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StayingPower
Joined: 18 Aug 2006
Posts: 252
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 Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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| BigWally wrote: |
| StayingPower wrote: |
| Sorry Wally, I don't read such long posts. So therefore, I hope you got something out of it, feel a little better and let everyone know how much you know about Taiwan. |
I'm not sure why your reply would be so cynical, there wasn't anything negative directed toward you in that post. Had you taken the time to read it you would have seen that.
As for your reply, emphatically "yes!!"...I will feel great if I can help prospective teachers have a more informed, less-biased opinion about teaching in Taiwan. I don't claim to be a wealth of information, nor act as if I do...rather I try to post un-biased information.
I'm not here to get anything out of it, anything but, I'm here to help people who are in the same position that I once was.
"Sorry Wally." I'll take a look at it, after I watch 'Leave it to Beaver.'
No really Wally, I'm not at all being "biased" about the Taiwanese. As you know, however, we all have inherent biases based not on a negative viewpoint, but on our own culture's. This can sometimes be positive, and I don't agree with those who debunk their cultural criteria in favor
Ganbei!  |
"Oh gee, sorry Wally." Leave it to Beaver.
No really, Wally, I'm not at all being biased about the Taiwanese and I apologize if you think so. As you know, however, we all have inherent biases based not on a negative viewpoint towards other people and cultures, but on one that can be positive if it's something postively believed in our own. This can sometimes seem like a person is being bias, whereas they're just making a critical judgment. I don't agree with those who debunk everything in their cultural criteria in favor of everything that another culture offers. That's all.
And your definition of "petifogging" is indeed 'biased,' Wally. You're trying to make people see your point of view, without offering the other definition of the word, and perhaps the arguement. "Pettifogging" also means "legal trickery."
Semantics and deconstructionism will only get you so far, but never really give you the meaning, since writing, like culture, contains soul too. |
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StayingPower
Joined: 18 Aug 2006
Posts: 252
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| Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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BTW, I looked up "pettifogging" in about 6 dictionaries today so I can see your point-of-view. Four of them defined the word in your terms. One, however, defined "pettifogging" as "legal trickery," and another as being a "shyster."
Different shades of meaning? No black and white? No, it's emblematic of what words, and cultural norms, mean to other people, and some of which are un-defined even though there's truth hidden behind them.
Try the word "love" and see if it is, or is not, universal, though in some countries, like Japan, they don't have any real definition for it. |
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