What are western values, anyway?
Having lived overseas for a couple of years (total almost 8 years including childhood) makes me think like anyone else there (in Sydney--whether i like it or not--). You may say, I've acquired some Western values, as the results of it.
Okay. Here are some of my thoughts which I think I got them from Sydney. Please tell me, are they that bad?
1. I think that you should always say "thank you" to anyone who's done something for you. (including saying thanks to the bus driver). But no, tipping isn't compulsory.
2. I believe you should always at least smile to your neighbour, or say salam to a stranger you've come across outside a musholla.
3. When you're in the class, you believe that not all of what you teacher say is true, and you should always be critical. This also includes TV news, books, and public opinions in the newspaper. It's a free country, so you can speak anything that you think is true, while still respecting others.
4. We are all mates. No tall poppies please.
5. Say what you want to say, don't keep it inside (like when you see a car not stopping on a red light, you have the rights to shout at em and call them whatever you think is appropriate :D)
6. It's your life, so "you can control where you go, you can steer" (man, i love this song :D from missy higgins - steer)
Sorry if it seems as if I've become a terrible person after living in Sydney a couple of years. I hope you can understand. And at the same time, I will keep trying to adapt back to Indonesian (well, actually in my case JAVANESE) values.
posted by Irfan at 12:21 pm
2 Comments:
It ain't so bad. You wont have have any trouble practicing those habits with me but you might with others especially habit number 3 with some teacher number 5 with some javanese and number 6 with some parents hehehehe
What an Indonesian would do?
1.Say thank you when refusing something.I know..i never really understood WHY we do that?I mean saying '"No" Thank you' i get.But imagine someone offering you coffee and you JUST said Thank you as a way of refusing???Well Thank God I'm not a waitress I'd be standing there like an idiot wondering whether they want it or not.
2.Only smile at the good looking people.Foreigners perhaps.
3.Be brainwashed and no i RARELY come across any critical thinking in class.Except what the risks are in writing cheat formulas on your back.I must say we certainly do weigh our pro's and cons in detail.
4.Would pretend to be your mate and thrash you behind your
back out of pure envy.
5.No.Don't say what you have to say!Have you no shame!
6.The economic crisis controls our lives.No time to be an idealist just be practical.
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