tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047408984875180854.post250450071654710001..comments2018-03-29T01:34:19.030-07:00Comments on Happily Doomed: Sexpats, Missionaries, Hired Guns, and English Teachers; An Introduction to the expat scene.International Man of Historyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11719984413066509279noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047408984875180854.post-56539427663749447282018-03-29T01:34:19.030-07:002018-03-29T01:34:19.030-07:00I'm Vietnamese and I agree with you about &quo...I'm Vietnamese and I agree with you about "Hanoi is a hard city to fall in love with" :) Hope you now in Saigon or Phu Quoc community :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00279719080259833331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047408984875180854.post-23958538588207206442012-05-08T06:02:36.945-07:002012-05-08T06:02:36.945-07:00I agree that unscathed cultural relativism is just...I agree that unscathed cultural relativism is just as ridiculous and untenable as cultural absolutism/imperialism, yet it isn't as simple as that. The issue is not only subjective preferences versus objective criteria, it lies in the choice of the latter as well: while we indeed may judge (and rank) cultures following specific criteria (which could be anything, going from human rights or environmental protection to the quality of food and dress, the arts, or whatever),remains the question how to value, judge or rank these criterias themselves, other than by... subjective preference (are human rights more important than environmental protection? Would you prefer a dictatorship were people are forced to not pollute, or a democracy of happy polluters?) To bring up the most hackneyed exemple, the food in Vietnam is obviously a lot better than the food in Canada (which has just about the worst food in the world next to England and Germany, with the exception of Vancouver, of course). One could argue that one would enjoy living more in a polluted country with great food than the contrary.<br /><br />This problem somewhat appears in studies that pretend to rank counrties by "happiness" (whatever that is...). First these studies were uniquely based on the personal assessment of the countries inhabitants. Well, the countries were people stated themselves as being the happiest were... Bangladesh, Nigeria, and sometimes Brazil... either very poor or very violent (high crime and murder rates) countries or both. The result was so pôlitically incorrect (and insulting to western do-gooders), that they changed the criteria, distrusting peoples own feelings and seeking "objective" criteria. The "happiest" countries now were just about the most depressing, oppressive, places in the world: Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden.... coincidently, the countries with the highest suicide rates worldwide (one could imagine that the suicide rate should be an indicator of the relative happiness of a country) !belshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05528019077532149859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047408984875180854.post-82612967689922996892012-05-07T22:47:45.130-07:002012-05-07T22:47:45.130-07:00Yes, I would absolutely agree that Canada has it t...Yes, I would absolutely agree that Canada has it together way more than Vietnam, on the criteria that it treats its people and its environment better. In the same, although I'm an American, I would say Canada is better than the US. However, my personal preference is to live in the US because I prefer their style of interaction.<br /><br />Put simply, there is a difference between the objective and subjective. Objectively, i can put Canadian ahead of the US (less measured harm) but subjectively, I prefer the US (psychological preference). The same, objectively, there's some huge problems in Vietnamese culture, but if someone says "I love Vietnam", i can't say "no you don't!" And proceed to refute their preference.<br /><br />Make sense? I appreciate your insightful comment , and welcome your thoughts. (and the fact you read through such a long-assed post :)<br /><br />I.m.o.h.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047408984875180854.post-5079554340591862402012-05-07T22:06:24.792-07:002012-05-07T22:06:24.792-07:00Interesting article.
I just wonder about the foll...Interesting article.<br /><br />I just wonder about the following paradox: you deride cultural relativism and state "that some cultures have their shit togethemer much more than others", but also make fun of the political correctness of canadians. So must I conclude that righteous, pedantic, politically-correct canadians are culturally superior to rhino-eating and unhelmeted vietnamese? What is the worst offense?belshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05528019077532149859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047408984875180854.post-37885190592595158992012-03-08T11:00:56.537-08:002012-03-08T11:00:56.537-08:00Keep writing. :) ~ AncientKeep writing. :) ~ AncientAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047408984875180854.post-69125625313882739822012-03-01T16:05:31.230-08:002012-03-01T16:05:31.230-08:00Yes. Even after almost 2 years, dong is still fun...Yes. Even after almost 2 years, dong is still funny!<br /><br />why stay? excellent question! One reason only: its my first teaching contract and my first overseas contract. Honestly if it was just about money, i would have been out of here a year ago. I would rather be poor and enjoy life more, a choice i made for most of my life, but i love teaching, and this is the first step in my career. without this experience i would never be able to get a job somewhere better. Now, i actually like my school, its just t the city that pisses me off. So, at the end of my two year contract, I'm out. to where, who knows? Even if its somewhere else that's a mess, it will be a new flavor of mess!<br /><br />I.M.O.H.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047408984875180854.post-41831759463734255022012-03-01T12:29:25.387-08:002012-03-01T12:29:25.387-08:00So , why stay ?
Are you stacking up riches?So , why stay ?<br />Are you stacking up riches?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047408984875180854.post-7651519384898592892012-02-21T09:32:56.925-08:002012-02-21T09:32:56.925-08:00One question: is "dong" still funny?One question: is "dong" still funny?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com