How Intellectually Stimulated Do You Feel

[seonai]

Just a thought...

[nidge]

No intellectual stimulation whatsoever, unless i am reading a book but of course i could read the same book anywhere. I am quite happy without the stimulation, it means i can truly relax.

My ex-wife was paranoid that i would leave her for another woman who was more intellectual so i could have intelligent conversations. (I have a high IQ and a degree in Geophysics while she used to sell shoes). I was wasting my time telling her she was wrong. I ended up leaving her for reasons that had nothing to do with intellect and finally married a hairdresser. If i want to stimulate my mind i can do it whenever i like, but home is not the place for that, it's the place for families. Well that's my opinion anyway.

[Briggsy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/

Try this.

[chownah]

I've been focusing on farming for the last few years while in the past I did alot of engineering, science, and art types of things....I'm not doing much of that now other than house construction. I do miss that stuff but I'm only one person and can only do so much so I've prioritized what I do and many things don't make the cut....it really doesn't have to do with stimulation but more to do with priorities. The internet is a real boon to intellectual stimulation and also...life is a rich experience...if someone is not feeling stimulated it rarely has to do with their surroundings.

Chownah

[seonai]

Briggsy i looked at the link but didnt get it ???

[mrt273nva]

i feel my intellect is dwindling away here. i use to be able to articulate myself very well but now it takes me a while to find the words to express what i am trying to convey. i hope it doesn't get worse. i feel like i'm forgetting my own language.

[BFD]

I must say that my intellectual curiosity has dwindled here in Thailand as well. Prior to my arrival, I was often consumed in studying materials completely unrelated to my formal university focus. I'd also spend countless hours composing music, writing, painting, or any other number of pursuits.

In the face of so many, uh, 'extra-curricular' activities available here in Thailand, my intellectual growth has slowed down. The exception to this would be how much effort I've put into learning the language, but in general I've found that the intellectual world is leaving me far behind. No one's fault but my own, I suppose. I can't blame Thailand for being too fun for me to stay inside re-reading 'Man's Search for Meaning' .

Interesting topic, Seonai. What about yourself? Are you stimulated in Thailand?*

บีเฟดี!

* If nothing else, my fluency for double entendres has improved by leaps and bounds...

[Briggsy]

Briggsy i looked at the link but didnt get it ???

Try clicking on 'listen live' or any of the programmes in the last 7 day.

[djinn]

Hmmmm this is one of my main concern in Thailand

I am engineer and I was manager of a software company.

I don't drink ;so I cannot feed my brain with alcohol like many

So my brain diet is

-socializing:came here with a long adress book composed of expat intellectuals or succesfull businessmen

-reading books (a lot;2 ;3 per month but not very serious)

-reading news on internet (try this one if you read french)

http://www.courrierinternational.com/gabar...e.asp?ord_id=38

-playing wargames on computer Very good memory training believe me

After 5 years of diet it seems my little brain is not too rusted.

But no concert;no theater;no art exhibtion.

Just some lumpini market search for average paintings

[painai2]

Why not do what I am doing, study Thai. Believe me--it's not easy and you will be using your brain!

[intumult]

On the one hand, my small head is increasingly stimulated.

As for my larger head its intellect is definitely further ino the gutter and less stimulated

[Maigo6]

When I was last in the Village, the local men and I discussed the Shell model approach for many-body open quantum systems, whilst drinking Lao Khao out of plastic bags.

[BFD]

Did the local men have any insights into why the Gamow shell model seems to only be consistently applicable with helium and lithium isotopes?

Man, I read way too much Asimov; I have no idea what I just said, but I know that it's relevant...

Anyway, as Painai said, learning Thai is a great way to stay intellectually active, but I'm not a fella that can focus on only one topic. I need to put down my Leo, get the girl off my lap, and hit the books again.

BFD!

[chownah]

When I was last in the Village, the local men and I discussed the Shell model approach for many-body open quantum systems, whilst drinking Lao Khao out of plastic bags.

Yes, I commiserate with you...it gets really old really fast discussing yesterday's theories....but you can always go to the internet if you want to get cutting edge.

Chownah

[Unfaithful]

I spend most of my intellectual time teaching international students such things as Egyptian history, plane geometry, British spellings, non-Asian buffalo, etc. It does keep the brain synapses sizzling. They cannot go half a page in a standard text on almost any subject without needing something explained in fifth grade English.

Nonetheless, I wish I could sit and discuss philosophy or philogy at master degree level with somebody other than a snot-nosed youngster.

Edited March 3, 2008 by Unfaithful

[quiksilva]

What is Philogy? Do you mean Philology or Theology?

Edit in an effort to contribute: I think anywhere can be intellectually stimulating, it does not depend on your location but rather your motivation.

Fed up with it? Don't whinge, just do something about it! Form a group, set up a meeting, a club. It's what the great thinkers have always done, e.g. Einstein's "Olympia Academy", Tolkein's "Tea Club and Barrovian Society" etc.

Edited March 3, 2008 by quiksilva

[freitag1]

Its all what you make out of it. It's a pity that Bangkok has a very small art scene and only a few galleries distributed all over the city. Most intellectuals escaped to Chiang Mai. But with the Internet you can have everything you are interested in right in front if you want to so that's my way of escaping.

I really wonder where this country is heading... seems like nobody cares about anything except the next episode of a soup opera or money that should come with as little effort as possible.

[micksterbs]

Its all what you make out of it. It's a pity that Bangkok has a very small art scene and only a few galleries distributed all over the city. Most intellectuals escaped to Chiang Mai. But with the Internet you can have everything you are interested in right in front if you want to so that's my way of escaping.

I really wonder where this country is heading... seems like nobody cares about anything except the next episode of a soup opera or money that should come with as little effort as possible.

Are those the ones sponsored by Campbells, by any chance?

[nidge]

Its all what you make out of it. It's a pity that Bangkok has a very small art scene and only a few galleries distributed all over the city. Most intellectuals escaped to Chiang Mai. But with the Internet you can have everything you are interested in right in front if you want to so that's my way of escaping.

I really wonder where this country is heading... seems like nobody cares about anything except the next episode of a soup opera or money that should come with as little effort as possible.

Are those the ones sponsored by Campbells, by any chance?

Can't be Campbells, could you imagine having a CONDENSED Thai soup opera?

Edited March 3, 2008 by nidge

[Tatler]

I have taught kindergarten for the past five years, this basic teaching of animals, colours and fruit has reduced me to a mental wreck!! I now have the mental age of a 5 year old but it does have its plus side too

[micksterbs]

Its all what you make out of it. It's a pity that Bangkok has a very small art scene and only a few galleries distributed all over the city. Most intellectuals escaped to Chiang Mai. But with the Internet you can have everything you are interested in right in front if you want to so that's my way of escaping.

I really wonder where this country is heading... seems like nobody cares about anything except the next episode of a soup opera or money that should come with as little effort as possible.

Are those the ones sponsored by Campbells, by any chance?

Can't be Campbells, could you imagine having a CONDENSED Thai soup opera?

I like it Nidge, I like it. You're scintillating today, old chap.

[ajarnmark]

No intellectual stimulation whatsoever, unless i am reading a book but of course i could read the same book anywhere. I am quite happy without the stimulation, it means i can truly relax.

My ex-wife was paranoid that i would leave her for another woman who was more intellectual so i could have intelligent conversations. (I have a high IQ and a degree in Geophysics while she used to sell shoes). I was wasting my time telling her she was wrong. I ended up leaving her for reasons that had nothing to do with intellect and finally married a hairdresser. If i want to stimulate my mind i can do it whenever i like, but home is not the place for that, it's the place for families. Well that's my opinion anyway.

[nidge]

No intellectual stimulation whatsoever, unless i am reading a book but of course i could read the same book anywhere. I am quite happy without the stimulation, it means i can truly relax.

My ex-wife was paranoid that i would leave her for another woman who was more intellectual so i could have intelligent conversations. (I have a high IQ and a degree in Geophysics while she used to sell shoes). I was wasting my time telling her she was wrong. I ended up leaving her for reasons that had nothing to do with intellect and finally married a hairdresser. If i want to stimulate my mind i can do it whenever i like, but home is not the place for that, it's the place for families. Well that's my opinion anyway.

Why so funny, i wear flip flops now but i still need a haircut!

[micksterbs]

Just a thought...

But an interesting thought, Seonai. I'm sure that my grey cells have taken a nose-dive since I arrived. Ok, it doesn't help that my command of the Thai language is, at the moment, practically non-existent. But am I the only one among us who feels that the Thai people are, essentially, just not a very curious bunch? I'm sure this starts at school with the emphasis on passive, thinking-by-numbers. Don't ask awkward questions, don't rock the boat, don't dare to challenge authority. I'm not really making a value-judgement here; we all know it's a different culture. But most of us come from the West with its scarcity of sacred cows where it's considered normal and, indeed, healthy to ask the "big questions".

[Ijustwannateach]

Did the local men have any insights into why the Gamow shell model seems to only be consistently applicable with helium and lithium isotopes?

At a guess, it's probably because the model assumes circular orbits (shells) which is only applicable to the innermost orbitals of the simplest atoms; helium and lithium only have those simpler innermost orbitals.

I have more accomplished and brighter people around me here than ever! A recent expat friend who worked for the diplomatic service expressed his regret to me that he would be going back to Washington, where things were far less cosmopolitan.

"S"

[BFD]

At a guess, it's probably because the model assumes circular orbits (shells) which is only applicable to the innermost orbitals of the simplest atoms; helium and lithium only have those simpler innermost orbitals.

"S"

Seems to make sense. However, it precludes the model of being of widespread use until it can be adjusted to take into account more complicated isotopes. It's a step in the right direction, though.

Back to the topic at hand; I've found it very difficult to engage my students in healthy debate. I work at an International school and most of my students are of Asian descent, ranging from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, mainland China, and Mongolia). I find that it is almost frightening for the kids when I ask them if anyone disagrees with me. After a few minutes, I'll present an opposing viewpoint to whatever topic we were discussing and many of the students will nod their heads, as if they were of that opinion the whole time. But they won't voice their opinions!!

Now, I teach grade 8, so the kids are kinda awkward to begin with. Perhaps they just are too shy to disagree with the teacher. However, it's such a universal thing (that I'm told happens in the higher levels, as well) that I think it's deeper than shyness.

hel_l, sometimes it's a godsend; I rarely have to deal with the discipline problems I had in Canada. However, I can't help but feel that I'm not really doing my job if the kids aren't critically thinking about the material they're presented with (Ijustwannateach, perhaps you have had a similar experience to mine).

Now that I've strayed from the topic yet again, I'll end with the question of whether school in general had you intellectually stimulated. Elementary, Middle school, High school, University; did they have your curiosity piqued?

BFD!

Edited March 3, 2008 by BFD

[PeaceBlondie]

What is Philogy? Do you mean Philology or Theology?

Philology is the study of ancient texts, or texts in general. Part of linguistics. I can just imagine Unfaithful tutoring some fifth grader and wanting to wax eloquent about Greek manuscripts.

[DirkGently]

It's hard to stumble across things to stimulate your mind here. I have to seek them out.

[camerata]

Things have changes a lot over the years. When I first came to Bangkok in the 70s there was very little to stimulate the intellect. There was Asia Books' Sukhumvit store, and that was about it. Cinema was mainly limited to Chinese and French movies because of the film tax. Old farang movies on TV occasionally had an English soundtrack on a radio channel. But the attraction then - for me, at least - was that the place wasn't very Westernized.

Now we have plenty of live classical music, several operas a year (thanks to Phra Phi Nang and also the Bangkok Opera), a good selection of books at Kinokuniya and plenty of documentary films on UBC. But as others have said, virtually everything is available on the Internet now - books and music from Amazon.com, documentaries on Youtube etc, plus plenty of online discussion.

Also, 20-30 years ago it was near impossible for farang guys to meet a Thai female with a good education, but these days there are plenty of guys with Western educated Thai girlfriends. Perhaps not all of them are into "intellectual" conversation, but many of the ones I know are.

[djinn]

On the one hand, my small head is increasingly stimulated.

As for my larger head its intellect is definitely further ino the gutter and less stimulated

Ooooh poor man

You need to go out;full of nice girls(men?) here

Sorry could not resist

This quote was my daily brain stimulus (the big one....)