Korean Job Discussion Forums

[LDJS]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[AsiaESLbound]

Summer Wine has some interesting points, but Westerners around the world do have enough in common to know what is rude and what isn't. There are differences in customs that can easily lead to misunderstandings. For example, an Australian may not tip while an American does when satisfied with a personality and their service. To tip or not to tip can be an insult either way depending on where you are. If tipping in a place where it's not custom, you could imply the driver or bartender is poor which could be taken as an embarrassing insult leaving you appear arrogant. Despite our customs being different from country to country, both rudeness and politeness are a given easy one to quickly pick up on when talking. Emotion, body language, and voice inflection says a whole lot more in how we feel and what we are implying even when the words of another language aren't understood.

I believe many English teachers in Korea are unhappy and discontent with their lonely selves so they take it out on others via the internet. Daves is mild mannered compared to thousands of other sites, but that's because it's strictly moderated. It's a small world and we should have some respect for others. I take the internet as serious talking with people, because it is about people; not the computer technology itself. People on here are everyone, from the teacher at the school next door to someone in another Korean city to someone thousands of miles away to the other foreigner living in the same building. One thing I noticed is when you meet people in real life, no one admits to using Daves or tells what their user name is unless it's a buying and selling situation in which case the seller is leaving. I find significant social distancing in the expat community here as if they are ashamed of being in Korea teaching English. You can easily go 6 months before meeting the other foreigner in your building and distancing themselves is the norm.

It's not dishonorable to be doing what we are doing as today you work for you; not someone else and this can mean doing work to advance another country instead of your own. Many different people around the world are vacating their home countries for work abroad to realign themselves in the highly dynamic changing global economy that seems increasingly challenging. I feel no shame in it as no one in my home country is looking out for my best interests and our individualist capitalist system promotes selfishness and social distancing. The cell phones and computers have led us to rude selfishness, social isolation, and arrogant narcissism. Someone proudly looking important waddling around in the middle of the street talking on their cell phone, a car rushes up on them, honks excessively, and both give each other the evil eye. It happens in Korea and most other parts which only promotes distancing with indifference and conflict. Regardless of culture, indifferent rude and selfish behavior only leads to conflict. Our modern technology brings us all closer to understanding each other, but at the same time, is distancing us. A rational talk is whats needed.

Ever heard of global village?

[climber159]

[Fox]

[LDJS]

[AsiaESLbound]

[Fox]

[LDJS]

[0ju]

[Koveras]

I don't see anything wrong with rudeness per se, but I think the default position should be civility. If that has no effect, by all means get mean, but bear in mind that long flame wars look puerile to the gallery. I don't see Dave's as an especially rude forum. Maybe I've learned to filter it out.

[NM14456]

[Milwaukiedave]

And here I thought this thread had been pulled.

[crescent]

[Louis VI]

I've met some posters over the years and at least two whose postings made them seem like jerks were quite nice guys in person. The Internet brings out the worst in people, letting them say freely hurtful things they would have bitten their tongue over if their fingers weren't doing the action.