Feet Shuffling: Is it class or culture?

[Rorri]

How one earth does one hope to walk any other way when wearing rubber flip flops...?

Quite easily, thousands of Aussie do it everyday, so I don't know what's wrong with the way you walk.

[Bagwan]

I remember as a kid getting told off by my parents for shuffling (Or dragging my feet). Always told to walk properly and look the world in the eye. Shuffling WAS for lazy people or those with poor self discipline....so I was told.

Never got in trouble in the Army as a result, but several other recruits got a good bollocking

Head up. shoulders back, stick your chest out, pull your stomach in - and dig those heels in. And swing your bloody arms man. Memories of long, long ago.

[Bagwan]

Maybe the ladies do it because they stand on one foot so much, most of the time when doing kitchen work. Why do they stand on one foot?

Maybe they have a flamingo complex?

What the hell are you doing in the kitchen? Get a grip man.

[FolkGuitar]

Maybe the ladies do it because they stand on one foot so much, most of the time when doing kitchen work. Why do they stand on one foot?

Because if they lifted the other foot too, they'd fall down.

[junglechef]

there have been studies done that the faster you walk the longer you will live and they found a close correlation between intelligence and cognitive functioning and ability to walk well, you can draw your own conclusions about the feet shuffle here. fastest walkers are singapore number 2 is new york city.

I don't know of that study but I know another study that indicates slower tolerant people live longer and are happier. Singapore and New York are not good examples of the norm. Intelligence and cognitive functioning have nothing to do with culture. Walking well is subjective biased by the observers culture and education ie. learning (usually by parents and peers) I think motivation and perception are more in the area we are talking about.

It is cultural.

Perhaps not directly but if carrying a baby on ones back all day for instance could inhibit it's cognitive abilities. Some important skills develop mainly between 4 mnths and 2 yrs old. If this or other activities are prevalent in a culture than those people will be less developed as a result.

One of my pet peeves is the school kids who flatten the back of their lace up shoes to slip into them. Besides it makes the kids look lazy, it's sloppy and shows disregard for their possessions. I wouldn't and don't allow my kids too as I have taught them not to slouch and pick up their feet while walking among many other things. It definitely has to do with upbringing.

[CMKiwi]

I remember as a kid getting told off by my parents for shuffling (Or dragging my feet). Always told to walk properly and look the world in the eye. Shuffling WAS for lazy people or those with poor self discipline....so I was told.

Never got in trouble in the Army as a result, but several other recruits got a good bollocking

Head up. shoulders back, stick your chest out, pull your stomach in - and dig those heels in. And swing your bloody arms man. Memories of long, long ago.

Yes well it was a few years ago for me too....about 10 now. And after 23 years service I was quite well brainwashed up to speed with Army drill etc. Being a company sar-major probably had something to do with it too

[David48]

I HATE those dam_n squeaky shoes ! Whether they wear flip flops or shoes, most Thai people seem to usually scuff their feet as they walk, it sometimes annoys me a bit. I hate to say it's due to laziness in lifting their feet, but the number of times I get stuck behind people waiting for other people to come through the open door instead of simply opening the perfectly functioning closed one next to it....walking seems to be such an issue for Thai people and most of them do as much as possible to avoid doing it such as standing stock still on escalators regardless of how much they get in the way and taking the motorcycle taxi 50 meters, even when they do walk they are so dam_n slow and it can take minutes instead of seconds when there are many of them in the way...

Good to see that you are enjoying your stay in Thailand.

BTW ... there is a very good reason that Thais walk slowly ... but I'll let you sweat it and work it out for yourself.

[Dante99]

Maybe the ladies do it because they stand on one foot so much, most of the time when doing kitchen work. Why do they stand on one foot?

Maybe they have a flamingo complex?

What the hell are you doing in the kitchen? Get a grip man.

The maid, she is very attractive.

[vijer]

It doesn't have anything to do with the foot wear, I wear flip-flops all the time and I never shuffle my feet. On the other hand, Thai's shuffle their feet no matter what they wear. It must be something in their DNA.

Also, they pick their noses in public, no wait that is all Asians. I haven't picked my nose since I was about 12, but I see a lot of adult Asians doing it. They even grow their pinky finger nail long for picking either their nose or their ear.

Edited August 14, 2013 by vijer

[onthedarkside]

2 inflammatory posts removed

[junglechef]

I read a very interesting sociological study that concluded that you can pick your nose and pick your friends but you can't pick your friend's nose.

The flippedy flop sound of sandals is often caused by the back of the shoe hitting one's foot because the shoes are too big which might be a reason for other walking styles, have you seen some of the space behind ladies feet in ill fitting high heels? Form over function!

But if the shoes (doesn't) fit ... wear it ???

[Puwa]

For what it's worth, my wife went to an all-girls school that emphasized the social graces. The school taught ladylike behavior such as walking, sitting, correct speech, etiquette, posture etc. She clued me in to observing how women walk as an indicator of their background, which is I guess another way of saying social class. Not that either of us is particularly concerned with class distinctions, but there are real differences. It's all in the toes and the shoulders, apparently. Toes pointing slightly inward, shoulders hunched forward ever so slightly to decrease any apparent swaying of the boobs.

[monkey4u]

Maybe the Thai shuffle is to scare away any snakes.

That was the story I got from lazy step son and Thai wife 1

Number 2 wife prefers to clomp around in stilleto's

[Sticky Rice Balls]

Maybe the Thai shuffle is to scare away any snakes.

That was the story I got from lazy step son and Thai wife 1

Number 2 wife prefers to clomp around in stilleto's

So if i shuffle my feet in the old city it will keep the snakes away???

IE--tuk tuk//taxis/massage/etc....hello mista..welcome..hey!hey!!! uuuuu!!!

[Charlie2012]

The squeaky shoes are so the parents can hear where their kids are - handy in a place so crowded. Of course, to the parents, it sounds like music, because it indicates that their child is safe, but to the bystander - especially those with no kids, and therefore no sympathy, it can be irritating.

Or they could use their eyes. And what if loads of kids are wearing the stupid squeaky shoes? No, parents give them the squeaky shoes because they think it's cute.

[mr chow]

My thought is you have way too much time on your hands. You need a hobby.....badly

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[crusader79]

That was five minutes poorly spent.

[canman]

I think it is Chinese origin.

Watch how they walk/shuffle when carrying any sort of load (which of course Hi-So would never do).

I think your correct; its certainly prevalent here in Singapore. Combine the slow shuffle with the head down looking at my smart phone and dont give a sh1t about anyone else trying to get around me and you have prime targets for a hip and shoulder check.

[Frank James]

It amazes me how so many people wear flip flops while piloting a motorbike, or riding as a passenger. Especially the ones who let their feet dangle close to the ground. One bump, foot hits road, snags flipper, toes get sanded off. There are a lot of single flip flops laying in the streets every day.

Speaking of walking, I have noticed that a lot of Thai ladies have a "duck walk". The feet are splayed out at a fifteen degree (approx) angle, not parallel. But this helps in the squatting posture for preparing food on the ground. Western people can't do that squat at all.

[mania]

Feet shuffling in many countries where the people are slight or tiny

comes from a fear of flying.

If they dont shuffle & a strong gust of wind comes up they fly.

So basically it is a defense system.

I use to need to shuffle but after moving here & eating so much khao neow

I am now 79kg & I am now able to walk freely.

Shuffling aside I do not understand how they can eat so much khao neow

& not gain any weight.

[rebo]

What amazes me more is how quickly they get off their flip flops entering a house: In a fraction of a second without interrupting their step frequence. I often tried it --- to no avail but stumble ...

[Thighlander]

The guy who carries the 40 pound cases of water does the same thing as he enters the residence. I guess some are more confident than we give them credit for.