Are you a member of SSETT?

Work Teaching English in Taiwan
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Are you a member of SSETT?

  • What is SSETT?
  • No way. And I’m not interested in joining.
  • No. But I would like to join.
  • Yes. And it has helped me adjust to life in Taiwan.
  • Yes. But it has not been very useful.

0 voters

Somebody with the handle “Aristotle” posts frequently on Dave’s ESL cafe although he has been banned from forumosa’s more discriminating forum. He claims to head up some kind of foreigners’ rights organization with the acronym SSETT and frequently issues hysterical warnings on Dave’s about life in Taiwan.

I’m just wondering how many Taiwan expats are actually involved with his organization, and whether it has proved to be a useful resource.

Of course voting is anonymous, but if you’re a member and have something to say about experience with Aristotle and his SSETT group, please share!

[color=red]PLEASE: Let’s not turn this thread into an Aristotle bash fest! If you don’t have personal experience with him or SSETT, maybe just vote and leave the comments for those with first-hand experience with this group.[/color]

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Aristotle is a complete tool and a joke to Taiwan’s ESL teacher online population. He’s one of those who is as infamous as battle-scarred…regularly banned from forums where people have had enough of their bullshit. Unfortunately, Dave Sperling is a bit more tolerant of their poison than most people.

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I looked at the site a year ago and saw his warning about teaching in Chiayi. I didn’t bother reading on. Rather paranoid stuff and I hope people take it with a few grains of salt.
Here’s the link to the “Secret Society…”
http://www.geocities.com/taiwanteacher2002/index.html

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I admit SSETT captured my intrigue for a little bit, but soon I saw in full how much of a real joke it was due to a certain person who shall not be named. :laughing: All I can say is that person really is the chicken-little of Taiwan. :loco:

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That is one funny page - “All actions and members are anonymous.”

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Wow it didn’t take long for this thread to degrade into this did it? :laughing: :bravo:

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I had an experience with SSETT.
2 years back we (my gf and I) left IACC for an independent life in Taiwan. We were worried that we wouldn’t get paid our deposits back. So, I contacted Taiwan Teacher (that was what SSETT were called back than). Aristotle told he would contact a lawyer for us (or something to that affect) and we would be responsible for the fees. He also said that it would be his pleasure to give IACC a go.
In the end, my gf worked her magic on IACC and we got back every penny. The situation never escalated. Taiwan Teacher did get back to me and ask me if I still needed their services. I told them that we worked things out. And that is how it ended.

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Yes, and as the moderator of another forum I gave him the title “Chicken Little”, it now says that under his user name.

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I’ve seen you on some other forums as well, bassman. English School Watch is my favorite board behind the 'Mosa. :laughing:

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that website is hilarious. Looks like someone probably got left out of the fraternity in university, and hasn’t quite gotten over that yet.

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Aristotle’s site openly states that it is an illegal organization and as such all members information remains confidential.

The funny thing about this to me, is the fact that he expects ‘members’ or even those that post on his forum to give up their anonymity by registering their personal details just to post on his forum. Isn’t this somewhat hypocritical?

While we all know that it isn’t true, let’s humor Aristotle for a moment and assume that Taiwan is as dangerous as he would like it to be. He is forever stating that foreign teachers get deported from Taiwan all the time and that joining his ‘society’ or voicing words of dissent against Taiwan will get one immediately deported. Well assuming that all of this is 100% the case - then why the hell would anyone want to identify themselves by registering with Aristotles site? This is something I have never understood. If this isn’t the case and it is quite safe for one to register then doesn’t that negate Aristotle’s stance, and defeat the point of establishing such a ‘society’?

Finally, what exactly has SSET ever done for anyone? It seems not much judging by the replies to this thread!

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Links, people. Where are the bloody links?

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Thanks. It’s provided me a bit of fun chiding Aristotle for misleading the FOBs. Like claiming that the company that issues the work permit for your ARC appears on the back of the ARC card.

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Aristotle posts in this forum under a different name. It would be interesting to have him reply to some of these questions.

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First rule of SSETT is that you don’t talk about SSETT.

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Make that about 10 different names, the guy has some serious issues, check out the threads which consist entirely of his multiple personalities arguing with each other…

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Make that about 10 different names, the guy has some serious issues, check out the threads which consist entirely of his multiple personalities arguing with each other…[/quote]

Ah ha! That’s who the one person who said that the SSETT has helped them is.

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If you look over at that one board that still lets him post under his ‘real’ name you’ll see what’s happened to him. No one replies to his ‘serious’ posts anymore. Really, I think that what’s going on here gives him too much recognition. Just treat him for what he is and ignore the guy.