I don't get this word ESCAPISM.

[puukao]

Without fail, every time I go to Thailand my friends/family (harder to simply ignore) like to say "Thailand is just Escapism." I say "I don't know" and head off to LOS for 6 months. lol. Posting on TV could be escapism. sleeping too much, drinking too much, walking for hours, whatever....work can be escapism. exercise, definitely. i do that a lot. watching movies, with your friends. haha.

I'm sure many here have heard that we go to Thailand to escape. Sure, most of us do, but the word should not have a negative connotation.

The best part of getting older is not caring what 99% of people think. But it is funny when a friend has 3 kids, marriage on the rocks, hates his job, and tries to tell me why I shouldn't go to Thailand. I need to pick better friends.

[wym]

Seems to me you understand the word pretty well.

Some people - more back home than here - think "real life" means being productive, contributing to society, fulfilling all those obligations and duties, what they call the work ethic.

Just having fun and enjoying yourself is sinful for those conditioned by puritan/protestant religions.

They think you have to earn, to "deserve" the good life, and that there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing".

Also, "misery loves company" applies. . .

Edited January 17, 2014 by wym

[Sceptict11]

Escapism =

" An habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine"

Does that fit your bill or does your "imagination "extend" to reality ?

[manarak]

"escapism" is what people who are prisoner of their taboos call a free person's behavior.

[MAJIC]

There's nothing wrong with doing what you want,call it escapism or whatever,you pays your money and you make your choice,sounds like they don't approve because they are Jealous,go for it and don't give them a second thought! if they want you to be a conformist just like them,then tell them: you are your own man!"like it or suck it"!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escapism

Escapism is mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation, as an "escape" from the perceived unpleasant or banal aspects of daily life. It can also be used ...

Edited January 17, 2014 by MAJIC

[Blindside]

Seems to me you understand the word pretty well.

Some people - more back home than here - think "real life" means being productive, contributing to society, fulfilling all those obligations and duties, what they call the work ethic.

Just having fun and enjoying yourself is sinful for those conditioned by puritan/protestant religions.

They think you have to earn, to "deserve" the good life, and that there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing".

Also, "misery loves company" applies. . .

The worst part is that these people cannot explain why things don't always work out even if you work your backside off. They come with lame arguments that you made bad choices and so forth.

I work very hard here. I am paid accordingly and am able to care for my family. Something I was struggling with back home.

Escapism can be found anywhere.

[smileydude]

I think hanging around on the internet all day is a better example of "escapism".

With all of the sterotypes and reputations Thailand seems to be garnering coming to Thailand is more like "hedonism" for some.

Only we know why we're here so judgement is best saved for the ignorant.

[flyingdoc]

Escapism is getting away from routine, and doing something else - hopefully enjoyable!

[bigjoelo]

"What if I told you insane was working fifty hours a week in some office for fifty years at the end of which they tell you to piss off; ending up in some retirement village hoping to die before suffering the indignity of trying to make it to the toilet on time? Wouldn't you consider that to be insane?" Garland Greene (Steve Buscemi) Con-Air

[Suradit69]

Seems to me you understand the word pretty well.

Some people - more back home than here - think "real life" means being productive, contributing to society, fulfilling all those obligations and duties, what they call the work ethic.

Just having fun and enjoying yourself is sinful for those conditioned by puritan/protestant religions.

They think you have to earn, to "deserve" the good life, and that there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing".

Also, "misery loves company" applies. . .

"Some people - more back home than here - think "real life" means being productive, contributing to society, fulfilling all those obligations and duties, what they call the work ethic."

"more back home than here" You mean more "real" people aka farangs, or are you including Thais, the majority of whom go about working every day for long hours and little pay? I would imagine for them escapism would be having the luxury of spending months, or even years during retirement, sitting around on their butts doing nothing, but still having a seemingly inexhaustible amount of money. It must be quite a mystery to many Thais how so many brain dead farang can manage to come to Thailand every year and do just that.

If life is so ideal back in farang ville ( and the threads of TV are filled with reminders of how wonderful everything is in the glorious western advanced civilization) why would anyone want to escape from it?

Seems a bit of a puzzle. So Many people on TV think virtually everything in Thailand is second rate compared to the Utopian west and yet people feel coming here is an escape ... from Utopia. And if you suggest they should return to the paradise they mistakenly left, they really get into a convoluted snit. Apparently suggesting someone escape to paradise is considered an impolite thing to do.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Suradit69

[jonesthebaker]

escapism is moving from the left side to the right side of ones brain. the majority of people are dominated by the 'i am' left brain. i.e. routine, order, facts, statistics, but overwelmingly - survival.

those of us lucky enough to escape from the left to the right are more free spirited and see life as a journey to enjoy and be lived. of course the left sided folk don't appreciate this as they insist on order and routine. so they say that you are an escapist - a bad machine

[dao16]

I think it is also a veiled racist remark, as somehow I am living in an "inferior" country with "inferior" people. The "real world" is back at home where "real" people get things done. Somehow, the fact that I get up early every day, go to work, pay bills (even taxes--wooo) and send the kids to school still isn't "real." Or, for my retired counterparts who no longer work, is paying for visas and keeping your paperwork in order, taking care of your house, family and investments not "real life?" Pay no attention to people who think you are "escaping."

Edited January 18, 2014 by dao16

[swissie]

Let's not carry it too far into philosophical territory. The reasons a Farang "Escapes" from the west, is (most of the time) very "down to earth":

- Beer is cheap

- P*ssy is cheap

- Housing is cheap

- Everything cheap

Let's keep it simple and honest.

Of course, the 0,1% of Farangs coming here because of the Temples, the Culture, the stable political system, and the Farang-investor-friendly legislation, will start to howl at this point...................

Cheers.

[manarak]

I think it is also a veiled racist remark, as somehow I am living in an "inferior" country with "inferior" people. The "real world" is back at home where "real" people get things done. Somehow, the fact that I get up early every day, go to work, pay bills (even taxes--wooo) and send the kids to school still isn't "real." Or, for my retired counterparts who no longer work, is paying for visas and keeping your paperwork in order, taking care of your house, family and investments not "real life?" Pay no attention to people who think you are "escaping."

escaping from their bullshit, that's for sure

[larsjohnsson]

I would also escape from those friends/family

[HerbalEd]

It's sour grapes for your envious friends ... and sweet mangos for you.

[Andre0720]

Seems to me you understand the word pretty well.

Some people - more back home than here - think "real life" means being productive, contributing to society, fulfilling all those obligations and duties, what they call the work ethic.

Just having fun and enjoying yourself is sinful for those conditioned by puritan/protestant religions.

They think you have to earn, to "deserve" the good life, and that there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing".

Also, "misery loves company" applies. . .

The worst part is that these people cannot explain why things don't always work out even if you work your backside off. They come with lame arguments that you made bad choices and so forth.

I work very hard here. I am paid accordingly and am able to care for my family. Something I was struggling with back home.

Escapism can be found anywhere.

Yeah!!!

But Thailand is a nice place to start experimenting on escapism..

[falangadang]

...and what pray tell is so wrong about escaping the Rat Race?

So glad to have formally retired from the Rodent Marathon!

[Evolare]

Without fail, every time I go to Thailand my friends/family (harder to simply ignore) like to say "Thailand is just Escapism." I say "I don't know" and head off to LOS for 6 months. lol. Posting on TV could be escapism. sleeping too much, drinking too much, walking for hours, whatever....work can be escapism. exercise, definitely. i do that a lot. watching movies, with your friends. haha.

I'm sure many here have heard that we go to Thailand to escape. Sure, most of us do, but the word should not have a negative connotation.

The best part of getting older is not caring what 99% of people think. But it is funny when a friend has 3 kids, marriage on the rocks, hates his job, and tries to tell me why I shouldn't go to Thailand. I need to pick better friends.

yeah i have heard that lots of times...bjt the funny part people are always hating on me and complaining about their lives back home. i work less, i make more money and if what im doing is escapism...then call me an escapist as a good life is my religion! :-)

[jackflash]

Moving to Thailand is definitely escapism.

And there are a hell of a lot of outright evil things in the west to escape from.

[Benmart]

The OP has the right idea and seems to enjoy life. My experiences with my US bound friends is just the opposite in that they congratulated me and wished they could do the same. Live is an adventure and some people are reluctant, for whatever reason, to venture far from the nest. I respect their decisions and continue to march to the drum beat that suits me.

Live and Let Live.

[Clear Sky]

I think you have the right idea. The next time someone infers that you're an escapist, you can direct them to this website, ask them to enter their locale, and enter Bangkok (or another Thai city), then compare the costs of living: http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living

You can also refer to the warm culture, weather, natural beauty, food and wide range of places to live. When they see the results of the cost of living comparison and know the other factors, they should understand your rationale. If they don't, it's up to them.

[Benmart]

Let's not carry it too far into philosophical territory. The reasons a Farang "Escapes" from the west, is (most of the time) very "down to earth":

- Beer is cheap

- P*ssy is cheap

- Housing is cheap

- Everything cheap

Let's keep it simple and honest.

Of course, the 0,1% of Farangs coming here because of the Temples, the Culture, the stable political system, and the Farang-investor-friendly legislation, will start to howl at this point...................

Cheers.

Not having taken an extensive poll, I can't say 0.1% come here for any reason. Each person is a complex being and I really don't care who comes from where and for what reason.

Live and Let Live

[Neeranam]

"What if I told you insane was working fifty hours a week in some office for fifty years at the end of which they tell you to piss off; ending up in some retirement village hoping to die before suffering the indignity of trying to make it to the toilet on time? Wouldn't you consider that to be insane?" Garland Greene (Steve Buscemi) Con-Air

Why I came to Thailand when I was 27. I'll probably have no money when I'm 70 years old as so many older friends keep telling me. On the whole, most of them don't make it much past 70 with many perishing in their 50s, especally the ones who have lived here for 20 plus years and don't look after their health.

3 of my friends have died in the last month and not one was over 60. Between them they had lived here for over 60 years.

My brother keeps asking how I stay so young looking and how he had a mini stroke last year aged 48. Then he accuses me of living the Thai way and not working enough as he is working 16 hours every day. Maybe he is worried about stress causing him to die early and me getting all his hard-earned cash!

I have dedicated nearly all my life to escapism that now there is very little left to escape from.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Neeranam

[Sam Gold]

"The best part of getting older is not caring what 99% of people think."

The truest words I've heard so far in 2014.

[crazydrummerpauly]

Envy.

[Ulic]

All my friends have come for a visit, are planning to visit or wishing they could visit.

Hell my mother is visiting now and is all teeth having a fabulous time. If it wasn't for

the fact she is 80 and the trip so far she says she would like to spend six months

a year here. Just escaping from the cold Canadian winter.

[marko kok prong]

er ,well ,you start with the tunnell,,dropping the soil from modified pockets,then the forged papers,and uniforms,once you get to switzerland,you catch a plane back to blighty,then you can have another go at giving them a jolly good punch on the nose,oh sorry have i got the wrong end of the stick on this ,if i have awfully sorry.

[laobali]

"The best part of getting older is not caring what 99% of people think."

The truest words I've heard so far in 2014.

Agreed, but why wait until you get old?

[peterquixote]

excellent, lifted my day here in New Zealand