gawguy Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 This a post of mine in the language section a couple of months ago titled "Hey, I was First!!!" Okay...I am pretty thick-skinned, but this was a topper! I was in a little Thai restaurant / market where they have open serving pans of food. The workers were serving other customers while I was waiting. A Thai girl came up behind me and as the first free worker came towards me, a hand shot out from behind me and pointed at the dish I wanted, which was running low. Without a flinch the worker took the order with me standing between her and the pointer. I need some new language: "Hey!! I was here first." and then to the girl that I could only give a dirty look to while she was getting my food, I would like to say, "How can you be so fucking rude!?" ******** This is an Asian thing: "Culture Shock Singapore" mentions the problem and notes that there was a govt campaign trying to educate citizens to be more courteous in this regard. There is a name for what they feel, which I forget, but the idea is that they are afraid of missing out. I guess if you come from a culture with a history of starving masses you do what you have to. It's still hard to take. GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 "There is a name for what they feel" The word you are thinking of is Hokkien. It is kiasu. As in "Wah! You big kiasu one, lah!" as Singlish for someone who jumps the queue LOL! Seroiusly, I had a Chinese freind explain to me that the Chinese do not believe that they an be rude to someone whom they do not know. They simply do not exist. How can you be rude to someone who does not exist? Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALHOLK Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 Hi! If they don't know you then you can't possibly know them. Consequently they don't exist so why not be extremly rude back. regards ALHOLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 Hi Good point. Maybe it has something to do with the large populations? If they do not push and shove etc ....they will never get to the other side of the road? Saw this in Shanghai ..everyone looking after themselves . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 Exactly. I hate going to mainland China, but when I am there it is "when in Rome..." Elbow granny in the gut to get ahead in line. You know she'll do it to you! Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 For the salvation of the Asians, go to Japan. They never cut the line. If someone did it when I was there it was me, subconciously of course :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palatkik Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 In Thais favor I have seen queue jumpers told to wait whilst pushing in front of a farang (me!). A common trick of theirs in a 7/11 for example is to shout their order across the counter before they?ve even had time to notice a queue on entrance to a the shop; or just plain pushing in front. More than once I have seen the sales clerk ask them to move over so she could serve me first. Doesn?t always happen though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 Gents, Asians in general do not show respect for the third circle. By that I mean those people that are not family and close friends(1st circle) or business associates and aquaintences (2nd circle). We Westerners do tend to give all circles a certain amount of respect. That along with a respect for public areas and a respect for personal space is what sets us Westerners apart..... As far as the Chinese question is concerned there are only three nations that have been able to tame them and get them to act like humans: 1. Singapore- Fine the shit out of bad behavior. In a generation or two you have some pretty well behaved folks. 2. Indonesia- Kill a few every decade or so. Fear tends to keep them in line. 3. Malaysia- Let them handle business but do not allow them into the government or police force....and every couple of decades kill a few. Too bad the true Thai people just let the Chinese come in and take over the country. Methinks it would be a better place if they didn't. GS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iuytrede Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 yes, sales staff at 7/11 will normally have an eye on who came first, and without any discussion or fingerpointing (as it would be in my country) they just serve quietly first who came first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 goatscrot said:Gents, Asians in general do not show respect for the third circle. By that I mean those people that are not family and close friends(1st circle) or business associates and aquaintences (2nd circle). We Westerners do tend to give all circles a certain amount of respect. That along with a respect for public areas and a respect for personal space is what sets us Westerners apart..... GS Hi Gs, this a absurd generalization. I don't know Chinese very well, but once arriving from Tokyo in Hongkong, if found the people in public spaces much ruder than in Japan, but the Chinese I met personally where very kind. Actually my first contact were at the airport where all other people cut the line I was standing in until the elevator was full and I had to wait for the next elevator.:: As I stated before, Japanese behave completely different. They give all circles much more respect than any Western society I know. Therefore your antagonism Asia versus West is a flawed construction IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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