What Do You Feel Are The Differences Between Farangs And Thais?

[Deeral]

If you are saying it's easier to live in 35 above than 40 below, I think you might review the economics and practices of farming in Thailand - it might also help to bear in mind that until clearing took place most of Thailand was uninhabitable - due to the climate and the resulting vegetation -

[jazzbo]

from #210 There have been many good points raised in a somewhat adult fashion, and without a lot of insults... That's because the judge's ruling on the Google book digitization settlement was announced this past week in New York so I have been busy ...

[pjclark1]

There's one key word missing - opportunity!!!!

Does your salary leave you in poverty whereby you have to scrape a living to put food on the table?? I doubt it, so having the opportunity (there's that word again) by trying to better yourself is often a personal choice open to you as to whether you want to prosper in life and doesn't therefore hold the same validity as with someone trying to do something in order to survive.

Sorry you post has confused me!

But one thing I do know, is that nobody is staving in Thailand.

As the Thais like to say, the sea is full of fish and the fields are full of rice.

Almost all Thais can go back to the family farm in times of hardship, the temple will feed anyone who asks. Only the very foolish get the chance to die of exposure.

In some ways this is a lot better than the western world.

(or many other 3rd world countries)

[SICHONSTEVE]

There's one key word missing - opportunity!!!!

Does your salary leave you in poverty whereby you have to scrape a living to put food on the table?? I doubt it, so having the opportunity (there's that word again) by trying to better yourself is often a personal choice open to you as to whether you want to prosper in life and doesn't therefore hold the same validity as with someone trying to do something in order to survive.

Sorry you post has confused me!

But one thing I do know, is that nobody is staving in Thailand.

As the Thais like to say, the sea is full of fish and the fields are full of rice.

Almost all Thais can go back to the family farm in times of hardship, the temple will feed anyone who asks. Only the very foolish get the chance to die of exposure.

In some ways this is a lot better than the western world.

(or many other 3rd world countries)

I am assuming that you must have made the same mistake that I made earlier in one of my postings and that is to NOT read ALL of the postings beforehand on this subject., It might make things a little bit clearer as to the relevance of my post contextually wise and i wouldn't have had to eat a ton full of humble pie through spouting my mouth off without having read the previous postings leading up to the one I had commented on. The good thing is that I have learnt from this mistake!!!

[SICHONSTEVE]

If you are saying it's easier to live in 35 above than 40 below, I think you might review the economics and practices of farming in Thailand - it might also help to bear in mind that until clearing took place most of Thailand was uninhabitable - due to the climate and the resulting vegetation -

You are kidding aren't you!!!!! There is no economics in farming in such desolate places for a start. Can you enlighten me to what types of crops they grow in Alaska or Iceland or how many kwai they keep (subsisting on ice) - it would take a long time to fatten them up but keeping their meat for 3 months would be easier than in Thailand so long as you can keep them alive (knit some special buffalo woolly's maybe) , I concede on the natural freezer capacity point - don't need leccy either which is a bonus!!

The real cruncher though, is that they don't have 7/11's where in Thailand they appear on and around every corner no matter where you live or are in Thailand.

[StreetCowboy]

...

....

There's one key word missing - opportunity!!!!

Does your salary leave you in poverty whereby you have to scrape a living to put food on the table?? I doubt it, so having the opportunity (there's that word again) by trying to better yourself is often a personal choice open to you as to whether you want to prosper in life and doesn't therefore hold the same validity as with someone trying to do something in order to survive.

You may have the opportunity (there's.......) to achieve your ambitions and aspirations to grow your wealth, then happiness may or may not be the end result as It usually depends on what you do with it, and how you handle it that shapes the outcome, many people fail to do this - remember Viv Nicholson with her spend,spend,spend attitude?? it didn't exactly bring her happiness, well not after the money ran out anyway!! Conversely, multi billionaire Richard Branson seems well happy with life, I'm sure you'll agree, with that perma-grin that's fixed on to his ugly ginger haired mug, whether he's flying high in his balloon, on one of his planes serving his customers dressed up as a stewardess with full make up and a wig (a definite improvement methinks) after losing a bet with one of his rich mates (I'm convinced he's a frustrated katoey), or even when he's prancing around like a ninny trying to promote the "keep Britain tidy" campaign in the eighties!! Still, you have to admire him and what he's done with his life though!! Bless thim!!!!

Why not just say 'people can have ambitious aims and be(come) greedy, or not', full stop, as race is an irrelevant aspect as far as I'm concerned whether within or between different races in the given concept that you are still insisting on purporting to be the case for some strange reason.

Culture is NOT skin deep!! it is what it is. It doesn't change, but it can evolve, as you cannot just simply erase past cultural aspects because new ones have been introduced (changed as you put it) - it has always and will always be there ( entwined in a nations history). Example: try telling an old Thai person that traditional Thai dances that they used to dance to when they were children don't exist anymore as they have been replaced by more modern 'pop disco' versions and so they must be lying when they say they used to do this many moon's ago!!! Get my point???

Finally, why do you regard it as so necessary to change a culture anyway (as if it's a positive thing) "if one is willing to make the effort" as you succinctly put it - a new culture isn't that at all as it is something that existed ONLY in previous generations and you're so called culture change will only come into being in FUTURE generations to come and cannot be termed as such, until this time!!! Culture is more relevent in times past and future new ones will not be truly cultural as far as I'm concerned as "culture is undoubtedly dying out in reality" due to the advancement of technology. Do you think that in a generation or two's time, telling you're grandchildren about the 'good old times' of (out moded) I'pods and 60 inch plasma TV screens that you laughingly used to listen to and watch, will have quite the same ring to it as when people used to listen to their 'Bush' transistor radio's' because in them "good old days" they couldn't afford a TV.

No, I thought not!!!

Here's a few blank lines for between the paragraphs of your next post - it will help the readability a bit

I reckon happiness is a big impediment to progress - though perhaps happiness should be our goal, rather than progress, which tends to take more resources and have a bigger environmental impact... To some extent, people make their own opportunity. I have made mine with big ears and a quick volunteering hand. Others rely on study and hard work, while those that rely on the generosity of god and the performance of horses are generally less happy.

You'll find that people can change their culture quicker than they can change the colour of their skin (Michael Jackson excepted). A lot of second generation immigrants in the UK are a great example of that; there is another thread on "reverse culture shock" suggesting that people can drift into or towards a new culture in less than a generation - while their skin colour remains basically fixed from birth till death (notwithstanding a quick coat of creosote or limewash, as appropriate)

In your final paragraph, you raise an interesting point - what culture will our grandchildren inherit? To be honest, as a reactionary bigot, I am somewhat concerned at whether my own children will be adequately culturally brainwashed - but I have no-one to blame for that than myself. Perhaps I should have gone back home with them to the old country every marching season....

SC

[SICHONSTEVE]

...

....

There's one key word missing - opportunity!!!!

Does your salary leave you in poverty whereby you have to scrape a living to put food on the table?? I doubt it, so having the opportunity (there's that word again) by trying to better yourself is often a personal choice open to you as to whether you want to prosper in life and doesn't therefore hold the same validity as with someone trying to do something in order to survive.

You may have the opportunity (there's.......) to achieve your ambitions and aspirations to grow your wealth, then happiness may or may not be the end result as It usually depends on what you do with it, and how you handle it that shapes the outcome, many people fail to do this - remember Viv Nicholson with her spend,spend,spend attitude?? it didn't exactly bring her happiness, well not after the money ran out anyway!! Conversely, multi billionaire Richard Branson seems well happy with life, I'm sure you'll agree, with that perma-grin that's fixed on to his ugly ginger haired mug, whether he's flying high in his balloon, on one of his planes serving his customers dressed up as a stewardess with full make up and a wig (a definite improvement methinks) after losing a bet with one of his rich mates (I'm convinced he's a frustrated katoey), or even when he's prancing around like a ninny trying to promote the "keep Britain tidy" campaign in the eighties!! Still, you have to admire him and what he's done with his life though!! Bless thim!!!!

Why not just say 'people can have ambitious aims and be(come) greedy, or not', full stop, as race is an irrelevant aspect as far as I'm concerned whether within or between different races in the given concept that you are still insisting on purporting to be the case for some strange reason.

Culture is NOT skin deep!! it is what it is. It doesn't change, but it can evolve, as you cannot just simply erase past cultural aspects because new ones have been introduced (changed as you put it) - it has always and will always be there ( entwined in a nations history). Example: try telling an old Thai person that traditional Thai dances that they used to dance to when they were children don't exist anymore as they have been replaced by more modern 'pop disco' versions and so they must be lying when they say they used to do this many moon's ago!!! Get my point???

Finally, why do you regard it as so necessary to change a culture anyway (as if it's a positive thing) "if one is willing to make the effort" as you succinctly put it - a new culture isn't that at all as it is something that existed ONLY in previous generations and you're so called culture change will only come into being in FUTURE generations to come and cannot be termed as such, until this time!!! Culture is more relevent in times past and future new ones will not be truly cultural as far as I'm concerned as "culture is undoubtedly dying out in reality" due to the advancement of technology. Do you think that in a generation or two's time, telling you're grandchildren about the 'good old times' of (out moded) I'pods and 60 inch plasma TV screens that you laughingly used to listen to and watch, will have quite the same ring to it as when people used to listen to their 'Bush' transistor radio's' because in them "good old days" they couldn't afford a TV.

No, I thought not!!!

Here's a few blank lines for between the paragraphs of your next post - it will help the readability a bit

I reckon happiness is a big impediment to progress - though perhaps happiness should be our goal, rather than progress, which tends to take more resources and have a bigger environmental impact... To some extent, people make their own opportunity. I have made mine with big ears and a quick volunteering hand. Others rely on study and hard work, while those that rely on the generosity of god and the performance of horses are generally less happy.

You'll find that people can change their culture quicker than they can change the colour of their skin (Michael Jackson excepted). A lot of second generation immigrants in the UK are a great example of that; there is another thread on "reverse culture shock" suggesting that people can drift into or towards a new culture in less than a generation - while their skin colour remains basically fixed from birth till death (notwithstanding a quick coat of creosote or limewash, as appropriate)

In your final paragraph, you raise an interesting point - what culture will our grandchildren inherit? To be honest, as a reactionary bigot, I am somewhat concerned at whether my own children will be adequately culturally brainwashed - but I have no-one to blame for that than myself. Perhaps I should have gone back home with them to the old country every marching season....

SC

I'm feeling generous so you can have a few lines back as I don't need them.

Are you sure that you don't mean progress is a big impediment to happiness as that would make more sense, especially in this day and age.

Oh and I feel for you that you have been inflicted with big ears (elephant size or wombat size)? and as for a quick volunteering hand, I have never heard of this complaint before but it sounds quite serious (left or right hand) - it's funny, but if you are right handed then it is always the right hand that's the problem and vise versa, but I guess that's a case of sods law in action!! Why don't you get an "ear job" if it's bothering you and get those hands seen to, will you?

Am I keeping the sentences/paragraphs more snappy for you through their brevity to aid you're readability problems??

Just how do you change your own culture, I reiterate, it is what it is - I find this concept puzzling to the extreme. You can adapt to another culture I suppose by adopting certain elements of a different one but this isn't the same as changing your culture, as that is fixed through the past patterns of humanity in your social upbringing - in your country of birth or domicile.

Reverse culture shock is returning to your own country after a prolonged absence and not feeling part of it any more so what has it got to do with anything on this thread????

I'm elated that you found at least one of my paragraphs interesting, it's made me so happy I could cry!!! I wouldn't know about the grandchildren bit as I don't even have children.

As to admitting to be a bigot (proud of it as I can make out) I always thought that someone CALLING another person a bigot was extremely insulting, insinuating that they are prejudiced in their thinking and not prepared to listen to other people's arguments as yours is definitely correct and their's wrong, always - hardly a ringing endorsement of your fairness in judging other's opinions. Do you REALLY want people to view you in this way??? One last thing, you say that you are a reactionary - to what cause exactly? and again, what has this to do with "what do you feel are the differences between farangs and Thai's" thread??

[pjclark1]

Sorry Steve, I can't follow your posts at all, with or without paragraphs.

Try writing less, it will mean more!

[StreetCowboy]

....

I'm feeling generous so you can have a few lines back as I don't need them.

Are you sure that you don't mean progress is a big impediment to happiness as that would make more sense, especially in this day and age.

Oh and I feel for you that you have been inflicted with big ears (elephant size or wombat size)? and as for a quick volunteering hand, I have never heard of this complaint before but it sounds quite serious (left or right hand) - it's funny, but if you are right handed then it is always the right hand that's the problem and vise versa, but I guess that's a case of sods law in action!! Why don't you get an "ear job" if it's bothering you and get those hands seen to, will you?

Am I keeping the sentences/paragraphs more snappy for you through their brevity to aid you're readability problems??

Just how do you change your own culture, I reiterate, it is what it is - I find this concept puzzling to the extreme. You can adapt to another culture I suppose by adopting certain elements of a different one but this isn't the same as changing your culture, as that is fixed through the past patterns of humanity in your social upbringing - in your country of birth or domicile.

Reverse culture shock is returning to your own country after a prolonged absence and not feeling part of it any more so what has it got to do with anything on this thread????

I'm elated that you found at least one of my paragraphs interesting, it's made me so happy I could cry!!! I wouldn't know about the grandchildren bit as I don't even have children.

As to admitting to be a bigot (proud of it as I can make out) I always thought that someone CALLING another person a bigot was extremely insulting, insinuating that they are prejudiced in their thinking and not prepared to listen to other people's arguments as yours is definitely correct and their's wrong, always - hardly a ringing endorsement of your fairness in judging other's opinions. Do you REALLY want people to view you in this way??? One last thing, you say that you are a reactionary - to what cause exactly? and again, what has this to do with "what do you feel are the differences between farangs and Thai's" thread??

I'll use the blank lines to space out the paragraphs.

I was saying that I manufacture my opportunities using the big ears and quick hand; by no means a complaint - am grateful for all the opportunities I've had, and a lot of the temptations, as well...

Elephants would not have Big Ears if Noddy had the money to pay the ransom...(my apologies in advance for an obtuse reference to an old joke...)

I suppose if you take the view that culture is external to the person, then I suppose you cannot change your culture, but that sort of abstract standalone sort of culture is a bit - establishment. My view is that culture is the inherited values, history and knowledge that we inherit; those values drive our preferences and prejudices. But we can change those.

I'm probably not a good judge of others' opinions, though I query why we need to judge their opinions in any case. That seems a little Orwellian - assessing people's opinions, or worse still, assessing people based on their opinions. The fact that seemingly rational people might think this acceptable behaviour is all the more reason to keep one's opinion to oneself.

Getting back to your first point - a lot of people are very happy with progress, as they are able to compare what they have now with what they had before, and appreciate the difference. Whereas happiness makes us want to preserve the status quo and resist change, in order to preserve our current happiness

Unless, like me, you are a hamster who enjoys his treadmill, and enjoys the running for the sake of the running, and not for the progress that you make; then, you can happily carry on running, and make progress or not, depending on circumstances... and, I am told, that is a culturally induced set of prejudices that value hard work for its own sake; I think I have foisted that prejudice on my children as well...

SC

[SICHONSTEVE]

Sorry Steve, I can't follow your posts at all, with or without paragraphs.

Try writing less, it will mean more!

Another unfortunate with readability problems!!

[zzaa09]

But one thing I do know, is that nobody is staving in Thailand.

As the Thais like to say, the sea is full of fish and the fields are full of rice.

Almost all Thais can go back to the family farm in times of hardship, the temple will feed anyone who asks. Only the very foolish get the chance to die of exposure.

In some ways this is a lot better than the western world.

(or many other 3rd world countries)

These traits are naturally derived from a more familial and social extensions, which tends to be more in place throughout traditional non-western civilisations. It's a rarity {Thailand in particular} that one will find someone going hungry here - be it family, neighbors, or strangers. You're more likely to find higher rate of those going hungry in Cleveland, Manchester, or Brisbane. A decent and fixed social order has it's place.

[Deeral]

If you are saying it's easier to live in 35 above than 40 below, I think you might review the economics and practices of farming in Thailand - it might also help to bear in mind that until clearing took place most of Thailand was uninhabitable - due to the climate and the resulting vegetation -

You are kidding aren't you!!!!! There is no economics in farming in such desolate places for a start. Can you enlighten me to what types of crops they grow in Alaska or Iceland or how many kwai they keep (subsisting on ice) - it would take a long time to fatten them up but keeping their meat for 3 months would be easier than in Thailand so long as you can keep them alive (knit some special buffalo woolly's maybe) , I concede on the natural freezer capacity point - don't need leccy either which is a bonus!!

The real cruncher though, is that they don't have 7/11's where in Thailand they appear on and around every corner no matter where you live or are in Thailand.

So there was no lumber or wildlife where those kids were living? - how did they survive - "in absolute poverty?

[andrewbkk]

Sorry Steve, I can't follow your posts at all, with or without paragraphs.

Try writing less, it will mean more!

Yep -- less is usually more.

But why do so many people here not understand the importance of spelling, grammar, sentence structure and paragraphs?

They spew out their garbage and then wonder why no one else understands.

[zzaa09]

Sorry Steve, I can't follow your posts at all, with or without paragraphs.

Try writing less, it will mean more!

Yep -- less is usually more.

But why do so many people here not understand the importance of spelling, grammar, sentence structure and paragraphs?

They spew out their garbage and then wonder why no one else understands.

Garbage. As in content or language structure?

[Deeral]

Are they less “intelligent”?

Are they intrinsically worse driversthan Westerners.

So......

1. Are Thais a different race?
2. Are Thai people innately less capable of doingbasic tasks....business
3. Do you think that you are geneticallybetter equipped for life than Thai people?
4. Do you think you are smarter orcleverer than they are?
5. Why is your country so much richer thanThailand?
6. Is your nationality/race inherentlybetter at organising a democracy

Do you believe in hierarchical Iqsaround the world – how do you group them?

[Jingthing]

Are they less “intelligent”?

Are they intrinsically worse driversthan Westerners.

So......

1. Are Thais a different race?
2. Are Thai people innately less capable of doingbasic tasks....business
3. Do you think that you are geneticallybetter equipped for life than Thai people?
4. Do you think you are smarter orcleverer than they are?
5. Why is your country so much richer thanThailand?
6. Is your nationality/race inherentlybetter at organising a democracy

Do you believe in hierarchical Iqsaround the world – how do you group them?

Not a different race.

Capabilities the same.

Genetically the same equipment.

Smarter than the average Thai, yes because of culture and education (the way I would define smart as a westerner, things such as knowing where Ethiopia is on a map); Cleverer? No opinion

America is richer because of culture, history, resources, environment, education, not race or genetics

America is better than Thailand at democracy because of culture, history (longer experience)

There is an economic/power hierarchy in the world, shifting rapidly now!

[Berkshire]

Smarter than the average Thai, yes because of culture and education (the way I would define smart as a westerner, things such as knowing where Ethiopia is on a map);

Sorry, JT, but I had to laugh at this one. I'd venture to say that the majority of Americans couldn't find Ethiopia on a map. There was a story out years ago when the US was about to go to war with Iraq and something like half the Marines going couldn't find Iraq on a map. But alas, I don't believe that knowing geography necessarily portends intelligence. It's more the capacity to learn. I would bet that young Thai university students (or any young Thai with access to computers) are much more computer savvy than the typical older farang, myself included. They may not be able to do longhand multiplication, but they can certainly do Facebook, MP3, Twitter, Iphone, etc.

[mstribling]

That's why we Americans love to fight other people's wars for them.

To teach our youth geography.

[jazzbo]

what map?

[IanForbes]

That was an all time classic, Jazzbo, and I doubt if that young blonde gal will ever live it down.

[SteeleJoe]

The greed and sociopathetic behavior are more pronounced in those countries that feel Thailand is a third world country. It's a shame that the internet has exposed certain countries to things that they "think" they want. What exactly are they falling short of?

Heh. Not much "pronounced" greed or antisocial behavior here, is there?

And "think" they want? Gee, presumptuous and paternalistic much?

I think any country that is swamped by a much massivly disproportionate amount of 'totally unqualified ' farang teachers' that can barely speak the local language is going to have a negative impact on the education system here.

yeah, sure -- all evidence points to little or no problems with the Thai educational system except for 'totally unqualified ' farang teachers' that can barely speak the local language"...

As for the OP: just too loaded and generalizing to reply to.

[SteeleJoe]

Ianforbes:

...we only use a small portion of our brain.

That's a widely held but almost certainly fallacious belief. Surely we use 100% (the idea that we don't makes little sense, in fact, unless one disregards a minor thing called evolution).

[surayu]

I don't believe that knowing geography necessarily portends intelligence. It's more the capacity to learn.

Capacity (and willing)to learn.......and be able(and still willing) to put to good use the knowledge you have.

Interesting to note that even if an individual might hold all those qualities, the environment he's in can just kind of nullify them (willing or not willing), how great is that?

[jazzbo]

Kuhn Ian -- from all reports she seems to have a good laugh about it and -- with looks like this -- I don't think she should worry too much.

[zzaa09]

That's why we Americans love to fight other people's wars for them.

To teach our youth geography.

Well that strategy certainly isn't working....

[Forethat]

we only use a small portion of our brain.

I haven't actually been able to find the post where Ian states this, so for this reason I want to point out that I am by no means holding Ian accountable for the statement itself.

From a strict biological perspective, "we only use 10 or 20% of our brain" is an urban legend. However, it only takes reading a few threads on this forum before it becomes obvious that it is in fact true.

[Forethat]

That's a widely held but almost certainly fallacious belief. Surely we use 100% (the idea that we don't makes little sense, in fact, unless one disregards a minor thing called evolution).

Ahh, an educated man! Finally. Welcome.

[StreetCowboy]

That's a widely held but almost certainly fallacious belief. Surely we use 100% (the idea that we don't makes little sense, in fact, unless one disregards a minor thing called evolution).

Ahh, an educated man! Finally. Welcome.

Like many posters here, I rarely use mine at all, for fear of wearing it out.

I would have thought that was obvious....

SC

[SICHONSTEVE]

That's why we Americans love to fight other people's wars for them.

To teach our youth geography.

Oh dear!!! World look out!!! don't you realise that if you adopt this type of philosophy to teach your American children geography you would be party to destroying 95% of the world or in simple mathematical terms (the world - America) as surely they know where their own country appears on the map!!! Don't they!!!! .

I suppose it would be a good way to lower the united states unemployment rate as it would take an increase of several million more new armed force personnel to police it all and be a logistical nightmare in deployment and operational terms, although a 100 fold increase in 3 star generals should overcome that element.

Heh, i've got a good idea - why not improve the teaching of geography in you're schools to show them that other countries exist outside of the USA and that there are other continents apart from 'the America's' NB: there are seven continents if you treat North America and South America as separate continents (of which I'm sure would garner much favouratism as that would mean that they would have 2 out of the 7 with the title America within them) and then look to find other means of getting the employment levels up!!!!! What do you think???

[SICHONSTEVE]

I'm taking the distinctly unusual step of quoting MYSELF here.

"as surely they know where their own country appears on the map!!! Don't they!!!!" .

I've just seen Jazzbo's posting on Miss South Carolina's classic speech and the fact that apparently 20% of Americans cannot locate where the USA lies on the world map (you know, where they preside)!!! incredible and disturbing!!!. I must apologise for talking their intelligence up so much as they don't merit it, clearly. I would have thought that the saying "beauty without brains" could qualify her distnct absense of 'grey matter' but it looks like she is representative of a sizeable proportion of "teen America" - I'm totally dumbfounded!!!