The Special I Can See You But Will Ignore You Walk

[Rathai]

Surprised at how many posters are anti-social. When two people are approaching each other from 100 yards, with no one else around, it is very normal to at least acknowledge the presence of other person with a smile or nod! This is especially true if they were on a trail or in a remote area--the ethnicity of the other shouldnt matter.

The only time I see people intentionally avoid someone is if, that someone is begging, selling somethig, or handing out religious material.

[oldsparrow]

Using my experience abroad:

1. The guy felt that as fellow foreigners in foreign land he was supposed to say more than a few words and he didn't want to do that.

2. "Dang, I flee Farang half way of the globe to here!!"

3. "Interpol ?? !!"

[H2oDunc]

Having worked and lived in London for years I am used to being totally ignored! The people of London are the most ignorant, uncommunicative people in the world. Nobody talks to anybody. Whether you are on a bus, tube or train nearly all have Ipods and just stare directly ahead. I got on a bus after a guy who dropped a fifty pound note on the floor as he pulled out his oyster card. I called out to him excuse me several times and the tosser just kept on walking and found a seat. As I passed him I showed him the fifty and said that this must be my lucky day and laughed. Even then he just stared ahead like a zombie.

[Birdman]

unbelievable, but that's the case in almost every city in Europe. Looking at somebody a bit longer when a nanosecond will be considered as an insult by many over there.

[longstebe]

I stood waiting for traffic lights to change at the corner Soi Asoke and up came a 40ish (Brit?) wearing, shorts,flip flops, and no shirt!!

I moved as far away from him as I could, why would I want to talk to an idiot dressed like this.

Another reason I don't talk to such people is we have not been properly introduced.

Why did you move far away from him? Was he gonna smack you or something?

Also he must have been an idiot because he had no top on?

[Jungian]

I'm not sure I ever acknowledged a "farang" in the United States when they walked past me and I lived in Chinatown, Philadelphia. I tend to also not to acknowledged Thais, Chinese, Japanese, or people of African decent who pass by me. I consider my self "color blind" I don't care what color your skin is, actually I tend not to notice.

No offense intended, but I find this highly unlikely (that you don't notice, not that you don't care). It is human nature to notice the differences between one's self and others. That doesn't necessarily mean that it leads to animosity, but the noticing part is pretty much automatic. For someone who chose the name Jungian, I am surprised at this claim.

I went the the US Consulate the other day to renew my passport and I spoke to quite a few of my fellow Americans waiting in line, we didn't exchange any vital information about who we are, why we are in Thailand or even where we are from in the USA, we weren't being hostile, just minding our own business (yes, Americans are capable of minding our own business, it's our government that isn't). I also do not assume just because someone is Caucasian they speak English, I have on many occasions had people come up to me and speak German it's kind of funny (I am of German decent though). Anyway if you see me on the street and strike up a conversation in a language I speak I'll be happy to talk to you, give you directions if I can or whatever.

I doubt you are the kind of person that the OP is describing. Actual indifference is quite a bit different from active avoidance. You sound like an affable, if somewhat aloof person (from the tone of your post), but not arrogant.

I'm very indifferent to people, aloof, perhaps somewhat but it is not intentional. I was a Ch'an (Zen) Buddhist monk for 10 years in the cold and isolated mountains of China. I tend to stay in my own head thinking about how much I don't know about life, the universe and everything as Douglas Adams so eloquently put it. I generally stand back and let the universe do as it will without comparing or judging, I am non-dualistic and don't have to see black to understand white nor do I have to say they are opposite or different to understand them, they just are. What I do see is people, plain and simple just people same species as me. A frog does not ask "are you from the north or the south of the pond or did you come from the pond on the other side of the forest?"

As far as the name "Jungian" goes, as Freud said "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar", don't look to deeply into it. I enjoy Carl Jung's work and writing, then again I enjoy Shakespeare and Star Trek but I suppose "Spock" would have been just as an agreeable name as "Jungian" or "Othello" a name is just that something to distinguish one thing from another, to put everything neatly in a box so we feel that the universe has order and we have labeled it all and categorized it.

[johna]

I stood waiting for traffic lights to change at the corner Soi Asoke and up came a 40ish (Brit?) wearing, shorts,flip flops, and no shirt!!

I moved as far away from him as I could, why would I want to talk to an idiot dressed like this.

Another reason I don't talk to such people is we have not been properly introduced.

Why did you move far away from him? Was he gonna smack you or something?

Also he must have been an idiot because he had no top on?

His dress code showed a complete disregard for local custom, and I do not want to be associated with this type of person.

[greenwood01]

We

Do

Not

Want

To

Talk

To

Goddamn

Teachers

and

sexpats

[dsprtliving]

Why do farangs do that funny invisible walk, posture, starey things and are more focused on ignoring you than acknowledging you with a nod or hello! when walking towards another farang in an un touristy area?

It has happend countless times too me but i have just had it happen while walking back home and have remembered to ask about it.

I have just passed another farang and we were walking towards each other for over 100 yds and as we got closer it was quite obvious he was doing the i cannot see you walk... ... i looked, nodded and said hello as we passed while he scratched his ear to avoid making contact....

why do people feel the need to do this?

The same reason i put on my headphones or open a book once i sit down in my seat on a plane! I think maybe one of the reasons this reaction to other foreigners develops because of the knowledge that a 'simple' greeting or nod can be perceived as being a friendly person and an invitation by 'some' people to launch into small talk. I find small talk with strangers a mindless and annoying activity so I avoid being appearing overly friendly to the odd stranger passing in the street. This isn't everyone of course, but the knowledge that some fellow foreigners are chatterboxes puts me off greeting people i don't know. Some people are just more private than others and think it is rude when others ask prying questions or share personal details with someone you've just met in passing.

As another poster said, It could also be that the said 'farang' has given you the split second once over and decided they'd rather not know you for whatever reason or give you the chance to get to know them. I know it is selfish and probably unfair to make such quick judgments but we are the product of social environments.

[TerryTibbs]

Says a lot about a person who's to ignorant to return a smile or nod, sums them up in an instant.

[Patsycat]

Well, at least he didn't cross the road when he saw you approaching.

[oevna]

... A frog does not ask "are you from the north or the south of the pond or did you come from the pond on the other side of the forest?" ...

A frog recognizes subtle differences in behavior and appearance of other frogs around it, and treats them accordingly. The term "species" is a human invention, and in actuality there is a continuum of differences that exist between individuals of the same subvariety, variety, subspecies, species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom and domain. We draw those lines based on observed similarities and differences (in phenotype and genotype). And depending on the degree of geographic isolation, frogs of the same species on one side of the forest can be quite different from those on the other.

Differentiating between groups of individuals that look similar or different from the observer's group is a survival mechanism, and is analogous to humans recognizing differences in other groups (or "races") of humans. It doesn't justify racism, but it does no good to ignore the fact that we instinctively recognize others as being part of "us" or "them."

Edited May 23, 2009 by oevna

[EvilDrSomkid]

Why do farangs do that funny invisible walk, posture, starey things and are more focused on ignoring you than acknowledging you with a nod or hello! when walking towards another farang in an un touristy area?

It has happend countless times too me but i have just had it happen while walking back home and have remembered to ask about it.

I have just passed another farang and we were walking towards each other for over 100 yds and as we got closer it was quite obvious he was doing the i cannot see you walk... ... i looked, nodded and said hello as we passed while he scratched his ear to avoid making contact....

why do people feel the need to do this?

I cannot recall whether this has happened to me yet. However, there area I live in BKK is very low on westerners. So if I see one, I get disappointed, because he has shattered my illusion that I am the ONLY westerner in this here hood

There is one guy in my building, I think, but his appearance does not invite me to converse with him. Kinda creepy looking.

The neighborhood of my wife's business has an even lower incidence of westerners. I still get stared at, but most people in that part of the soi know who I am now. The local Thai grapevine, I am sure the people who live in similar circumstances have experienced this.

The wife gets comments or questions about seeing you somewhere.

I have noticed that even I now stare if I see tourists. They are so tall and white and fat and ....

[barryofthailand]

I smile at other westerners, the same as I smile at other Thai people. In Thailand a smile is a way to say hello.

Barry

[thaimate]

in Pattaya there are thousands of Farangs , why would i say anything to them? i wouldnt back in Britain ,if i was out in the boonys and came across a brit ,then more than likely would say hello

[G54]

I stood waiting for traffic lights to change at the corner Soi Asoke and up came a 40ish (Brit?) wearing, shorts,flip flops, and no shirt!!

I moved as far away from him as I could, why would I want to talk to an idiot dressed like this.

Another reason I don't talk to such people is we have not been properly introduced.

Why did you move far away from him? Was he gonna smack you or something?

Also he must have been an idiot because he had no top on?

Maybe he saw the steam rising from the perspiring flesh and did not want to get a whiff.

[sanook2me]

Why do farangs do that funny invisible walk, posture, starey things and are more focused on ignoring you than acknowledging you with a nod or hello! when walking towards another farang in an un touristy area?

It has happend countless times too me but i have just had it happen while walking back home and have remembered to ask about it.

I have just passed another farang and we were walking towards each other for over 100 yds and as we got closer it was quite obvious he was doing the i cannot see you walk... ... i looked, nodded and said hello as we passed while he scratched his ear to avoid making contact....

why do people feel the need to do this?

I cannot recall whether this has happened to me yet. However, there area I live in BKK is very low on westerners. So if I see one, I get disappointed, because he has shattered my illusion that I am the ONLY westerner in this here hood

There is one guy in my building, I think, but his appearance does not invite me to converse with him. Kinda creepy looking.

The neighborhood of my wife's business has an even lower incidence of westerners. I still get stared at, but most people in that part of the soi know who I am now. The local Thai grapevine, I am sure the people who live in similar circumstances have experienced this.

The wife gets comments or questions about seeing you somewhere.

I have noticed that even I now stare if I see tourists. They are so tall and white and fat and ....

yup, other farangs do look creepy when they are in the same condo as you... how dare they have a carbon copy of your social status!

That is my point when you live in a none touristy area and happen to come upon a lonely farang walking towards you why do they make the decision to ignore you instead - which is probably more stressful and thought invoking than just nodding your head and saying hello..

if you see tourists why dont you say hello instead of staring?

[mommysboy]

I think we need to rule out any personal matter first- I mean when I'm on the bus I'd rather a nutter not sit next to me. Perhaps rightly or wrongly these people sense the same thing. So what is it? dressed up as a clown, wearing a suit with bright orange trainers and a policeman's hat, no clothes at all, puke stained shirt front, or singing 'Tulips from Amsterdam' with a bottle of whisky in your hand. Pray tell.

[tahaan]

I think we need to rule out any personal matter first- I mean when I'm on the bus I'd rather a nutter not sit next to me. Perhaps rightly or wrongly these people sense the same thing. So what is it? dressed up as a clown, wearing a suit with bright orange trainers and a policeman's hat, no clothes at all, puke stained shirt front, or singing 'Tulips from Amsterdam' with a bottle of whisky in your hand. Pray tell.

Sandals and socks

[AlexLah]

Agree with the sandals and socks but would like to add a bermuda and flower shirt.

Many moons ago in my home country motorbike drivers were greeting each other by raising their hand, that has completely disappeared.

Why, I guess there is many of them now, same in Thailand, it is becoming a more multicultural society where foreigners can be met almost everywhere.

[mommysboy]

I think we need to rule out any personal matter first- I mean when I'm on the bus I'd rather a nutter not sit next to me. Perhaps rightly or wrongly these people sense the same thing. So what is it? dressed up as a clown, wearing a suit with bright orange trainers and a policeman's hat, no clothes at all, puke stained shirt front, or singing 'Tulips from Amsterdam' with a bottle of whisky in your hand. Pray tell.

Sandals and socks

Sandals and socks! I've lost all respect for the man.

[TerryTibbs]

I think we need to rule out any personal matter first- I mean when I'm on the bus I'd rather a nutter not sit next to me. Perhaps rightly or wrongly these people sense the same thing. So what is it? dressed up as a clown, wearing a suit with bright orange trainers and a policeman's hat, no clothes at all, puke stained shirt front, or singing 'Tulips from Amsterdam' with a bottle of whisky in your hand. Pray tell.

Sandals and socks

http://www.sandalandsoxer.co.uk/

[Sir Burr]

Because 99% of other farang are not worth meeting. Total tossers.

[EvilDrSomkid]

Why do farangs do that funny invisible walk, posture, starey things and are more focused on ignoring you than acknowledging you with a nod or hello! when walking towards another farang in an un touristy area?

It has happend countless times too me but i have just had it happen while walking back home and have remembered to ask about it.

I have just passed another farang and we were walking towards each other for over 100 yds and as we got closer it was quite obvious he was doing the i cannot see you walk... ... i looked, nodded and said hello as we passed while he scratched his ear to avoid making contact....

why do people feel the need to do this?

I cannot recall whether this has happened to me yet. However, there area I live in BKK is very low on westerners. So if I see one, I get disappointed, because he has shattered my illusion that I am the ONLY westerner in this here hood

There is one guy in my building, I think, but his appearance does not invite me to converse with him. Kinda creepy looking.

The neighborhood of my wife's business has an even lower incidence of westerners. I still get stared at, but most people in that part of the soi know who I am now. The local Thai grapevine, I am sure the people who live in similar circumstances have experienced this.

The wife gets comments or questions about seeing you somewhere.

I have noticed that even I now stare if I see tourists. They are so tall and white and fat and ....

yup, other farangs do look creepy when they are in the same condo as you... how dare they have a carbon copy of your social status!

That is my point when you live in a none touristy area and happen to come upon a lonely farang walking towards you why do they make the decision to ignore you instead - which is probably more stressful and thought invoking than just nodding your head and saying hello..

if you see tourists why dont you say hello instead of staring?

CC of me? Hardly. Me: 36. Him: Retired, and: socks, sandals and prerequisite sticky shirt.

The touros I see at Emporium or Siam Sq. Do you say hello to the touros on the BTS?

But, at Fortune why would I say hello to a farang?

Maybe I am one of those people that do the "ignoring you" routine.

Oh the horror...

[Sir Burr]

I'm very indifferent to people, aloof, perhaps somewhat but it is not intentional. I was a Ch'an (Zen) Buddhist monk for 10 years in the cold and isolated mountains of China. I tend to stay in my own head thinking about how much I don't know about life, the universe and everything as Douglas Adams so eloquently put it. I generally stand back and let the universe do as it will without comparing or judging, I am non-dualistic and don't have to see black to understand white nor do I have to say they are opposite or different to understand them, they just are. What I do see is people, plain and simple just people same species as me. A frog does not ask "are you from the north or the south of the pond or did you come from the pond on the other side of the forest?"

As far as the name "Jungian" goes, as Freud said "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar", don't look to deeply into it. I enjoy Carl Jung's work and writing, then again I enjoy Shakespeare and Star Trek but I suppose "Spock" would have been just as an agreeable name as "Jungian" or "Othello" a name is just that something to distinguish one thing from another, to put everything neatly in a box so we feel that the universe has order and we have labeled it all and categorized it.

Deep man, deep.

I bow before you, recognizing an experienced old soul when I see one *snigger*

Edited May 23, 2009 by Sir Burr

[Datsun240Z]

I'm very indifferent to people, aloof, perhaps somewhat but it is not intentional. I was a Ch'an (Zen) Buddhist monk for 10 years in the cold and isolated mountains of China. I tend to stay in my own head thinking about how much I don't know about life, the universe and everything as Douglas Adams so eloquently put it. I generally stand back and let the universe do as it will without comparing or judging, I am non-dualistic and don't have to see black to understand white nor do I have to say they are opposite or different to understand them, they just are. What I do see is people, plain and simple just people same species as me. A frog does not ask "are you from the north or the south of the pond or did you come from the pond on the other side of the forest?"

As far as the name "Jungian" goes, as Freud said "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar", don't look to deeply into it. I enjoy Carl Jung's work and writing, then again I enjoy Shakespeare and Star Trek but I suppose "Spock" would have been just as an agreeable name as "Jungian" or "Othello" a name is just that something to distinguish one thing from another, to put everything neatly in a box so we feel that the universe has order and we have labeled it all and categorized it.

Deep man, deep.

I bow before you, recognizing an experienced old soul when I see one *snigger*

I seriously think, both of you guys need a doctor

[Jimjim]

Why do farangs do that funny invisible walk, posture, starey things and are more focused on ignoring you than acknowledging you with a nod or hello! when walking towards another farang in an un touristy area?

It has happend countless times too me but i have just had it happen while walking back home and have remembered to ask about it.

I have just passed another farang and we were walking towards each other for over 100 yds and as we got closer it was quite obvious he was doing the i cannot see you walk... ... i looked, nodded and said hello as we passed while he scratched his ear to avoid making contact....

why do people feel the need to do this?

I don't get it. Everyone does this to anyone anywhere in the world. I live in farangland and I walk past people of my same coloring and nationality all the time without saying hello to them. Why should it be any different? Thais walk past each other all the time and don't say anything to each other. If you were the only two foreigners in the country it might be different, but it's not as if you haven't seen a farang person before and vice versa. In short, your topic is kind of stupid as this is not some special behaviour of farang. You've spent too much time in Thailand lumping all non-Thais into the same boat. It lacks thought. Take a step back and realize what you're saying.

[473geo]

Why do farangs do that funny invisible walk, posture, starey things and are more focused on ignoring you than acknowledging you with a nod or hello! when walking towards another farang in an un touristy area?

It has happend countless times too me but i have just had it happen while walking back home and have remembered to ask about it.

I have just passed another farang and we were walking towards each other for over 100 yds and as we got closer it was quite obvious he was doing the i cannot see you walk... ... i looked, nodded and said hello as we passed while he scratched his ear to avoid making contact....

why do people feel the need to do this?

I don't get it. Everyone does this to anyone anywhere in the world. I live in farangland and I walk past people of my same coloring and nationality all the time without saying hello to them. Why should it be any different? Thais walk past each other all the time and don't say anything to each other. If you were the only two foreigners in the country it might be different, but it's not as if you haven't seen a farang person before and vice versa. In short, your topic is kind of stupid as this is not some special behaviour of farang. You've spent too much time in Thailand lumping all non-Thais into the same boat. It lacks thought. Take a step back and realize what you're saying.

I very much doubt you have ever lived in a village for a long period of time, I was brought up in such an enviroment. There people actually took offence if you walked by and did not speak!! They would certainly let you know about it next time you did acknowledge them!!! Your comment "Everyone does this to anyone anywhere in the world" is pure ignorance. I once walked through the village where I was raised with a girlfriend from far away....she was absolutely gobsmacked that I spoke to every person we met, returned a wave to passing vehicles.......I nod and speak to most farang and Thai as I have been raised to do......to ignore is very impolite in my farang land village!!!

[Jungian]

... A frog does not ask "are you from the north or the south of the pond or did you come from the pond on the other side of the forest?" ...

A frog recognizes subtle differences in behavior and appearance of other frogs around it, and treats them accordingly. The term "species" is a human invention, and in actuality there is a continuum of differences that exist between individuals of the same subvariety, variety, subspecies, species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom and domain. We draw those lines based on observed similarities and differences (in phenotype and genotype). And depending on the degree of geographic isolation, frogs of the same species on one side of the forest can be quite different from those on the other.

Differentiating between groups of individuals that look similar or different from the observer's group is a survival mechanism, and is analogous to humans recognizing differences in other groups (or "races") of humans. It doesn't justify racism, but it does no good to ignore the fact that we instinctively recognize others as being part of "us" or "them."

You're way over analyzing what I am saying, this is the difference between Eastern Thought and Western Thought in a philosophical context. The fact that the term "species" is a human invention, is purely for the sake of what I stated above, people have to label everything, make a comparison, evaluate and put it in a neat box so they can say the universe has order. The fact that one creature may know that another creature is not from the neighborhood does not drive it to speculate and analyze its place of origin, we however do and with invisible borders and boundaries we have drawn on a map distinguish between American, Canadian, English, German, etc. when in fact there is little difference other than language, Asians, persons of African descent and indigenous peoples look different but I fail to recognize or not recognize these differences they are simply different and I am not likely to to nod and smile at one and ignore the other to do that my friend is racism. I have no friends in Thailand or Asia of European decent, it has nothing whatsoever to do with race or place of origin but rather thought and philosophy. When I hear people give the little gripes and complaints about Thailand or Asia for that matter the truth is I just don't get it, simple reason, I think like they do good bad or indifferent which is why I have lived in Asia most of my life, plane and simple I get them and I can relate to them. Of course that being said all cultures have their quirks. The census in the USA says by the year 2050 Caucasians will be the minority, where I am from that may already be true thus my "color blindness".

[Jungian]

I'm very indifferent to people, aloof, perhaps somewhat but it is not intentional. I was a Ch'an (Zen) Buddhist monk for 10 years in the cold and isolated mountains of China. I tend to stay in my own head thinking about how much I don't know about life, the universe and everything as Douglas Adams so eloquently put it. I generally stand back and let the universe do as it will without comparing or judging, I am non-dualistic and don't have to see black to understand white nor do I have to say they are opposite or different to understand them, they just are. What I do see is people, plain and simple just people same species as me. A frog does not ask "are you from the north or the south of the pond or did you come from the pond on the other side of the forest?"

As far as the name "Jungian" goes, as Freud said "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar", don't look to deeply into it. I enjoy Carl Jung's work and writing, then again I enjoy Shakespeare and Star Trek but I suppose "Spock" would have been just as an agreeable name as "Jungian" or "Othello" a name is just that something to distinguish one thing from another, to put everything neatly in a box so we feel that the universe has order and we have labeled it all and categorized it.

Deep man, deep.

I bow before you, recognizing an experienced old soul when I see one *snigger*

I seriously think, both of you guys need a doctor

I am a doctor

Edited May 24, 2009 by Jungian