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  1. #26
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon
    Am I fortunate? You bet. I have a brain and I know how to use it.
    Yes.

    The real cosmic booby prize is to be born without the mental ability to take care of yourself or any children you may have.

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by nedwalk View Post
    i realize how blessed i am when i see poor bastards in high density houseing..fuck i,d rather live in a grass hut in the bush than that shit
    High density housing with a soft bed,and running water would be considered luxurious to someone living on the street. One thing we take for granted is security is the ability to lock a door for security. So many little things we take for granted that millions go without.
    Last edited by Cujo; 17-08-2010 at 10:53 AM.

  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dug View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by nedwalk View Post
    i realize how blessed i am when i see poor bastards in high density houseing..fuck i,d rather live in a grass hut in the bush than that shit
    High density housing with a soft bed,and running water would be considered luxurious to someone living on the street. One thing we take for granted is security is the ability to lock a door for security. So many little things we take for granted that millions go without.
    True. I always chat to the homeless when I go out. Some really intelligent folks among them, besides the mentally impaired. They like sleeping outdoors, but they say many young kids love to beat them. Sad.

  4. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by kmart
    We are the fortunate people in the world because our forefathers had the guts and guile to stop licking the boot that kicks them; rise up, and overcome tyranny.
    Sure, at the expense of the majority of the world's population. Not sure about the overcoming tyranny bit, what do you mean by that? Defeating Hitler? You could argue that we are the tyrants. If the rest of the world wasn't poor we wouldn't have it so good, so we need to keep them there, much like the Thai Amarts on a larger scale.

  5. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by 9999 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by kmart
    We are the fortunate people in the world because our forefathers had the guts and guile to stop licking the boot that kicks them; rise up, and overcome tyranny.
    Sure, at the expense of the majority of the world's population. If the rest of the world wasn't poor we wouldn't have it so good,
    How do you fugure that?
    Where did the innovation, investment, and hard work come from that developed the electrical generation and distribution systems, the systems of water containment, treatment and distribution. The systems of mass food production storage and distribution?
    “If we stop testing right now we’d have very few cases, if any.” Donald J Trump.

  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dug View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by 9999 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by kmart
    We are the fortunate people in the world because our forefathers had the guts and guile to stop licking the boot that kicks them; rise up, and overcome tyranny.
    Sure, at the expense of the majority of the world's population. If the rest of the world wasn't poor we wouldn't have it so good,
    How do you fugure that?
    Where did the innovation, investment, and hard work come from that developed the electrical generation and distribution systems, the systems of water containment, treatment and distribution. The systems of mass food production storage and distribution?
    Agree completely. The worlds poor benefit from modern medical science greatly. Their poverty is generated by their own governments. See Africa especially. It is held down by unscrupulous rulers.

    Asia could not feed its population without industrial input of fertilizers and pesticides. OK, that would be seen by some as a disadvantage.

  7. #32
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    ^, ^^ You're both properly right, the standard of living is on the rise across the board. What I was getting at, is that industrialisation, the rise of America etc, was built on the back of slavery and oppression as much as 'guts and guile'.

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by 9999
    ^, ^^ You're both properly right, the standard of living is on the rise across the board. What I was getting at, is that industrialisation, the rise of America etc, was built on the back of slavery and oppression as much as 'guts and guile'.
    Agree with that. But I would relate the overcoming of Tyranny with overcoming this kind of oppression. Early industrialization was indeed done with oppression of the workforce.

    But I read your first post very differently.

    Quote Originally Posted by 9999
    Sure, at the expense of the majority of the world's population.
    Quote Originally Posted by 9999
    You could argue that we are the tyrants. If the rest of the world wasn't poor we wouldn't have it so good, so we need to keep them there, much like the Thai Amarts on a larger scale.

  9. #34
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    ^ I was drunk when I wrote that first post, don't know what I was trying to say myself.

    Good point, we have overcome the need for tyranny etc. But that doesn't take away from what our society was built on. You have to wonder where we would be now if with never used exploitation, slavery, tyranny etc.

    Not to detract from the sentiment of the topic; that we are indeed very, very lucky.

  10. #35
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    when i lived the philippines a little hunchback dwarf dragging a hessian bag used to bang on my gate every morning and i would give him a 100 pesos this went on for about 8 months then one day he never turned up dont know what ever happened to him but it still makes me think there for grace of god goes all of us.

  11. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by 9999
    I was drunk when I wrote that first post, don't know what I was trying to say myself.
    You were only saying what many seriously believe and build their worldview around. Maybe a remnant of the christian guilt trip even amongst atheists?

  12. #37
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    ^ Quite possibly. I'm an athiest brought up in a christian environment. What is your take on things, Takeovers?

  13. #38
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    The same. I am an atheist brought up in a christian country too and I am aware that the environment I was brought up in had a strong formative influence on what I am.

    I left the protestant denomination on disgust about some political issues but it took me a lot longer to shed the christian belief altogether.

  14. #39
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    Lucky for me my parents weren't very religious and encouraged free thinking, it was only my grandies that tried to make me go to Sunday school and stuff, but I'm still a product of being brought up in a society built on christian values and dogma.

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton View Post
    ^Maybe she can't fit in a Jap car.
    Maybe they don't give a fuck, and think you should get one.

  16. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by 9999 View Post
    Lucky for me my parents weren't very religious and encouraged free thinking, it was only my grandies that tried to make me go to Sunday school and stuff, but I'm still a product of being brought up in a society built on christian values and dogma.
    My parents were not very religious and the same with the grandparents. But this was the 50ties and 60ties. At the time Christianity was not questionend by anybody. Or you would not hear about it. You had to do that on your own, didn't make it easier.

  17. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by mellow View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton View Post
    ^Maybe she can't fit in a Jap car.
    Maybe they don't give a fuck, and think you should get one.
    I agree it is not his or anyone else's business what another person drives, that person is paying for their own car and fuel, the tree huggers need to fuck off, because I guarantee most of the self righteous pricks don't practice what they preach. It is funny how a lot of guys who live in Thailand claim they live there because they got sick of the "nanny state" in the West, but they still want to tell people what kind of car they can drive, bunch of stinking hypocrites!

  18. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lorenzo View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Dug
    A comfortable sleep in the cool airconditioned bedroom. Some people are trying to sleep on a board but it's too hot.
    Interesting post. Many people living as you describe may find themselves sleeping on the hot board come time to retire.
    Indeed, a lot of guys who live in Thailand for decades are going to be stuffed in the arse when they get old and have no pension like they would have gotten in the West.

  19. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Gribbs View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Lorenzo View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Dug
    A comfortable sleep in the cool airconditioned bedroom. Some people are trying to sleep on a board but it's too hot.
    Interesting post. Many people living as you describe may find themselves sleeping on the hot board come time to retire.
    Indeed, a lot of guys who live in Thailand for decades are going to be stuffed in the arse when they get old and have no pension like they would have gotten in the West.
    True. I met a guy who was going back to Australia [at] around 60 years of age after decades there in Thailand. No independent wealth or business or significant savings. All he had to look forward to was $200.00 a week on the dole.
    Nevertheless, he still won't have to walk a mile to get a bucket of muddy water.
    But that's another thread.
    Do you count your blessings when you have a shower everyday? a cup of coffee in the morning? Turn on the tap and there's water? Open the fridge or cupboard and there's food? You have the luxury of sitting on a nice soft Sofa and watching a movie or the news or sleeping in a soft bed with the aircon on.
    Every day I think how lucky I am to be able to do these things, let alone all the other wasteful things I do.

  20. #45
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    My dad once said to me that he was glad he got his family out of Northern Ireland because I and my sister would probably have ended up as bigoted bitches. Not through my parents education of us, just the way life was.

    I feel that i have been very lucky in my life, but sometimes i get into a black space where I think everyone is against me. Then I turn on the TV and watch heartbreaking documentaries which put me in my place.

    In the past year I have had two friends who have commited suicide. If only they had opened up and talked to their friends and family about their problems this could have been avoided.

    Life is for living. It's hard at times, but the sun shines the next day. Wherever you are.

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Takeovers View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by 9999 View Post
    Lucky for me my parents weren't very religious and encouraged free thinking, it was only my grandies that tried to make me go to Sunday school and stuff, but I'm still a product of being brought up in a society built on christian values and dogma.
    My parents were not very religious and the same with the grandparents. But this was the 50ties and 60ties. At the time Christianity was not questionend by anybody. Or you would not hear about it. You had to do that on your own, didn't make it easier.
    I grew up in the 80's and 90's, so lucky people were openly questioning religion.

  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog View Post
    It's abhorrent how much energy certain countries waste. Only this week a chap I know in the US bought his missus a fucking great V8 SUV to drive a mile and a half to work and back every day. The fat bitch should be able to use a bike or walk when the weather is fair and get a Euro/Jap car for when the weather is inclement.
    Agreed, German or Japanese V8 are so much better.

    The day the Chink or the Indians use as much as the Yanks we're all fucked.
    That's obvious and it won't take long, at least for the Chinese.

  23. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fabian
    Quote: The day the Chink or the Indians use as much as the Yanks we're all fucked. That's obvious and it won't take long, at least for the Chinese.
    Have to disagree here. Chinese society is much different, built on different principals and values. I can't see them doing away with the peasant class. I doubt we'll see the level of consumerism outside the Chinese elite that we've seen in America. That being said, with the huge population of China, the 'elite' could well outnumber the entire population of the USA.

  24. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by 9999 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Fabian
    Quote: The day the Chink or the Indians use as much as the Yanks we're all fucked. That's obvious and it won't take long, at least for the Chinese.
    Have to disagree here. Chinese society is much different, built on different principals and values. I can't see them doing away with the peasant class. I doubt we'll see the level of consumerism outside the Chinese elite that we've seen in America.
    I don't know where you got that idea. They ALL want the the biggest car, the most TVs and the biggest house.
    'They' won't do away with the peasant class, it will just die out and become the working class, half the peasant class is living in the cities now, working on construction projects.
    A couple of years ago you could see them cycling around the cities on the way to their jobs. (the ones where they didn't live on site) these days you've got to watch out they don't kill you zipping about on their electric scooters.

  25. #50
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    ^ Just saying that I think the gap between rich and poor will always be much wider in China than it ever was in the USA, and the 'working class' will always be a much higher proportion of the population. This is just my perception, I'm certainly no expert. Your insight is appreciated Dug, as you seem to know what you're talking about. Do you think China will end up being similar to the USA in terms of socio-economic distribution? Or is it already?

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