Are Thais Taught Anything About The World Outside Of Thailand

[exeter]

What chance of the Thai education system throwing up a Steve Jobs?

Edited October 6, 2011 by exeter

[kerryk]

^^ Yeah I am sure I would fail those too. I have no real interest in knowing too.

Do you think you could find North?

On a map or by looking at the sun?

At night.

[StreetCowboy]

^^ Yeah I am sure I would fail those too. I have no real interest in knowing too.

Do you think you could find North?

On a map or by looking at the sun?

At night.

Oliver or Peter?

SC

[zzaa09]

What chance of the Thai education system throwing up a Steve Jobs?

But then, one really ask to ask themselves about the likes of Mr. Jobs and his ilk.

Are their contributions truly worthy and valuable to species advancement?

Progressing or digressing? Are we conditioned to find things in a manner that they want us to?

Think about it....

Einstein couldn't change a tire or tend a rice field to save his life.

Edited October 6, 2011 by zzaa09

[kerryk]

What chance of the Thai education system throwing up a Steve Jobs?

But then, one really ask to ask themselves about the likes of Mr. Jobs and his ilk.

Are their contributions truly worthy and valuable to species advancement?

Progressing or digressing? Are we conditioned to find things in a manner that they want us to?

Think about it....

Einstein couldn't change a tire or tend a rice field to save his life.

I think cavemen figured this out when they discovered planting instead of hunting and gathering. From my limited education this enabled them to begin to have specialists that were assigned jobs that helped the tribe in return for food. This was the beginning of commerce and civilization.

You OK? Or have you been taking night classes at a Thai university and getting into self sufficiency theory? That would explain your above quote that the everyone else in the world figured out thousands of years ago.

[Semper]

^^ Yeah I am sure I would fail those too. I have no real interest in knowing too.

Do you think you could find North?

On a map or by looking at the sun?

In your case a GPS would be necessary.

[endure]

What chance of the Thai education system throwing up a Steve Jobs?

Steve Jobs - the man who dropped out of college after 1 semester?

[kerryk]

What chance of the Thai education system throwing up a Steve Jobs?

Steve Jobs - the man who dropped out of college after 1 semester?

Should be changed to "What chance of a Thai High School throwing up a Steve Jobs?"

[zzaa09]

What chance of the Thai education system throwing up a Steve Jobs?

But then, one really ask to ask themselves about the likes of Mr. Jobs and his ilk.

Are their contributions truly worthy and valuable to species advancement?

Progressing or digressing? Are we conditioned to find things in a manner that they want us to?

Think about it....

Einstein couldn't change a tire or tend a rice field to save his life.

I think cavemen figured this out when they discovered planting instead of hunting and gathering. From my limited education this enabled them to begin to have specialists that were assigned jobs that helped the tribe in return for food. This was the beginning of commerce and civilization.

You OK? Or have you been taking night classes at a Thai university and getting into self sufficiency theory? That would explain your above quote that the everyone else in the world figured out thousands of years ago.

Hmmmm...

One only needs to observe the contemporary, electronically gadget-laddened, conventionally media-saturated, and socially networked society - catatonic.

Vacant of independent, original, and critical thought and actions. Consumption and accumulation obsessed. Waiting for the next commercially-sponsored sound-bit of info, wisdom, and historical merit.

I'm saddened for the coming litters of "developed" populations.

Advancement....indeed.

[StreetCowboy]

What chance of the Thai education system throwing up a Steve Jobs?

But then, one really ask to ask themselves about the likes of Mr. Jobs and his ilk.

Are their contributions truly worthy and valuable to species advancement?

Progressing or digressing? Are we conditioned to find things in a manner that they want us to?

Think about it....

Einstein couldn't change a tire or tend a rice field to save his life.

I think cavemen figured this out when they discovered planting instead of hunting and gathering. From my limited education this enabled them to begin to have specialists that were assigned jobs that helped the tribe in return for food. This was the beginning of commerce and civilization.

You OK? Or have you been taking night classes at a Thai university and getting into self sufficiency theory? That would explain your above quote that the everyone else in the world figured out thousands of years ago.

Hmmmm...

One only needs to observe the contemporary, electronically gadget-laddened, conventionally media-saturated, and socially networked society - catatonic.

Vacant of independent, original, and critical thought and actions. Consumption and accumulation obsessed. Waiting for the next commercially-sponsored sound-bit of info, wisdom, and historical merit.

I'm saddened for the coming litters of "developed" populations.

Advancement....indeed.

Speak for yourself, mate,

SC

[ludditeman]

But then, one really ask to ask themselves about the likes of Mr. Jobs and his ilk.

I also wonder how much fun he had in his short life, I suspect him of being a workaholic that outside of work had nothing.

Loads of money, but no time to spend any of it. I prefer to be poorer and with a quality life.

Be careful your possessions don't own you.

Slightly off topic

Steve Jobs was a man who screwed over his best friend for huge sums of money. He also got a woman pregnant and refused to pay a dollar of child support even though he was a billionaire. Throughout the tech industry he was universally reviled as a douchebag and dickwad. He severed Apple's charitable programs even though he was wildly wealthy.

Meanwhile, Bill Gates, who everyone loves to hate, is giving away almost his ENTIRE fortune of sixty billion dollars to such causes as child poverty, the elimination of malaria, and finding cures for viral diseases.

Edited October 6, 2011 by ludditeman

[StreetCowboy]

But then, one really ask to ask themselves about the likes of Mr. Jobs and his ilk.

I also wonder how much fun he had in his short life, I suspect him of being a workaholic that outside of work had nothing.

Loads of money, but no time to spend any of it. I prefer to be poorer and with a quality life.

Be careful your possessions don't own you.

There are enough patently miserable people in the world without speculating that the wealthy and successful might be miserable.

To avoid possible disappointment, I just assume that I am happier than millions of impoverished africans. I have always been willing to consider people who are far wealthier than me, and leaders in their field, as my equals.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

But then, one really ask to ask themselves about the likes of Mr. Jobs and his ilk.

I also wonder how much fun he had in his short life, I suspect him of being a workaholic that outside of work had nothing.

Loads of money, but no time to spend any of it. I prefer to be poorer and with a quality life.

Be careful your possessions don't own you.

Slightly off topic

Steve Jobs was a man who screwed over his best friend for huge sums of money. He also got a woman pregnant and refused to pay a dollar of child support even though he was a billionaire. Throughout the tech industry he was universally reviled as a douchebag and dickwad. He severed Apple's charitable programs even though he was wildly wealthy.

Meanwhile, Bill Gates, who everyone loves to hate, is giving away almost his ENTIRE fortune of sixty billion dollars to such causes as child poverty, the elimination of malaria, and finding cures for viral diseases.

The sleeper awakes!

Sorry - no offence intended, but through your honest commendation, you have highlighted one of the biggest dangers to modern society; the ability to pervert social media to one's (their) own ends.

Though I have absolute confidence in your own integrity, I am sure that there are thousands of accounts on TV, and rugbyleague.com and ... oops - better not mention that one for fear the wife is reading,.,,, which are held on behalf of the Chinese secret service to undermine foreign countries when the need arises.

And so subtly could it be done! No need to attack the Crown directly; they could attack her government, through the thousands of social networking sites that MPs maintain, the civil service, the city of London, the football teams....

Perhaps we have moved beyond cyberwars to twitterwars...

SC

[exeter]

What chance of the Thai education system throwing up a Steve Jobs?

But then, one really ask to ask themselves about the likes of Mr. Jobs and his ilk.

Are their contributions truly worthy and valuable to species advancement?

Progressing or digressing? Are we conditioned to find things in a manner that they want us to?

Think about it....

Einstein couldn't change a tire or tend a rice field to save his life.

Whatever you think about Steve Jobs he did have a lot of followers and that generated a lot of work and a living for many people all over the world. I think the Thai education system would not have allowed his vision, thoughts/ideas and single minded will to succeed to have emerged on the scale that he achieved. It seems to be lost on them or just does not occur.

[giddyup]

There was a totally hilarious television show (might even be on youtube) that asked average Americans in the street a variety of questions that you would think most people would and should know. The answers were crazy. Now I am sure the producers edited out a lot of the people who replied with correct answers, but it was amazing how little the average person knew. The questions were almost like... "What colour was George Washington's white horse?" and people couldn't answer correctly.

So , no, it doesn't amaze me that Thais might not know about the world outside of Thailand. If you are struggling to earn enough to put some simple food on the table then learning what happened in Europe 30 years ago is not going to be a priority.

I saw Americans being asked on TV, "what date was the 9/11 terrorist attack on the WTC?" Most didn't know.

[IanForbes]

^^ Yeah I am sure I would fail those too. I have no real interest in knowing too.

Do you think you could find North?

On a map or by looking at the sun?

At night.

Nothern hemisphere?... no problem. I'm not as familiar with the southern hemisphere stars. Not so easy on a cloudy day in the desert, though.

[Berkshire]

Whatever you think about Steve Jobs he did have a lot of followers and that generated a lot of work and a living for many people all over the world. I think the Thai education system would not have allowed his vision, thoughts/ideas and single minded will to succeed to have emerged on the scale that he achieved. It seems to be lost on them or just does not occur.

How many Steve Jobs was there, exactly? Just one. And the US education system didn't exactly produce him, did they? As was already pointed out, he was a college dropout. So using him to bash the Thai education system doesn't exactly cut it, does it? But I'm sure you can find some other equally bogus example.

[astral]

I don't know where the OP is from, but I wonder if the children in his home country

are any better educated about the outside world?

[nong38]

I don't know where the OP is from, but I wonder if the children in his home country

are any better educated about the outside world?

Is that a barbed question? I would certainly have hoped so as I thought it was impotant that the offspring should have a well rounded education, taking off a gap year to travel around Europe was a good start, being well prepared before the start was also important. Since then represented the homeland in Singapore and Canada as well as holding senior positions in government adminstarion, run own company. I showed where my education did not work to well ( probably my fault, more interested in other pursuits) and not to make the same mistakes.

I am just an ordinary bloke who had to work overtime to cover the costs of that education (state- but you have living expenses) so dont runaway with the wrong ideas. In Thailand education, it would have been a dodle, but, no vision or horizons when you left, no future from what I can see, just same and same, surely the youth here deserve much more than that.

Mr original question was about opportunities that I thought were missing, which just might stimulate the coming generations, I understand they need basics but surely some will want more so that the country can leave its developing status.

[ludditeman]

Whatever you think about Steve Jobs he did have a lot of followers and that generated a lot of work and a living for many people all over the world. I think the Thai education system would not have allowed his vision, thoughts/ideas and single minded will to succeed to have emerged on the scale that he achieved. It seems to be lost on them or just does not occur.

As many have pointed out, the American education system did not allow his 'vision' either.

He was a drop-out.

[Jingthing]

Not so fast. For example, Bill Gates also a college dropout. Read the bestseller Outliers: The Story of Success to understand how Bill Gates American education BEFORE COLLEGE made it possible for his unique development.

[Misplaced]

I once showed a Thai girl a map of the world and asked if she knew where Thailand US or UK was, she gave me bewildered look, so that was a no!

The girl was not a bar girl from Issan either and she was 26 yrs old.

I'm sorry but I find that completely strange, what has this girl been taught in her life??

"what has this girl been taught in her life??

Yeah, she can communicate with you but she never been taught anything in her life. What a dumb-ass comment.

[nong38]

Whatever you think about Steve Jobs he did have a lot of followers and that generated a lot of work and a living for many people all over the world. I think the Thai education system would not have allowed his vision, thoughts/ideas and single minded will to succeed to have emerged on the scale that he achieved. It seems to be lost on them or just does not occur.

As many have pointed out, the American education system did not allow his 'vision' either.

He was a drop-out.

Came back with a vengance though didnt he? I have never bought an apple product and never will but he created a desire that kept a lot people in work and that si no bad thing.

[kerryk]

There was a totally hilarious television show (might even be on youtube) that asked average Americans in the street a variety of questions that you would think most people would and should know. The answers were crazy. Now I am sure the producers edited out a lot of the people who replied with correct answers, but it was amazing how little the average person knew. The questions were almost like... "What colour was George Washington's white horse?" and people couldn't answer correctly.

So , no, it doesn't amaze me that Thais might not know about the world outside of Thailand. If you are struggling to earn enough to put some simple food on the table then learning what happened in Europe 30 years ago is not going to be a priority.

I saw Americans being asked on TV, "what date was the 9/11 terrorist attack on the WTC?" Most didn't know.

Congratulations you get a special prize on Thai Visa for making anti American comments on threads that don't have the word America in the title. After 10,000 anti American comments on threads that don't have the word American in the title you get a gold star after your name and join the hall of Anti American fame and have access to all the accolades and special benefits that involves. Keep up the good work.

[kerryk]

Do you think you could find North?

On a map or by looking at the sun?

At night.

Nothern hemisphere?... no problem. I'm not as familiar with the southern hemisphere stars. Not so easy on a cloudy day in the desert, though.

Five times the distance of the long axis of the bottom of the Southern cross draw an imaginary line down to the horizon. That is South. Of course the opposite is North.

[zzaa09]

There was a totally hilarious television show (might even be on youtube) that asked average Americans in the street a variety of questions that you would think most people would and should know. The answers were crazy. Now I am sure the producers edited out a lot of the people who replied with correct answers, but it was amazing how little the average person knew. The questions were almost like... "What colour was George Washington's white horse?" and people couldn't answer correctly.

So , no, it doesn't amaze me that Thais might not know about the world outside of Thailand. If you are struggling to earn enough to put some simple food on the table then learning what happened in Europe 30 years ago is not going to be a priority.

I saw Americans being asked on TV, "what date was the 9/11 terrorist attack on the WTC?" Most didn't know.

Congratulations you get a special prize on Thai Visa for making anti American comments on threads that don't have the word America in the title. After 10,000 anti American comments on threads that don't have the word American in the title you get a gold star after your name and join the hall of Anti American fame and have access to all the accolades and special benefits that involves. Keep up the good work.

Well, couldn't be any worse than the hundreds of other thread examples that are meaningly derailed with unrelated references peppered here and there......as opposed to the 500,000 American [and Western] commentary with apologists references.

When the shoe is on the other foot.

[StreetCowboy]

There was a totally hilarious television show (might even be on youtube) that asked average Americans in the street a variety of questions that you would think most people would and should know. The answers were crazy. Now I am sure the producers edited out a lot of the people who replied with correct answers, but it was amazing how little the average person knew. The questions were almost like... "What colour was George Washington's white horse?" and people couldn't answer correctly.

So , no, it doesn't amaze me that Thais might not know about the world outside of Thailand. If you are struggling to earn enough to put some simple food on the table then learning what happened in Europe 30 years ago is not going to be a priority.

I saw Americans being asked on TV, "what date was the 9/11 terrorist attack on the WTC?" Most didn't know.

Congratulations you get a special prize on Thai Visa for making anti American comments on threads that don't have the word America in the title. After 10,000 anti American comments on threads that don't have the word American in the title you get a gold star after your name and join the hall of Anti American fame and have access to all the accolades and special benefits that involves. Keep up the good work.

Well, couldn't be any worse than the hundreds of other thread examples that are meaningly derailed with unrelated references peppered here and there......as opposed to the 500,000 American [and Western] commentary with apologists references.

When the shoe is on the other foot.

The US rugby team is far better than the Thai team. Do they teach them nothing in schools?

While we're on the topic of derailments - actually, one of my favourite topics...

SC

[zzaa09]

While we're on the topic of derailments - actually, one of my favourite topics...

SC

Would be a delightful definitive for JT to run an in-house poll on, wouldn't it?:jap:

Edited October 7, 2011 by zzaa09

[astral]

I don't know where the OP is from, but I wonder if the children in his home country

are any better educated about the outside world?

Is that a barbed question?

Not at all, a sad refelction of the times.

Just look at the TV series, "Are you smarter than a 5th grader"

and see how many adults fail to meet the criterion.

Yes there will be exceptions, and it sounds like you are one of them,

but can the same be said of the people teaching our children.............?

[IanForbes]

Not at all, a sad refelction of the times.

Just look at the TV series, "Are you smarter than a 6th grader"

and see how many adults fail to meet the criterion.

Yes there will be exceptions, and it sounds like you are one of them,

but can the same be said of the people teaching our children.............?

Too true, Astral. We can't take responsibility for other people's children. We can only take responsibility for our own. Children are the future of the world. All we can do is help them as best we can.