"You think too much"

[Linzz]

Westerners tend to analyse stuff they don't understand because it bothers them. Thai's just accept that they don't understand and it doesn't bother them.

[mesterm]

Nothing to do with Buddhism really. Don't give them too much credit for it.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

I knew a guy whose girl was shagging all and sundry.of course he caught her out and was really pissed off.He was asking her who?how many times? why? all sorts of questions.Her answer was 'you think too much' as if that was the answer to the question of life.the poor bastard was apoplectic with frustration,but it was just another day at the office for her.

I love Thailand.

[twizzian]

You think too much! There's no forward thinking is their own answer to the quote.

Think about their deadly driving skills & accidents as one an example.

[DogNo1]

Check out the teachings of Eckhart Tolle.  He points out that too much thinking causes suffering.  Cutting down on my own thinking DOES seem to make me calmer and happier.  On the other hand, overthinking things has made me quite miserable in the past.  Maybe " Don't think too much" does make sense.

[hgma]

First of all , many Thai live on instinct, not common sense, reason, education.

Not only math and language but EQ & social skill

Some vital mechanisms are just not there

Problem solving

Anger management

Emotional development

Anyone tries to reason an empty glass is (gonna) be crazy!

THEN you think to much!!!!

 

[Roadman]

9 hours ago, Linden said:

The people saying you think too much do honestly believe you think too much.

These people (asian obviously) dont have the equipment to think.

Karma doesnt apply here either no equipment for thinking past the end of their nose even the real small flat nose.

So no chance if theres a pinocio nose been added. 

Oh its pretty like a Rolls Royce logo on a suzuki Swift.

Then theres the tattoos they will be nice at 45 years old

No equipment for thinking.

Agree with the sentiment that possibly a majority of thai's honestly believe we as westerners think to much but it is not that they don't have the equipment but more that Thai educational and society ingrainment does not encourage them to use it to the full.

Case in point my daughter (step) who for the first year or so from living with us as a young "knowledgeable" teen and having been thai educated would often comment "Dad you think to much" when discussing even basic western family issues.  It was not that she was not engaged in the discussion but more she straight out struggled to be able to think right through and find a solution. And this was a young lass who did not speak a word of English when she came here but was scoring Merit Excellents in Maths, Accounting and Computer Studies which showed that there was a high level of intelligence there but it had not been developed to seek, question, query and basically apply thought. While her mum did not use the term she did apply to the same level of short term thinking which then results in the full thai reliance on others with the thai classic of "up to you". Problem I have with that is the acceptance of anyone's opinion without question which is probably understandable when you take an honest look at all thai peoples structures and the associated problems that are easy to see in Thailand. Eight years later after a western education including an A grade pass in her university degree she is a thinker. You do not get an A grade in a western university unless you respond to what is being asked of you which is to think and give your opinions, and give some solutions.

The development of that western thinking into a young thai mind was a pleasure to be involved in especially as I was the one who English proofed all her work before she handed it in so was able to hands on see and guage that development. Some of the most enjoyable moments were the p!ss takers that we would burst into laughter over when the lecturer had asked "In your opinion what do you think...."

This young lass is Rolls Royce through and through and detests tatoos. 

Within Thailand the Rolls Royce equipment is there but sadly under the constraints of the Thai education system and a Thai "patronage" society it is not developed to the level it could be. 

Edited September 9, 2016 by Roadman

[Jimbo2014]

This expression exposes the philosophy that more than anything holds the country back from addressing its serious development issues. 

[callaway]

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Think and worry about what you can change... 

 

As Westerners we tend to discuss and debate many issues which we have no possible control over.... We've often grown up discussing such topics which interest us regardless of the control or impact we may or may not have - To many Thai's this seems insane and a total waste of effort... 

 

To some extent Thai's are correct - why waste so much effort concerning ourselves with issues over which we have no impact... However, this is not so clear cut... as the apathy often extends to issues which we may have 'limited control over'... 

 

We as Westerners tend to feel more empowered over our destiny...  when generalising, Thai's tend not to. 

If this was the case the TV would cease to exist. So many topics on here are debated at length and there is no way any farang can change a damn thing. Particularly politics and reform. "You all think too much"

[Linzz]

Westerners are brought up in a culture of science and curiosity as to how the world works. The background of Thai culture is buddhist and anamist. If you believe that inanimate objects can contain spirits etc and you are surrounded by ghosts and ancestor influences then what is hard to explain in nature is automatically attributed to things that you should stay clear of. Hence  superstition results in a fear of research and analysis and "thinking too much" Nothing to do with lack of intelligence or "mental equipment" but is purely cultural 

 

Or is that thinking too much? 

Edited September 10, 2016 by Linzz

[Retiredandhappyhere]

I gave up trying to discuss anything serious with some former Thai girlfriends when they clearly had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned World War 2.   I think they thought it was some kind of new computer game.

[SoiBiker]

After reading some of the replies here, I'm forced to conclude that the opposite is true - many farangs simply do not think enough. 

[ev1lchris]

It's all excuse to be dumb as shit.

[starky]

Because ignorance really is bliss. Some people really do think too much and many spend too much time contemplating things they have zero control over.

[MANFROMBOCA]

17 hours ago, Emster23 said:

Translation of "mai kit mak" (no think much) aka "don't worry".... makes some sense: no think, no worry. Works for them....

i always took it to mean "DONT WORRY" also if they want me to stop talking im usually told stop YAK YAK me

[louse1953]

My reply is because i have to think for both of us.

[louse1953]

On 9/8/2016 at 11:47 PM, JJGreen said:

I used to hear it in my home country occasionally....from people who were not too bright or just lazy to consider things

A lot of it here comes down to not wanting to give an issue any headspace that is not needed.

I havent heard it in a while now...maybe i pick a style of conversation to suit the occaision i didn't a few years back

 

Nobody will ever accuse you JJ of not thinking too much.Little bit obscure sometimes but always thinking.

[BaldPlumber]

In currently learning to read and write thai.

In the seventies some quite well known books were published to be used in schools to teach the Thai kids how to read, they are the marnee / marnar books.

They've been out of use for quite a while now I believe, but I was quite keen to use them as a lot of Thais seem to remember them quite affectionately.

So, my Thai tutor printed some of on A4 paper and I'm slogging through then with him.

These are designed for 7-8 year olds, so the text / storyline is pretty simple.

At the end of each text section there are pronunciation exercises which really just repeat the main vowels used in the previous text, but with different words obviously.

Anyway, I didn't know most of these words and some of them aren't even words. So, I asked my tutor if Thai kids already knew the meaning of these words before they read the exercise.

He said no and they wouldn't know the meaning of then after either. The reason being that the entire class just chanted the words together, as one voice.

No one asked what the words meant 'cos Thai kids are not encouraged to ask questions when they're at school, as amazing as this sounds.

This might go some way to explain why Thais are not keen on westerners asking questions in order to understand what the hell is going on.

Incredibly, this lack of inquisitiveness is no hindrance to Thais, should they wish to go to university.

[emoji54]

[BaldPlumber]

Messed up

[outlaw11wa]

I used to wonder about this also, but as time went by I realised the truth of the statement. Consider for a moment this whole thread. Has your world changed through talking or debating the subject? Westerners often have their own statements as someone previously stated 'Que Sera sera" and also 'Actions speak louder than words'. Both could be used or substituted for 'Yak kid maag'. The phrase is not always used with the same sentiment, its subjective to the particular moment. Thais could/would also see the many debates on here as often pointless if it is only talk and no action. And they are probably right.

So chill out, that's why you are here in LOS...isnt it?

[DogNo1]

In regard to thinking too much, a science special on TV  featured Steven Hawking asserting that because, at the quantum level, quarks in atoms move randomly and unpredictably, there must actually be many parallel universes that we can't see.  This apparantly represents the present concensus among quantum physicists.  Personally, I don't how random quark movement leads to multiple universes.  I guess that I'll have to consilt Neil deGrasse Tyson.

[NickJ]

My Gf gets headaches,  from me thinking to much............

[E S B]

On 9.9.2016 at 0:36 PM, emilymat said:

Totally agree.  When I was married to a Thai woman she  often used to use the expression 'you think too much'.  It became clear to me it simply was a substitute for putting your head in the sand and stop worrying about any issue - however trivial.

 

Clearly, large sections of Thai society (and most others I suppose) take the view that not facing up to the facts will make them go away.

 

For me(as a half thai) it means that "if you cant fix a problem right then and there, then you should stop thinking about it". It means put worries from the front of your head to the back of your head(bit badly explained but english isnt my first language so bear with me )  and not letting it constantly bug you.

Got a huge dept you cant pay right now? or a girlfriend that refuses to talk to you right there and then? or another immediately unsolvable problem? Well then it means dont think too much about it, it wont achive anything postive right then and there. It doesnt mean that you shouldnt try to fix the problem tho. Just like not letting it consume and destroy you either. Some problems need time to fix it. And cant be fixed right there and then. Its those problems that saying is aimed at for me atleast.

 

Guess we in the west got this saying: Time heals all wounds. Its bit same but different at the same time.

 

But I agree it can also be used by lazy people as a excuse to not solve any problems aswell:p (my mother always says it when she knows she got too little money that mothn go make it through , but she still buy those shoes at her payday, even if her budget was already overstretched as it was).

 

Guess this was a bit of a necro tho^^

Edited May 5, 2017 by E S B

[Rc2702]

1 hour ago, E S B said:

 

For me(as a half thai) it means that "if you cant fix a problem right then and there, then you should stop thinking about it". It means put worries from the front of your head to the back of your head(bit badly explained but english isnt my first language so bear with me )  and not letting it constantly bug you.

Got a huge dept you cant pay right now? or a girlfriend that refuses to talk to you right there and then? or another immediately unsolvable problem? Well then it means dont think too much about it, it wont achive anything postive right then and there. It doesnt mean that you shouldnt try to fix the problem tho. Just like not letting it consume and destroy you either. Some problems need time to fix it. And cant be fixed right there and then. Its those problems that saying is aimed at for me atleast.

 

Guess we in the west got this saying: Time heals all wounds. Its bit same but different at the same time.

 

But I agree it can also be used by lazy people as a excuse to not solve any problems aswell:p (my mother always says it when she knows she got too little money that mothn go make it through , but she still buy those shoes at her payday, even if her budget was already overstretched as it was).

 

Guess this was a bit of a necro tho^^

Nice point pal. It's well laid out too and makes sense. Be good to get that phrased in thai fully so it means something more than what most think it means which is that people are too lazy to think. My Thai mate who speaks Lao he tried to tell me an issue the other day and told me " kit maak" I was surprised he was using the phrase to be honest so I got him drunk to stop him from thinking too much. He seems in a better place now too so I guess it worked. First time this year I drank more than 1 Leo a night. I speak very basic thai I might add hence I could not figure out his problem or try to for that matter.

Edited May 5, 2017 by Rc2702

[Chou Anou]

"Don't think too much" (including when it's said in Thai) is sometimes used by Thais as a passive-aggressive weapon, the same way "jai yen yen" often is.

[Rc2702]

1 minute ago, Chou Anou said:

"Don't think too much" (including when it's said in Thai) is sometimes used by Thais as a passive-aggressive weapon, the same way "jai yen yen" often is.

What I'm after is the added version what the OP describes. Guess it's something like "mai kit maak now the answer will come it just takes time" just in thai though.

[Chou Anou]

23 minutes ago, Rc2702 said:

What I'm after is the added version what the OP describes. Guess it's something like "mai kit maak now the answer will come it just takes time" just in thai though.

Hmm, I'm not familiar with a specific phrase like that, but if it exists, I'm sure someone would know it in the Thai Language Forum.

[Rc2702]

1 minute ago, Chou Anou said:

Hmm, I'm not familiar with a specific phrase like that, but if it exists, I'm sure someone would know it in the Thai Language Forum.

Is it really the time for me to get on that forum. I'm impressed, with myself. Thanks mate.

[bamukloy]

1 hour ago, Rc2702 said:

What I'm after is the added version what the OP describes. Guess it's something like "mai kit maak now the answer will come it just takes time" just in thai though.

im also interested if there is a Thai term for that.

My way thinking of saying it would be something like

 

Mai khit mak diao-nee

 

Bangtee dtawng wella ja tam gaepahn-haa

-Sometimes (you) need time to make the solution

 

But my Thai is quite basic. Maybe the half Thai guy that posted above can help

 

[Rc2702]

1 hour ago, bamukloy said:

im also interested if there is a Thai term for that.

My way thinking of saying it would be something like

 

Mai khit mak diao-nee

 

Bangtee dtawng wella ja tam gaepahn-haa

-Sometimes (you) need time to make the solution

 

But my Thai is quite basic. Maybe the half Thai guy that posted above can help

 

Ain't it mai kit maak ton-nee don't think too much now - does that make sense in thai? I'd want to know also " relax now you will solve it soon"

 

Yes please sort us out thai guy.