[quote=“Brianlkennedy”]there’s a clear taboo against saying anything really harsh against the locals. Segue party line is the locals are wonderful creatures and we foreigners are fortunate to be allowed to live here.[/quote]As far as I know, it’s only formosa and Jeff-oo who blindy think that, and they are hardly representative of Forumosa. There is no offical policy on it, if there was, I’ve broken it far too many times myself. As opposed to the offical policy that any posts advocating or even detailing how to break to law are acceptable, but that could be connected to the non-existant policy mentioned above. Ooooo… I’ve just critized Forumosa and Taiwan by saying Taiwanese tend not to follow the law.
Once when we were covering oxymorons by using national stereotypes in an adult class (humble American, happy go lucky German, etc.) someone offered, “law-abiding Taiwanese” as their country’s national oxymoron.
Yes it is a generalization, which is why that’s not what I wrote.
Actually I have been married to two locals (at different times), loved them both (in their respective times) and been (if I may modestly say so) a good husband and provider to both of them.
Somebody pointed out that there are lots of post that are less than positive about Taiwan. That may well be true, I have not read all 7,999,474,876,334 posts here (or whatever the current total is). What I do know is my inbox here at the Segue sit and my external mailbox get filled with emails calling me a racist asshole (often in exactly those words) whenever I speak harshly of the locals.
And the thing that makes me laugh about the whole thing is that most of the big “rah, rah, Taiwan is great” group, in fact do little or nothing to really assist Taiwan. In contrast, yours truely, the Official Trash Talker of all things Taiwanese does (often for free) do things to assist the dear locals.
Even though I think this island is a fucking basket case.
As to the “why don’t you just go back home”. Shit man, I want to be here!! When I was a kid (and actually up until now) my favorite television show was the 3 Stooges. And now I get to live in a place where things operate just like on the 3 Stooges. People sometimes ask me how I can so accurately predict what the locals will do next. I tell them it is easy, simply ask yourself what would happen next on a 3 Stooges episode and that is what will happen next in any given Taiwanese situation. It is great, I am having the time of my life (really, no fooling). After all I am not here for the money (I make a blue collar living and live in a blue collar neighborhood; San Chung)
Maybe I am Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde or maybe I am a guy who will help, but will also call the situation as it is; including generalizations and plenty of harsh talk.
take care,
Brian
President of the 3 Stooges Fan Klub
Nyuk nyuk nyuk…that is probably one of the best descriptions for Taiwan that I have ever heard. It certainly explains for why some people will load a 10-foot pole horizontally on the back of their scooters befre zipping off through traffic.
brianlkennedy
If people are harassing you over PM, have you thought to report it to the admin? It’s one thing to have a seemingly unpopular opinion…it’s a whole 'nuther ballgame, however, to be attacked for having it.
I don’t think people are bad about attacking others who painting Taiwan in an unfavorable light…and not nearly as much as tealit.com did the last time I posted on there regularly well over a year ago. I know I am very lenient in moderating. If you want to complain, go right ahead…as long as you do it in a way that doesn’t purposely instigate others.
BLK: Are you referring to formosa or were there others ? I think most of us have had a stupid, if not abusive PM from formosa. Don’t take it personally, the rest of us love you.
Brian,
Perhaps you should try moving out of San Chung. When you’re that buried in shit it’s pretty hard to make out the roses from the surrounding refuse. Let alone smell them.
What are the “rules” here at Forumosa anyway? Whenever I click on “Rules” all I get is something in Italian so I’m completely in the dark as to where the lines are.
The moderators haven’t been much help. Tigerman told me as long as I agreed with everything President Bush says and does and stayed away from bestiality topics I’d pretty much be okay. Alien told me she only had two ironclad rules: one was to never mention in a post that she was looking fat and the other was if she ever found out who kept sending her private messages begging her to have his love child she was going to strangle him. Other than that she pretty much didn’t care what we said or did to one other.
When I asked Maoman what the rules here were I got an automatic reply saying that unless I could prove that I held a rank above earl, director, colonel or bishop I wasn’t worthy of a reply.
So I’ve been pretty much on my own so far, getting by as best I can on the honor system.
It would be nice to know where the lines are though because about once a month I get in a real mood and would really like to take it out on somebody without screwing myself up for the rest of the month.
Well, you have been breaking the rules quite a bit lately… I mean the one about agreeing with Bush 
I think the rules are basically common sense (because I really don’t know what they are either). When I reply to a post that really has my dander up, I usually type my message and include lots of verbal abuse… then, before I post it, I go thru and take out most of the offensive stuff. That way, I get the feeling of replying aggressively while the receipient of my reply is spared the same.
The tone and content of your posts on this thread makes me think of my Uncle David, one of the great curmudgeons in my large, extended family. Nobody likes David very much. He’s arrogant, enjoys taking verbal potshots at people, and is absolutely convinced that his world view is the only accurate world view. He is, however, endlessly entertaining. That is, until he’s telling you how stupid or naive you are. Then, he’s just an asshole.
What would someone have to do to qualify as a person who does things which “really assist Taiwan”? Pretty vague statement. Could one make a valid argument that English teachers who actually care about their work, and thus put in extra, unpaid effort, are making a contribution? What about businessmen who bring revenues to Taiwanese companies? Foreign men who marry local women, buy local property, invest in local ventures? Or, does the contribution have to be of a political or legal nature, a la some of Richard Hartzell’s efforts?
By the way, I don’t think forumosa is too PC. Plenty of negative commentary on local culture.
I really don’t get irked at all by Brian Kennedy’s Taiwan-bashing rants. More often than not, they’re good entertainment, and generally contain a kernel of recognizable truth. Though I tend to look at things rather more positively than he does, I can appreciate reading heartfelt comments across the spectrum, from those who pan Taiwan mercilessly to those who see the rays of the sun shining out of its rear end (Keelung?).
And on the subject of this thread: Yes, there have been times when I’ve felt Forumosa and its illustrious predecessors to be teetering on the brink of the PC abyss. But fortunately, it has never toppled down into those dismal depths, but has always been put back to rights by the good sense of its predominantly reasonable and tolerant members. That is just as well, because I loathe being pressured to conform to the mental dwarfism of the PC zealots, and would not be comfortable participating in any forum where their close-minded diktat held sway.
[quote=“brianlkennedy”]Segue (Now Forumosa) is far too politically correct. Whenever I refer to it to people back in the states (which is seldom) I call it the Segue (Now Forumosa) Syncophants (I actually use a more colorful phrase which starts sucka