hurt like hel_l? What kind of 'cap' was it? Please explain!

And yes, the Thais have an inane sense of humour. Obviously, if something is either too 'serious' or incomprehensible, they 'laugh' it away. They are strange in this way.

[ray23]

A cap on a toothe

[elkangorito]

A cap on a toothe

Ahhhhhhh! A 'dental' cap. Thanks for that.

[colino]

my wife thinks things like the op said, funny as well, last week her brother inlaw walked into a glass door in future park ended up on his bum , she has told eveyone and laughs like a mad banchee when telling the story ,,

ps its not funny when she hurts herself

[Maigo6]

Yeah, but would we not laugh if some guy carrying a 3 tier wedding cake fell down some stairs?

Don't we find slapstick comedy funny ?

C'mon guys, don't you remember when you was younger, wouldn't you have pizzed yourself laughing if you saw some guy walk into a lampost, I know I have!

Edited September 17, 2007 by Maigo6

[elkangorito]

Yeah, but would we not laugh if some guy carrying a 3 tier wedding cake fell down some stairs?

Don't we find slapstick comedy funny ?

C'mon guys, don't you remember when you was younger, wouldn't you have pizzed yourself laughing if you saw some guy walk into a lampost, I know I have!

It's not necessarily what happened...it's more to do with the after effects. Of course, I'd laugh my guts out if I saw someone being stung by a bee...NOT!!! Perhaps I would laugh if I saw someone walk into a post (I've done this). The initial 'thing' may seem funny. It simply isn't funny...unless they run off in a mad stupor & create mayhem in the process. But after that, perhaps the reason why they were behaving in such a way is because it is a 'serious' problem! The word 'serious' is something that Thias use often. For example, "You are being too serious" or "Stop being serious". The funny thing is that Thais are very serious about not being serious...a kind of oxymoron I think.

[Maigo6]

We had a bees nest in a tree in my house, I said to my GF ' One day someone's gonna get stung', she said it won't happen as long as they are not disturbed..............

And guess what, I was the guy that walked under the tree one day and got stung, once on the shoulder and one that came for my face I had a lucky shot and swatted it away before fleeing back into the house................

You can bet your azz I played on that.

The younger sister who lives with us had to take the motorcycle to the shop and get some kind of potion to keep the swelling down, and I was really milking it for all it was worth........................

Next day the Father in Law came round climbed the tree, the nest was gone, so was the honey, that was the end.

These Thai Guys have got some guts!!!

Not City Thai's, but the Country boys!

Edited September 17, 2007 by Maigo6

[Nignoy]

The thai way of being be able to make a joke out of other people painful experiences, can be quite scary to the english way of thinking,back in the dark ages( april or May 1963) a group of thais pushing another one on a wooden cart, turned up at the field ambulance post on Operation Crown, they were all in stitches laughing and joking ,we thought they were all under the affluence of incahol, the man on the cart was screaming his poor head off, it seems they were clearing a paddy field and the poor fella got bit by a cobra on his foot, But no problem!!his mate promptly chopped his foot off , so they put the fot in a bucket , and off to see the farang doctor, I got called to interpret , the poor fella was put on the table to be treated ,still holding the bucket with his foot in it, While trying to take the bucket off him the lid fell off and up Popped A half dead very pissed off Cobra, which the thais were taking home for dinner where was my friend Steve Irwin when you need him, but I dont think I said Crikey when I was grabbing that bloody snake You can guarantee when we are in isaan,and the Lao khao is flowly freely, one of the old boys will start to tell the funny story of Nignoy and the Foot in The Bucket Nignoy

[Maigo6]

Nice post Nignoy.......................

If westerners don't understand the Thai way of thinking, they automatically think it's inferior or wrong.

It's neither, it's just different to the western way of thinking.

[elkangorito]

The thai way of being be able to make a joke out of other people painful experiences, can be quite scary to the english way of thinking,back in the dark ages( april or May 1963) a group of thais pushing another one on a wooden cart, turned up at the field ambulance post on Operation Crown, they were all in stitches laughing and joking ,we thought they were all under the affluence of incahol, the man on the cart was screaming his poor head off, it seems they were clearing a paddy field and the poor fella got bit by a cobra on his foot, But no problem!!his mate promptly chopped his foot off , so they put the fot in a bucket , and off to see the farang doctor, I got called to interpret , the poor fella was put on the table to be treated ,still holding the bucket with his foot in it, While trying to take the bucket off him the lid fell off and up Popped A half dead very pissed off Cobra, which the thais were taking home for dinner where was my friend Steve Irwin when you need him, but I dont think I said Crikey when I was grabbing that bloody snake You can guarantee when we are in isaan,and the Lao khao is flowly freely, one of the old boys will start to tell the funny story of Nignoy and the Foot in The Bucket Nignoy

Obviously the cultural difference is quite obvious;

1] Pain & suffering is hilarious,

2] Death is not so funny but could help with buying 'lucky' lottery tickets.

3] Losing a foot or an arm to a snake bite is a reason for a BBQ, if the snake has been captured.

Most of the Thai people with whom I work, do not see these things as funny. I would therefore suggest that this is a 'prehistoric' ideal of which sadly, many Thai people still follow 'today'.

[kmart]

Life up in the boondocks of Thailand is cruel and cheap. But at least they keep a sense of humour about it, eh?

[blizzard]

life insurance.............quite humuorous..............lol

[mr_hippo]

my wife thinks things like the op said, funny as well, last week her brother inlaw walked into a glass door in future park ended up on his bum , she has told eveyone and laughs like a mad banchee when telling the story ,,

ps its not funny when she hurts herself

With your ps, you hit the nail on the head! Humour can be either objective or subjective. Man slipping on a banana skin - funny; you slipping on a banana skin - not funny. We have all had incidents where we hurt ourselves, not funny at the time but when they are retold later can become amusing and sometimes hilarious!

[gburns57au]

laughing is better than crying.

[Scott]

It's generally a juvenile response and shows a level of emtional retardation. It's common everywhere, but seems to be accentuated here. It's much easier to laugh at "other" people--not our own race, color, etc., because a lot of people see them as "less than" they are.

But what do you expect when you adults with dolls and Hello Kitty stuff!

[Briggsy]

It is a manifestation of denial [that bad things can happen and have to be addressed].

[ray23]

Well thanks for your thoughts. The paticular people doing the laughing would want emergeny treatment if they got a paper cut.

See it gets more confusing the same people yesterday saw a dog get hit be a car and immediatley ran to it's aid.

So seeing a dog cart wheeling through the air isn't funny. But watching a loved one nearly dieing from an alergic reaction, now thats funny.

A far a being seroius I think it is important to understand about where I live. This is one I don't understand and I'm not sure I will. But I can try.

[jackr]

Recently a friend was stung by a bee, his wife thought it was extremly funny, this big farrang hurt by a bee, In the meantime he has great difficulty in breathing and is having chest pains. Finally after his pleading in between her laughing, he finally gets her to a call an ambulance. Where he get treatment. He is allergic and could have died. When she relates this story to this day she still thinks it's funny.

Had my own experience tonight, not as drastict by any means but not a lot of fun at the moment. Had a cap come off and to be honest it hurts like hel_l. The wife thought it was funny.

I just don't get it I find no humor in others pain. Why do these people find things like this funny?

Tell him to trade her in for a better model

[chownah]

Ever laugh at The Three Stooges or at Road Runner cartoons

People like to watch boxing matches and see people beat each other bloody....of course they don't smile or laugh about it but they do enjoy watching it....so what's the difference if the enjoyment is expressed in laughter or not...watching the bodily destruction is fun for many.

So...even though I can see that laughing at these sorts of things is part of a spectrum of laughing at others' misfortunes....it still seems strange to me too just like the original post.

Edited September 18, 2007 by chownah

[lazeeboy]

A cap on a toothe

Ahhhhhhh! A 'dental' cap. Thanks for that.

i read it as a scab........

[ray23]

What is a scab?

[technocracy]

Thankfully the Lao sense of humour isn't quite as juvenile or purile as Thai humour. I think the distinction between slapstick and just pain is quite a fine line - many people will laugh when something initially happens this is true because it's the natural reaction. However in most circumstances it will be followed immediately with a check to see if the person is ok . . . not just continue laughing as the person is nearly dying on there knees!

The Thai sense of humour does seem somewhat lacking succinctness, comparing a situation like someone having a severe allergic reaction to Roadrunner or the three stooges is rather banal! My wife doesn't really go with Thai TV humour she'll occasional have a giggle otherwise she's normally calling characters 'esum' or 'bucsum' in the supposedly 'funny' moments. She briefly watched a Thai standup show last week and it didn't manage to even raise a smile . . .

Lao humour seems to be far more personal and based on everyday events most of the jokes that are told frequently involve sex, most are told by the old women of the village who I have to say are always sitting telling stories in absolute hysterics.

That said there is some many countries in the world whose inhabitants are somewhat lacking an sense of humour.

[ray23]

I really don't know if this is a Thai thing or an individual thing. My wife and I were in a bike accident.

We were wearing proper helmets but in fact the wife actually landed on her head. Not unconsious but certianly disoriented. I was very concerend that she might have a concusion. Other then being sore I wa in really pretty good shape. The difference I'm 60 I get scratch these day I bleed a lot but nothing really serious it stops.

They centered on me, maybe because it was something that could be seen. Where the more serious mattter couldn't be seen.

I will tell you one thing I didn't see I didnt see anyone laughing, I saw people calling ambulances and trying to help anyway they could.

So where is the difference here, is it the personal connection?

Do they see us working our way through problems that they have no experience in dealing with. Is that why they enjoy seeing us when things don't go right?

Yes loved the Three Stooges and would watch them again if I could. Now later on in life I have heard that they actually did get injuried pulling of some of thier stunts. would that effect my thoughts about it, probably ot that is entertainment and meant to be.

Many poeple enjoy team sports I don't. I do watch boxing and GP races. Why I admire the skills and courage they as individuals exhibit.

I may be very wrong but I see this as being a very uncaring behavior from a loved one. That is hard for me to understand.

Ya I can see a lot of people in the world thinking that somebody slipping and falling being funny especially after they find out the person isn't hurt. But that behavior from a wife, who here if nothing else has a huge income to lose I just don't understand.

Oh well such are life maybe I will never understand, or maybe I will understand and just not accept it as something I would want in my life, who knows.

[PhilHarries]

Not Thai and not humour but Asian and slightly relevant as to reactions to others misfortune.

Our site here in Viet Nam is about the most unsafe place you could imagine (without including Iraq etc). The temporary electrics were appalling but following this incident attempts have been made to improve the situation.

One night a worker was electrocuted and the decision was made to close the site whilst a complete review of the electrics was done. All the workers, about 8000 of them, turned up as usual and were gathered together to be given the news. They were told that unfortunately last night one of their colleagues died from electrocution and the site was being closed for the day so they should all go back to their homes or camps.

The reaction? A resounding cheer and round of applause.

Oh well TiVN.

[Edonista]

If westerners don't understand the Thai way of thinking, they automatically think it's inferior or wrong.

it's both.

[Maigo6]

If westerners don't understand the Thai way of thinking, they automatically think it's inferior or wrong.

it's both.

So cos it's a different way to your way, it's automatically wrong?

Strange.

[tutsiwarrior]

in Thailand as in other parts of asia laughter is not necessarily an expression of mirth when related to another person's misfortune...laughter can also indicate embarrassment. I find that asians rarely show concern when advised of another's bad luck/misfortune...which ain't bad; it just ain't western...

[meemiathai]

I really don't know if this is a Thai thing or an individual thing. My wife and I were in a bike accident.

We were wearing proper helmets but in fact the wife actually landed on her head. Not unconsious but certianly disoriented. I was very concerend that she might have a concusion. Other then being sore I wa in really pretty good shape. The difference I'm 60 I get scratch these day I bleed a lot but nothing really serious it stops.

They centered on me, maybe because it was something that could be seen. Where the more serious mattter couldn't be seen.

I will tell you one thing I didn't see I didnt see anyone laughing, I saw people calling ambulances and trying to help anyway they could.

So where is the difference here, is it the personal connection?

Do they see us working our way through problems that they have no experience in dealing with. Is that why they enjoy seeing us when things don't go right?

Yes loved the Three Stooges and would watch them again if I could. Now later on in life I have heard that they actually did get injuried pulling of some of thier stunts. would that effect my thoughts about it, probably ot that is entertainment and meant to be.

Many poeple enjoy team sports I don't. I do watch boxing and GP races. Why I admire the skills and courage they as individuals exhibit.

I may be very wrong but I see this as being a very uncaring behavior from a loved one. That is hard for me to understand.

Ya I can see a lot of people in the world thinking that somebody slipping and falling being funny especially after they find out the person isn't hurt. But that behavior from a wife, who here if nothing else has a huge income to lose I just don't understand.

Oh well such are life maybe I will never understand, or maybe I will understand and just not accept it as something I would want in my life, who knows.

Do you think your wife loves you? If so, she is just unaware of the seriousness of your situation and that is it! Why did you not ask her? Don't you communicate when you have a problem? I will ask if I felt that way.