Thai Youngsters Have Nothing Against Cheating: Survey

[maidu]

How on earth can a PM effect the ethics of children when he has only been in power for ten years. .......

Thaksin was just one player showing that cheating, lying and corruption are worthy of being emulated in Thailand. He influenced anyone who noticed, and those, in turn influenced the youngsters. Of course the culture of lying and cheating lies deeper than just one person, but he personified those traits. While still PM, he famously avoided paying one satang of taxes on billions of baht of transactions. He unabashedly shifted assets to his maid, to his chauffeur, to his children, relatives and friends. He was untouchable while in power, then he denigrated attempts by authorities to connect the dots later on.

All along, a majority of Thais thought he was their savior. So much so, they elected his sister, who they knew nothing about, except she's pretty and she's the clone of you know who. Get ready for generations more of Thai children who won't even be able to tell the difference between cheating and not cheating. Thailand currently has an Education Minister who is trying to justify tea money (paid to schools, but which actually go in a few individuals' pockets). Thailand also has a foreign Minister who has done nothing since taking office except try to make life easier for one man (guess who).

[kerryk]

How on earth can a PM effect the ethics of children when he has only been in power for ten years. .......

Thaksin was just one player showing that cheating, lying and corruption are worthy of being emulated in Thailand. He influenced anyone who noticed, and those, in turn influenced the youngsters. Of course the culture of lying and cheating lies deeper than just one person, but he personified those traits. While still PM, he famously avoided paying one satang of taxes on billions of baht of transactions. He unabashedly shifted assets to his maid, to his chauffeur, to his children, relatives and friends. He was untouchable while in power, then he denigrated attempts by authorities to connect the dots later on.

All along, a majority of Thais thought he was their savior. So much so, they elected his sister, who they knew nothing about, except she's pretty and she's the clone of you know who. Get ready for generations more of Thai children who won't even be able to tell the difference between cheating and not cheating. Thailand currently has an Education Minister who is trying to justify tea money (paid to schools, but which actually go in a few individuals' pockets). Thailand also has a foreign Minister who has done nothing since taking office except try to make life easier for one man (guess who).

Given you were correct children would also copy good politicians. It just doesn't happen.

I realize you hate the guy but he is not responsible for all the wrongs of society except in your mind.

Saying it over and over again does not make it so.

Parents and/or children do not mimic the morals of political leaders. Countries get the politicians they deserve. It is not politicians get the countries they deserve.

There was a time not too long ago when Gandhi was in control of all of India and still Pakistan split into their own country.

Look at the TS time line. First he had to do the stuff and that took at least 5 years to get started so what you are saying is that he effected the ethics of Thai children in 5 years. He managed to get adults to pass on to their children in 5 years a significant lowering of ethical values. That is not credible.

You can't effect society wide change in that short a period of time. Mao effected social and moral change in China. He was in power for 30 years and responsible for about 70 million deaths. He executed about a million between 1949 and 1953. Yes, he is a political figure and he changed things. Compare the two. TS in power 10 years and killed a couple of thousand. Mao in power 30 years and killed 70 million. Get real!!! TS was a bad guy but he was and is a lightweight when compared to the political leaders that have effected real change in society for good or bad, simply not in the same league.

[maidu]

How on earth can a PM effect the ethics of children when he has only been in power for ten years. .......

Thaksin was just one player showing that cheating, lying and corruption are worthy of being emulated in Thailand. He influenced anyone who noticed, and those, in turn influenced the youngsters. Of course the culture of lying and cheating lies deeper than just one person, but he personified those traits. While still PM, he famously avoided paying one satang of taxes on billions of baht of transactions. He unabashedly shifted assets to his maid, to his chauffeur, to his children, relatives and friends. He was untouchable while in power, then he denigrated attempts by authorities to connect the dots later on.

All along, a majority of Thais thought he was their savior. So much so, they elected his sister, who they knew nothing about, except she's pretty and she's the clone of you know who. Get ready for generations more of Thai children who won't even be able to tell the difference between cheating and not cheating. Thailand currently has an Education Minister who is trying to justify tea money (paid to schools, but which actually go in a few individuals' pockets). Thailand also has a foreign Minister who has done nothing since taking office except try to make life easier for one man (guess who).

Given you were correct children would also copy good politicians. It just doesn't happen.

Granted, politicians are not the only influences on children, but they are among the most influencial. If Thailand had been earlier governed by a JFK or a Carter or a Clinton (3 US leaders I happen to like. You can fill in the blanks with leaders which you particularly like) - I would venture its children might be slightly less inclined to believe that cheating is a perfectly acceptable way to get more money. And, before you let out a ventful of response, sure there are many Americans who cheat - one need look no further than Wall Street execs - though you'll also find that nearly all of them are staunch Republicans (influenced by Richard "I'm not a crook" Nixon in their formative years).

Edited September 23, 2011 by maidu

[kerryk]

How on earth can a PM effect the ethics of children when he has only been in power for ten years. .......

Thaksin was just one player showing that cheating, lying and corruption are worthy of being emulated in Thailand. He influenced anyone who noticed, and those, in turn influenced the youngsters. Of course the culture of lying and cheating lies deeper than just one person, but he personified those traits. While still PM, he famously avoided paying one satang of taxes on billions of baht of transactions. He unabashedly shifted assets to his maid, to his chauffeur, to his children, relatives and friends. He was untouchable while in power, then he denigrated attempts by authorities to connect the dots later on.

All along, a majority of Thais thought he was their savior. So much so, they elected his sister, who they knew nothing about, except she's pretty and she's the clone of you know who. Get ready for generations more of Thai children who won't even be able to tell the difference between cheating and not cheating. Thailand currently has an Education Minister who is trying to justify tea money (paid to schools, but which actually go in a few individuals' pockets). Thailand also has a foreign Minister who has done nothing since taking office except try to make life easier for one man (guess who).

Given you were correct children would also copy good politicians. It just doesn't happen.

Granted, politicians are not the only influences on children, but they are among the most influencial. If Thailand had been earlier governed by a JFK or a Carter or a Clinton (3 US leaders I happen to like. You can fill in the blanks with leaders which you particularly like) - I would venture its children might be slightly less inclined to believe that cheating is a perfectly acceptable way to get more money. And, before you let out a ventful of response, sure there are many Americans who cheat - one need look no further than Wall Street execs - though you'll also find that nearly all of them are staunch Republicans (influenced by Richard "I'm not a crook" Nixon in their formative years).

Not very good examples as JFK cheated on his wife with numerous women and Carter wished he did and was a cheater in his mind (Playboy interview) and Clinton was impeached for lying under oath.(I know you are probably one of those people who don't think Clinton was impeached but google it and save me the trouble of correcting you.)

The conclusions my children drew from JFK were that his wife was a gold digger and after he was shot married an old man who looked like a troll. Carter was a peanut farmer who ruined daddy's business with 18% interest rates and Clinton was a friend of uncle Bob's who screwed anything that could walk in Little Rock.

Please establish one factual or historical connection between a politician and the morality or ethics of children. It is not nice to remove parts of what I said instead of using my entire quote. It distorts the meaning and leaves out all the points in my post that you chose not to answer.