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Cthulhu
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
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 Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 1:24 pm Post subject: Back home: What's with the attitude? |
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The title says it all. Everything must be hip--Teens must be hip. Athletles must be hip. 8-year-old kids must be hip on the TV commercials. What's with the attitude? Being an ass seems to be the way to get ahead these days. Damn, even driving down the street some punk squeals the tires on his Cavalier just to be cool.
Lord help you if the Koreans ever decide to become hip.
p.s.--Okay, they fucked with Scooby Doo and made a new version that goes to pains to show the difference between witches and wiccans. Now I know the West is totally screwed up. Sigh.
*beep* you, new Scooby Doo.
Thus endeth the rant. |
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Apple Scruff
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Goddamn teenagers with their baggy pants and rap music. |
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Apple Scruff
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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| And Carson Daly - that guy's the end of Western civilization. |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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I agree, it is one reason that keeps me in Korea. I find it easier to deal with ancient conservative thinking rather than modern "trendy" thinking. That is trends come and go back home, and the current trend - well current for quite a few years now is the attitude thing.
Also am I the only one who sees a lot of kids back home are in way too much of a hurry to "grow up" and they are totally missing their childhood.
A lot of people put down Korea for putting too much pressure on the kids - but the kids are still kids. They aren't worrying about "Tommy the cool kid liking them." Or they aren't pressured about sex in elementary school or middle school like back home. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah I agree. Everyone looks like they're about ready to *pop* anyone at any second. |
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tsgarp
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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http://www.maddox.xmission.com/c.cgi?u=xtreme_bullshit
The thing that gets me is the "extreme" and "to the maxx" attitude. It's all so over the top. Try the link above and go to the article titled "Take your X-TREME marketing and shove it." for a good perspective on the nature of the pop culture beast. |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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| You mean you forgot about it while you were here? Heh, that's one thing that Korea definitely has over the U.S. for me; I'm an outcast no matter what, so I might as well enjoy my freedom to be one while here. Back home, people have expectations of me, or something... |
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Mankind
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| sex in elementary school or middle |
Hey, that was the best part!
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jaderedux
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Lurking outside Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 6:11 pm Post subject: Reeeeeallly now! |
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| Quote: |
| A lot of people put down Korea for putting too much pressure on the kids - but the kids are still kids. They aren't worrying about "Tommy the cool kid liking them." Or they aren't pressured about sex in elementary school or middle school like back home |
You think so eh? Bull crap. The cool is more subtle but it is still pervasive even in this so-called conservative society. Puleeze...I work in a Middle School out side of Seoul.
Let's see in the past two years.....cell phones were banned because the students were taking pictures of the some of the female teachers ...(under the skirt shots) and posting them on the internet. Oh by the way if you don't have a cell phone with a camera you suck. If you don't have a cell phone you don't exist.
BTW ever notice there is no real equivilent to the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith or the like here? Why? Because once you are old again you suck. This culture worships youth to the point of being cultish...sad to think if you are 25 your career in music is pretty much over (monetarily) anyway. Once you are old you know over 30 you are not cool..not pretty and why the hell aren't you married.
My students frequently are shocked that I like eminem, kid rock and se7ven. The fact that I like to dance and enjoy action movies is equally shocking...apparently at my age I should hang up the fun gene and get the curly haircut and make sure everything I wear doesn't match and is not made from any material found in nature. I am considered a bit a freak because I refuse to act like a "proper" teacher. I laugh, smile tell jokes, and encourage students to do the same. Thank God I am a foreigner so it is expected that I act weird.
The cliques here are just as strong and vicious as they are in America. Most of my students have been drunk at least once. It is a considered pretty cool. The difference here is that the parents think it is pretty cool too. About half of my 3rd year students smoke. personally I think they might be better off if they did think a little more about sex....maybe they would stop pounding the crap out of each other for fun.
There have been two internet extortion rings uncovered at my school since I have been there. The most recent ......about 15 boys were emailing younger students telling them they knew their addresses, phone numbers, and ......well you get the jist. Such sweet innocents here. Yeah, the sex thing is less prevelant..hence they have more time to learn how to bully, be violent and ostrasize anyone who is even a little different. In the hallways it is frequently an ugly scene. If you are even a little bit different you life is miserable and I do mean miserable. I am not in some crime ridden part of Seoul. I work in a upper middle class suburb. Nice boys. Good families.
Unfortunately it is not like when I grew up in the states, there were stoners, jocks, gearheads, brainiacs, drama freaks, science freaks, math club geeks, I mean there was a niche for everyone...even if it sucked to be the chess club president ....at least there was a club and you could be with people who appreciated you. Being a debater all through high school I know how this works.
There is NOTHING EXCEPT you are in or you are out. God forbid you are out because it follows you to high school and for 6 years. There is no inbetween! So yeah maybe cool is over emphasised in western culture but if you think it is any different here you are mistaken. It is more subtle but it is also more vicious....more lasting. Don't kid yourself underneath all this "innocence" is a caste system equally as pervasive as anything we have in the west.
I teach only boys. The teacher at the girls school say the girls are just as bad if not worse. God forbid you are really pretty....or even if you are a little fat.....you life becomes hell.
So lets not glamorize the so called innocence. Maybe it is less sex driven but it is no less "cool" driven.
Jade |
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Apple Scruff
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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| My students frequently are shocked that I like eminem, kid rock and se7ven. |
I'm always shocked when people like Eminem and Kid Rock, too. |
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jaderedux
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Lurking outside Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm always shocked when people like Eminem and Kid Rock, too. |
oh aren't we super cool.....I also like Russian composers but can't spell them well so forgive me...Prokoviev, Rachmoniov, Rimsky-Korsokov
I also like Linkin Park, R.E.M. U2, The Monkees, The Who, Korn, Ron Zombie, Metallica.....Janis Joplin, Snoop doggy dog (the early stuff) Dr. Dre, Tupac, Billy Idol, The Jam, Human League, Jerry Jeff Walker, Johnny Cash, Janis Ian, Joan Baez....Jay-Z....Everly Brothers, Platters, Muddy Waters.....
Do I pass your cool test??? Oh wait I forgot you don't matter.
Have a happy new year...!
Jade |
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The Man known as The Man
Joined: 29 Mar 2003
Location: 3 cheers for Ted Haggard oh yeah!
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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| jaderedux wrote: |
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| I'm always shocked when people like Eminem and Kid Rock, too. |
oh aren't we super cool.....I also like Russian composers but can't spell them well so forgive me...Prokoviev, Rachmoniov, Rimsky-Korsokov
I also like Linkin Park, R.E.M. U2, The Monkees, The Who, Korn, Ron Zombie, Metallica.....Janis Joplin, Snoop doggy dog (the early stuff) Dr. Dre, Tupac, Billy Idol, The Jam, Human League, Jerry Jeff Walker, Johnny Cash, Janis Ian, Joan Baez....Jay-Z....Everly Brothers, Platters, Muddy Waters.....
Do I pass your cool test??? Oh wait I forgot you don't matter.
Have a happy new year...!
Jade |
Jade even though I like your smack its not even Sunday yet and youse be preaching a storm |
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jaderedux
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Lurking outside Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Jade even though I like your smack its not even Sunday yet and youse be preaching a storm |
Mea Culpa....you are right...dammit ....again...I hate when you are right...
Jade mumbling wandering off waiting until Sunday.
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weatherman
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: Reeeeeallly now! |
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| jaderedux wrote: |
There is NOTHING EXCEPT you are in or you are out. God forbid you are out because it follows you to high school and for 6 years. There is no inbetween! So yeah maybe cool is over emphasised in western culture but if you think it is any different here you are mistaken. It is more subtle but it is also more vicious....more lasting. Don't kid yourself underneath all this "innocence" is a caste system equally as pervasive as anything we have in the west.
Jade |
wow, one of the best posts I have read and I agree with 100%. I worked at a women's highschool for a year, and those women could be ever so cute or ever so cruel. I aslo have to give a shout out for Mr. pink for at least hitting the whole shitty vibe of youth culture back in North America right on the head. Of the two I would rather deal with Korea's youth culture. Plus I like it more... |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 9:02 pm Post subject: Re: Reeeeeallly now! |
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| jaderedux wrote: |
| Quote: |
| A lot of people put down Korea for putting too much pressure on the kids - but the kids are still kids. They aren't worrying about "Tommy the cool kid liking them." Or they aren't pressured about sex in elementary school or middle school like back home |
You think so eh? Bull crap. The cool is more subtle but it is still pervasive even in this so-called conservative society. Puleeze...I work in a Middle School out side of Seoul.
Let's see in the past two years.....cell phones were banned because the students were taking pictures of the some of the female teachers ...(under the skirt shots) and posting them on the internet. Oh by the way if you don't have a cell phone with a camera you suck. If you don't have a cell phone you don't exist.
BTW ever notice there is no real equivilent to the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith or the like here? Why? Because once you are old again you suck. This culture worships youth to the point of being cultish...sad to think if you are 25 your career in music is pretty much over (monetarily) anyway. Once you are old you know over 30 you are not cool..not pretty and why the hell aren't you married.
My students frequently are shocked that I like eminem, kid rock and se7ven. The fact that I like to dance and enjoy action movies is equally shocking...apparently at my age I should hang up the fun gene and get the curly haircut and make sure everything I wear doesn't match and is not made from any material found in nature. I am considered a bit a freak because I refuse to act like a "proper" teacher. I laugh, smile tell jokes, and encourage students to do the same. Thank God I am a foreigner so it is expected that I act weird.
The cliques here are just as strong and vicious as they are in America. Most of my students have been drunk at least once. It is a considered pretty cool. The difference here is that the parents think it is pretty cool too. About half of my 3rd year students smoke. personally I think they might be better off if they did think a little more about sex....maybe they would stop pounding the crap out of each other for fun.
There have been two internet extortion rings uncovered at my school since I have been there. The most recent ......about 15 boys were emailing younger students telling them they knew their addresses, phone numbers, and ......well you get the jist. Such sweet innocents here. Yeah, the sex thing is less prevelant..hence they have more time to learn how to bully, be violent and ostrasize anyone who is even a little different. In the hallways it is frequently an ugly scene. If you are even a little bit different you life is miserable and I do mean miserable. I am not in some crime ridden part of Seoul. I work in a upper middle class suburb. Nice boys. Good families.
Unfortunately it is not like when I grew up in the states, there were stoners, jocks, gearheads, brainiacs, drama freaks, science freaks, math club geeks, I mean there was a niche for everyone...even if it sucked to be the chess club president ....at least there was a club and you could be with people who appreciated you. Being a debater all through high school I know how this works.
There is NOTHING EXCEPT you are in or you are out. God forbid you are out because it follows you to high school and for 6 years. There is no inbetween! So yeah maybe cool is over emphasised in western culture but if you think it is any different here you are mistaken. It is more subtle but it is also more vicious....more lasting. Don't kid yourself underneath all this "innocence" is a caste system equally as pervasive as anything we have in the west.
I teach only boys. The teacher at the girls school say the girls are just as bad if not worse. God forbid you are really pretty....or even if you are a little fat.....you life becomes hell.
So lets not glamorize the so called innocence. Maybe it is less sex driven but it is no less "cool" driven.
Jade |
To make a short reply:
Your school is no more the norm than my school is. I think you are on one end (bad end) and I am on the other end (good end). Somewhere there is an average.
You cannot deny the fact, that compared to North American kids of the same age, Korean kids are hands down better behaved and more innocent in sexual things.
I was watching some crap about how grade 5/6ers are getting pressure to do sexual stuff back home. I know I would get arrested for throwing some punkass kid outta my house if he was "busting a move" on my daughter.
This thread can also sum up why I will never be a teacher back in North America. I just can't handle the attitude. Ever seen that Van Halen video "RIGHT NOW"? There is a clip they show that says:
YOUTH IS KING.
I think that is too true. Youth are getting away with FAR too much. The kids at your school might have taken some panty photos, but they still show respect don't they? Do they tell you to F-OFF, or any of the Korean teachers to F-OFF? Kids do that back in N.A.  |
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