WAR ROOM LOUNGE V11: Now With More

[Limbo Pete]

Same here. Postcolonialism is so full of creativity and its important to listen to others speak. It's mind-blowing how so many people (in academia and especially the general public) have no interest in reading material from outside the U.S. or even outside "the West" for that matter. Postcolonialism and environmental history are the best tools to get to the kernel of the human condition. India is a must visit for me since its so old and they seem to have a more balanced life with nature and animals.

Fully agree. That's why I like Stoler so much. She doesnt shy away from essentially calling out her field on the structural, methodological issues that it is biilt upon. I got mad respect for doing that, and doing it so well. As a native historian that studies native history, I know full damn well of how the construction of history can be extremely problematic lol.
Also, India is an amazing place to visit but good lord.... it is a cluster fuck beyond cluster fucks. The whole place is steeped in rich history and all manner of culture complexity, but be prepared to possibly have a dead baby shoved in your face.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

I do live and work in Thailand

Now I'm jealous. That's at the top of my short list of destinations. Love the food. Hear good things about the people. Any particularly good or bad impressions?

 

[snakedafunky]

Now I'm jealous. That's at the top of my short list of destinations. Love the food. Hear good things about the people. Any particularly good or bad impressions?

Yeah, Thailand must be one of the top countries for both tourists and to live in.
Overall the impression is good. But of course, not everything that glitters is gold.
They still have issues with corruption and the rich getting away with stuff.
But overall I would say the Thais have created a nice little country for themselves.
All things considered, they have a good education, healthcare not much crime etc.
I can only recommend it. If they keep going in the same direction I think they will be a fully developed country in 30-40 years.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Yeah, Thailand must be one of the top countries for both tourists and to live in.
Overall the impression is good. But of course, not everything that glitters is gold.
They still have issues with corruption and the rich getting away with stuff.
But overall I would say the Thais have created a nice little country for themselves.
All things considered, they have a good education, healthcare not much crime etc.
I can only recommend it. If they keep going in the same direction I think they will be a fully developed country in 30-40 years.

Thanks! How would you rate the prices of things/cost of living?

Spoiler: Psssst.

Can you get me a job there?

 

[senri]

Yeah, Thailand must be one of the top countries for both tourists and to live in.
Overall the impression is good. But of course, not everything that glitters is gold.
They still have issues with corruption and the rich getting away with stuff.
But overall I would say the Thais have created a nice little country for themselves.
All things considered, they have a good education, healthcare not much crime etc.
I can only recommend it. If they keep going in the same direction I think they will be a fully developed country in 30-40 years.

Thailand is wonderful. Used to live out there...

 

[Fawlty]

Thailand is wonderful. Used to live out there...

The authorities become suspicious sooner than you would expect, considering the state of the infrastructure.

 

[snakedafunky]

Thanks! How would you rate the prices of things/cost of living?

Spoiler: Psssst.

Can you get me a job there?

All things considered its very affordable. For the kind of lifestyle, you can have.
You can pretty much have a western lifestyle but for example, western groceries are expensive.
Basically, everything imported is expensive more so than it would be in the west. But were Thailand really gets cheap is for things that involve a lot of labor.
Like gardeners or mechanics basically, everything that would be expensive in the west because you have so high hourly wages. That is super cheap in Thailand. And yes that includes hookers .
Also surprisingly banging hookers gets somehow boring very quickly.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Also surprisingly banging hookers gets somehow boring very quickly.

That's because you're not comparing it to the conversation you'd otherwise have to have in order to get laid.

 

[senri]

The authorities become suspicious sooner than you would expect, considering the state of the infrastructure.

No need for suspicion from me. I am a good citizen....

 

[Ruprecht]

I don't remember him posting much in here, but whatever.

He preemptively banned himself from the WR after posting a bunch of Nazi apologism and white nationalist guff.

 

[Pupi]

Fully agree. That's why I like Stoler so much. She doesnt shy away from essentially calling out her field on the structural, methodological issues that it is biilt upon. I got mad respect for doing that, and doing it so well. As a native historian that studies native history, I know full damn well of how the construction of history can be extremely problematic lol.
Also, India is an amazing place to visit but good lord.... it is a cluster fuck beyond cluster fucks. The whole place is steeped in rich history and all manner of culture complexity, but be prepared to possibly have a dead baby shoved in your face.

History is a battlefield for the hearts and minds of people. It's a field built around hegemony and its been controlled by some, especially deciding who gets into specific archives and seeing special sources. Now things are changing, especially with digitalized archives, but theres a lot of stuff that can only be found in special libraries and they require translation and expert care.
That sounds pretty intense lol.

 

[Ruprecht]

Yeah, Thailand must be one of the top countries for both tourists and to live in.
Overall the impression is good. But of course, not everything that glitters is gold.
They still have issues with corruption and the rich getting away with stuff.
But overall I would say the Thais have created a nice little country for themselves.
All things considered, they have a good education, healthcare not much crime etc.
I can only recommend it. If they keep going in the same direction I think they will be a fully developed country in 30-40 years.

Not that I'd want a country to stay undeveloped (for the sake of the population), but it's unfortunate the things you lose with that development.
Much harder to get away from the resorts/tourist traps for instance, and especially around the Islands.
Not to mention how much economic development seems to equate to Westernisation.

 

[Limbo Pete]

History is a battlefield for the hearts and minds of people. It's a field built around hegemony and its been controlled by some, especially deciding who gets into specific archives and seeing special sources. Now things are changing, especially with digitalized archives, but theres a lot of stuff that can only be found in special libraries and they require translation and expert care.
That sounds pretty intense lol.

Yessir
There's a reason i'm in a public history track and have cross trained heavily as an archivist

 

[HomerThompson]

Yessir
There's a reason i'm in a public history track and have cross trained heavily as an archivist

I assumed it was because that shit drops the panties.

"Yo bitch, I'm on a public history track and I've cross trained heavily as an archivist!"

<Sahara flooding intensifies>

 

[Limbo Pete]

I assumed it was because that shit drops the panties.

"Yo bitch, I'm on a public history track and I've cross trained heavily as an archivist!"

<Sahara flooding intensifies>

 

[Limbo Pete]

You know, it's funny
I'm a married man, but I will say women actually dig it when I talk about being a historian
It's good to have something different going on than everyone else in the room
And the hipster chicks reeally dig it

 

[Pupi]

Yessir
There's a reason i'm in a public history track and have cross trained heavily as an archivist

You must have something you really want to find or something you really want to protect. Maybe both. Remembering things is important and stimulating those who have forgotten into remembering is one of the most valuable things in the field. A lot of people say historians aren't important, but I firmly believe they don't know the value of memory and how we depend on it for every day life.

 

[Jack V Savage]

You know, it's funny
I'm a married man, but I will say women actually dig it when I talk about being a historian
It's good to have something different going on than everyone else in the room
And the hipster chicks reeally dig it

Poetic, man.

 

[Limbo Pete]

You must have something you really want to find or something you really want to protect. Maybe both. Remembering things is important and stimulating those who have forgotten into remembering is one of the most valuable things in the field. A lot of people say historians aren't important, but I firmly believe they don't know the value of memory and how we depend on it for every day life.

Absolutely
Furthermore, people have this awful misconception that what we do is just memorize jeopardy trivia when, for example, i'm doing research specifically to try and effect policy change and funding in the present day indian ed system

 

[Pupi]

Absolutely
Furthermore, people have this awful misconception that what we do is just memorize jeopardy trivia when, for example, i'm doing research specifically to try and effect policy change and funding in the present day indian ed system

Lol its a bit tragic, but such is life. Homo economicus are the rule, the model to replicate, and anything that counters that must be shamed and de-legitimized. Keep doing what you're doing and disregard the bullshit. Theres a lot of possibilities for historians, especially in public policy.