On Tuesday 07 June 2005 07:47 pm, John Oliver wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 07, 2005 at 03:04:03PM -0700, Gregory K. Ruiz-Ade wrote:
> > What seems insulting in your statements, however, is not what your
> > saying, but rather that you imply you're the only one here that truly
> > understands it. Surprise, but you're not. Surprise, but there are
> > plenty of people here in the evil, sadistic US that actually _care_
> > about other people, and are happy in their lives not because they
> > drive cars and own homes and have lots of things, but because they
> > found people in their lives that they care about and care about them.
>
> Y'know, I remember asking Bob four or five years ago why, if the US was
> so horrible and the Phillippines is a flawless Utopia, why he was still
> here. I can't remember his response, but I do note that he *is* still
> here in the US, and not farming rice the way they did it 2000 years ago
>
> :-)
>
> --
> ***********************************************************************
> * John Oliver http://www.john-oliver.net/ *
Hi John,
Can you point to a single place where I have said that the Philippines was
a "flawless utopia?" Really John, "Can you?"
I have simply noted that my family there seems to be happier than most
Americans that I encounter. I have stated the reasons why. They are happy
despite the fact that the place they live is far from being a utopia.
I am here is the US for several reasons:
1) My mom is 93 and lives nearby, this is the main reason, the one
reason
I can find no solution to.
2) My children will receive a better education here
and be able to choose between at least two cultures/nations.
As dual citizens they have the opportunity to have the
best of both worlds.
3) I found myself caught in an economic circumstance that
will not be solved by moving to the Philippines today.
Fortunately my income is currently based in Norway
which does look like it will allow me to leave the US for
the Philippines in a few years when other family matters
make it more reasonable.
I find that I have a love/hate relationship with every culture that I have
ever been exposed to. That includes the Filipino culture as well as this
American culture. I suppose it would make everyone happier if I dwelt
upon the negative aspects of Filipino society. Well how about we start
with persistent and endemic corruption? How about an elite that is happy
with the fact that most people are poor? How about the lack of sanitation
that seems to be the utmost concern of many westerners? How about
young people with inadequate opportunities to exploit any eduction that
they may achieve?
What strikes me as remarkable is that despite this decidedly nonutopian
context my family is unusually secure psychologically and happy. On the
average they are simply more competent than most of us. While Alexander
seems to count that for little I do not. It is quite a real community and
cultural achievement, on we in the US would do well to try and understand
not belittle.
I am glad that you John love it here and find nothing to criticize but I do
grow
a little weary of your "love it or leave it" refrain. Do you have any thing more
profound to say? Or is that the extent of your understanding and contribution?
boblq
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