Glazed Donuts and Three-legged Dogs

[x in pattaya]

Over my life I have lived in 5 different countries, 4 of them by deliberate personal choice.

In each of these countries, significant numbers of people held reasonably strong views on certain things, beliefs which were either enforced or else abetted/permitted by government.

A few examples:

тАв People should not consume alcohol or pork,
тАв ill-luck especially in matters of health was caused by witchcraft,
тАв the spirits of ancestors influenced events in oneтАЩs life,
тАв an emaciated hotel chain heiress was somehow interesting,
тАв God resides in that very large tree over there,
тАв virtually everyone is entitled to view almost any kind of porn,
тАв absolutely no one should view any kind of porn,
тАв devastating hurricanes were caused by homosexuals & Liberals,
тАв tsunamis were caused by decadent westerners,
тАв pink plastic flamingoes & garden gnomes bestowed good luck on their owners,
тАв etc.

Some I agree with, some I donтАЩt. Some I find irritating, some interesting.

But, in the four countries in which I chose to live, there was always a vocal element in the expat community who seemed inspired by some irrepressible messianic urge to refute those beliefs and disparage the local population who held them, even if the beliefs were in no way affecting the expatsтАЩ lives.

If someone chooses to move to the country of Lala Land (proclaiming how much he loves the people, the climate, the freedom there) and then discovers that almost all the indigenous population genuinely believes that:

тАв itтАЩs a cardinal sin to eat glazed donuts,
тАв that three-legged dogs are sacred, and
тАв that God resides in that very large tree over there

тАж why do some of those expats become consumed with railing against those things? Why do they feel obliged to write books extolling the nutritional value of glazed donuts? Why do they roam the streets at nights secretly snuffing three-legged dogs? Why, after getting good & drunk, are they irresistibly compelled to spray paint that large tree over thereтАж knowing full well that most of the people in this country which they found so attractive (and whose lives are at best pretty unpleasant) find harmless comfort in those beliefs?

[Hmmm]

There is some merit in what you say, along the lines of "people should respect the feelings of their hosts". But how far do you take it ? Would you suggest that expats - or anyone else for that matter - should respect the judicial murder of homosexuals or young women who wish to marry against their parents' wishes in some countries ?

An extreme example ? Perhaps. The more 'benign' illogical beliefs common in a country like say, Thailand, do not, as you say, really affect expats' lives to any great extent.

But where such beliefs are the product of a lack of education or information, should we not attempt to redress that ? Granted, a drunken European wielding a paint brush is not the best way to go about it.

Is it not possible that peoples' lives might actually be improved by efforts at encouraging a more educated and questioning society, if such efforts are pursued appropriately ? Or are 'opiates of the masses' and 'blissful ignorance' to be preferred ?

[Wesley]

I find it imperative that if I live in some Else's country as a guest of said country then I am obliged not to encourage their culture to change, nor should they expect me to live down or up to their standards or norms for that society. I have found that the language in itself seems to denote to some degree, how advanced a culture is and arisen to i.e The Russian language for instance has no equivalent word for the word integrity. honesty, yes but integrity no. Their being a vast difference in the two words. So, I live by the laws of the land and the culture in which I find myself to be in it and not change it or them. Their own evolution of society needs to be done within their own culture and our opinions good or bad have no meaning in that change. Although western culture seems to think it has the better end of all that is good great and noble. I find that some children posses much greater respect for me in other worlds than I receive in my own country

[Bob]

Absolutely, in my opinion, the best topic heading ever posted anywhere. A major tickling of my fancy.

[Smiles]

Absolutely, in my opinion, the best topic heading ever posted anywhere. A major tickling of my fancy.
. . . and of course the Mods just had to get in there and move it immediately to another, slower Forum. What's the point?
Why can't they just leave things alone for a few days as long as the topic is attracting replies? What's the rush?

Cheers ...