The play Les Miserables is, IMHO, a story about the ethical dilemma of morality. Morality lives within the realm of culture, whereas ethics lives cross culturally.
In the play, Jean Valjean is a convict who was sentenced to 19 years in prison for stealing some bread because he was hungry. When he gets out he steals some silverware from a church where a bishop gave him shelter. He is arrested for this theft but the bishop covers for him saying the silverware was a gift. Jean Valjean is tranformed by this act of kindness and becomes a 'good' citizen.
Meanwhile Fantine, gets knocked up by a wealthy student who abandons her and has a child named Cosette. Fantine loses jobs whenever anyone finds out she has an illegitimate child. She eventually turns to prostitution to support Cossette, but dies due to an STD.
Now most folks readily identify with Jean Valjean but I think fewer folks identify with Fantine.
The story of Fantine gets acted out nightly on the streets of Bangkok. I know many ladies who live the life of Fantine, supporting children after being deserted by their Thai boyfriend of husband. Often the lady is glad to be rid of the drunkard, abuser, or womanizer. These ladies not only look after their their own children but also send money home to mamma and poppa, who have no pensions and often give money to their sisters and good-for-nothing brothers.
However, when I walked to Nana and back tonight for some exercise tonight I noticed there is an increasing number of young girls who are into sex for the traditional reason of making easy money. We can thank the internet for that as it has made Thai girls discover they can make three times what a university grad makes in a month, tax free and also have the chance of meeting a nice farang who will 'look after' her.
Back to morality. Obviously the hermit kingdom of North Korea, and its leader does not have the same sense of morality as say Canadians and foolish leader Trudope. Morality is culturally driven. Christian Judaeo cultures have a different sense of morality that Muslim or Buddhist cultures.
In Thailand, Thais view sex very differently than Christian Judaeo women so I think it is easier for them to consider different ways of making money. After all, they are not going to hell and can earn karma along the way to a better life style.
However I do feel that the Thai men who are pimping their ladies out so they can live a better lifestyle and not have to work, belong in a special place in hell :-)
So, in Thailand, I feel Fantine plays out better than Jean Valjean, my observation from a walk on Sukhumvit ...
Food for Thought on a Friday Night on Sukhumvit
Back in the village .. a fair arrives .. Jaidan having fun
Fun and games .. tonight .. tomorrow they come back home ..
My longest Thai lady friend .. Sa .. I always buy her a Heineken ..
She has a cooking stall on Soi Cowboy .. she used to be a bar girl and then a greeter ..
My newest acquaintances .. Austrian (pinhead) and Martin, Irishman who was lots of fun!
Yes, Martin on the right ... pinhead was a moralist ... Martin a realist
I assume with the Fantines of the world it is not always a case of Thai man no good. Can be the woman who is no good too, right?
ReplyDeleteIn my experience 10% of the males in a relationship with a Thai working girl carry their own weight. The majority of the Thai women I know have given up on Thai men and support themselves and would welcome the opportunity to have a farang look after her, but unfortunately that also means the rest of her family that she supports. However, most of the women I know are 30+ All bets are off for younger women :-)
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