Markit
Got invited to dinner last week to meet some of my prospective new neighbours by a gentleman that has lived on the island for about 20 years and seems to be very involved in doing "good" and "local causes". Now all of these people were very pleasant, middle to late middle aged and several were accompanied by their Balinese partners and I would say that all of them seemed to be what I would call "rich". Not in an Indonesian sort of way but really, rich - if you can spend a couple of months staying in the Alila Hotel you aint poor, least wise not until you've paid your bill. After all the veggy food was cleared away (the only animals in sight were us) it got down to business, which was organising NGOs and having committees and organizing the locals to right all the wrongs in Bali.At one point it was suggested that we organize something to bring attention to the build up of plastic in the environment and to raise public awareness about the subject, etc. etc.blah de, fecking blah, blah.It was probably at that stage I scotched any future invites by suggesting that if they wanted to do something about the plastic in Bali they should get a f*cking cloth bag and go out and pick some of that shit up! And keep right on picking it up until the plastic disappeared, the locals got the idea or they just up and died.Now I realize that these people do mean well but when it was suggested in reply to my idea that the Balinese would not like this if we (Bule) were to just start cleaning up their island - I almost lost it and if I would have had the energy I would have throttled him, happily - but due to the low calorie veggy fair I just managed to raise one finger.It was then truly opined that we could all go down to the local village hall, Adat, council build and demonstrate with placards. Now you just have to let this vision slowly melt on your mental tongue; 10 or so large, old, pink, bule walking up and down in front of some office in Denpasar or Amlampur, sweat pouring off them, with "Down with Plastic" or "Up with Education" or "Stop Corruption". If it was near any roads it would kill droves of passing motorcyclists - from laughter :lol: At this stage it was generally agreed that "the Balinese" are unhygienic, lazy, stupid and don't appreciate the beauty they live in and that only we are able to save them, as it where, from themselves. Not in so many words of course but couched in Western "speak". Now all this was going on with 2 Balinese right there at the table! :oops: Needless to say they were never questioned as to their advice - we do know best, don't we?Now if there's one thing we must have all learned by now it's that if you persist in calling the local people lazy, stupid, dirty, etc. they will eventually wrap a towel around their heads and blow you the feck up. :evil: So, children, the moral of my story today is that if you want to change anything on this wonderful island get off your dead ass and do it. Don't form a fecking committee or chair a meeting just put your own hand out and do it. Oh, and don't talk about the local people as if they weren't there, didn't understand you or don't matter - in the same breath while you are trying to "help" them.Johnny or Phil, whichever it is, next time you run across (figuratively of course) any 9 year old motorcycle maniacs I suggest, if you truly believe what you wrote, you should get out of your car or off your bike and stop the children. Remove the ignition key from their bike and give them your business card pointing out that if they want their ignition key back their father can come over to your house and pick it up - where upon you have the golden opportunity to explain to him personally the error of his ways. "Somebody should do something!" [color=#FF0000]"Somebody" is us! [/color]
Jimbo
MarkitYou are a breath of fresh air not all right but I can appreciate your feelings and at least have a laugh :D
spicyayam
I thought this post on the bali forum was interesting reading: [url="http://www.baliforum.com/travel/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=59985&an=0&page=1#59985"]http://www.baliforum.com/travel/showfla ... ge=1#59985[/url]It makes you think twice using plastic bags.
gilbert de jong
@markit..amazing how some people think,guess intelligence can't be bought by those rich-stinckers. If after 20 years living here that guy still doesnt know how it works,he'd better give up on making any kind of a change to how balinese choose to live. Be it waist-management,education,public health..a couple of bule's demonstrating wont help,maybe he should cut his stay at that expensive villa for a week,donate that money to whatever village he needs to be cleaned..now that could work, at least till that money runs out :lol: friendly greetings,gil.
bolli
I thought this post on the bali forum was interesting reading: [url="http://www.baliforum.com/travel/showfla"]http://www.baliforum.com/travel/showfla[/url] ... ge=1#59985It makes you think twice using plastic bags.[/quote] gawd Spicy if you only now are ' thinking twice about using plastic bags' . where have you been the past decade??btw, that post was wriiten 6 years ago, and as Markit will attest, I doubt much has changed. :oops: :(
Markit
Thanks for that link spicy, do you or anybody else have any idea where this dump is? Just off the top of my head I think I'd like to organize a trip there for my rich neighbours and see what came of that. 8)
fordprefect
Hehe Markit you just made my day. Funny as fecking hell.Colonialism hasn't died at all has it? Wotta riot.If I ever make it back to the island, I'll have to bring over a bottle of Laphroiag or something and look you up and have a few laughs.
MiSO
Not having an opinion about the subject, but :arrow: hahaha.. :arrow: had a good laughter... ! :lol:
Markit
Glad I was of some use. Bottles are always welcome and visits, but bring duty free scotch (hey, if I get my choice? :lol: )
JohnnyCool
...you should get out of your car or off your bike and stop the children. Remove the ignition key from their bike and give them your business card pointing out that if they want their ignition key back their father can come over to your house and pick it up - where upon you have the golden opportunity to explain to him personally the error of his ways. "Somebody should do something!" "Somebody" is us![/quote]Ever tried to make a swift U-turn in traffic here and chase a motorbike with a car? If they pull up next to me, I wouldn't be able to open the car door without knocking them over. And what if I did manage to confront five young lawless tigers ? They could bite me and I might get rabies.Local witnesses would probably do what they usually do here - look on with baffled interest and laugh at the [i]bule[/i]. Some would assume the [i]bule[/i] was a pedophile.OK - so I manage to rip out the ignition key, hand over a business card, leave the bike in the middle of the traffic and drive off. How long do you think it would take for the big brothers to come knocking at my door and probably beating me up? Some of them would certainly have a relative in the police department.I doubt that [i]bules[/i] have the right to make "citizen arrests" here, (not being "citizens" in the first place). I've never tried it.What I [b]have[/b] thought of trying is taking photographs, including number plates, and submitting them to the police. Locals would spot me taking photos of kids on motorbikes and again, probably think I'm a pedophile.Not that Bali needs anymore billboards but a few in prominent places [i]might[/i] help. Billboards alone won't do much unless authorities take the problem seriously and do something about it. Before that, those Balinese adults who allow these kids [i]de facto[/i] "road-rights" need to be convinced. Arrest a few and confiscate their motorbikes. Word will get around, eventually, that it's not on! :!:
JUDY
Markit, read your post last week but was to tired to respond considering the fact that it was 3 am. I laughed so hard I almost cried. In fact, you are a breath of fresh air like Jimbo said. My thoughts have always been, going to meetings attempting to better a situation usually ends up unfortunately just like what you experienced. Had I been there I probably would have opened my big fat mouth and said a thing or too. How disgusting those rich bastards are. Like Gilbert said, why don't they help there local communities by going to the banjar and offering their wad of dough. I would have said, "Why don't you all just get the hell out of here and quit :evil: taking up breathing space". What a crock of hot air they all are. Amazing how so many people with loads of cash can be such selfish, low life scum.
Markit
OK - so I manage to rip out the ignition key, hand over a business card, leave the bike in the middle of the traffic and drive off. How long do you think it would take for the big brothers to come knocking at my door and probably beating me up?[/quote]Ok if my plan was too daring for you Johnny let's try some creative thinking: How's about getting the key (traffic is usually walking pace in the south anyway and here in the east kids really aren't much of a problem yet - hell, all the traffic is shit!) and then just giving the kids a card pointing them to the local police station - where you leave the keys (anonymously?) possibly with another card saying why you have left them? Let the cops figure it out and tell the kids off - I'm sure they would be scared shitless just having to go to the cops, whatever the reason. Knowing Indonesia's finest they might discover a new source of cigarette money in the whole deal :lol: How disgusting those rich bastards are.[/quote] Judy personally I think that's a bit harsh :lol: . You have to try and understand these people a bit - IMHO they really are as far removed from reality as their "plans" seem. They honestly believe that forming committees and having meetings is the real way to bring in change because that's all they have ever done in Europe or America. Gotten someone else to do the dirty work while they "organize" and in many places that can work - it's better than doing nothing! Just, my minimal understanding of the island says to me that "hands off" just aint gonna work here :( Too much "goodwill" will get lost between meeting and help.My 2000 Rupiah's worth
DCC
good read...Jesusofcool, me thinks you too literal.
JohnnyCool
Ok if my plan was too daring for you Johnny let's try some creative thinking..[/quote]Not necessarily [i]too daring[/i], just more foolish. How many hours would I have to spend in the cop-shop explaining things?I believe there are local Balinese who would also like to see this stop. Why don't they do what you suggest? Better them than me.BTW, have you tried what you suggest? :D
Jimbo
Actions speak louder than words Eh! :D
Markit
Like I said, here in the East kids aint much of a problem. But if I was as incensed about the subject as Johnny Cool, rightly, seems to be I would try something before I get a haemorrhage (don't you love spell check?). Talk is cheap and saying "someone should do something" even cheaper - "Someone" is US. Come on Johnny give it a go and tell us how it went - do something instead of just writing about it! Shit at our age what can happen to us - we're all gonna die. Save some of those kids from a wheel chair or worse.
Kadek
What to do with our trash and where do they end up? This is a very interesting website on trash art photography. [url]http://www.chrisjordan.com[/url]well it is also a reminder about the stranglehold of consumerism and our perpetual pursuit of more stuff.
Markit
Hey Kadek, long see no time! Thanks for the photo links.Consumerism is a funny old thing - within living memory we used to be "citizens" and at some stage in the last 40 or so years we all changed to being "consumers". A citizen, in my opinion, is a rational and considerate member of society supporting a democratic governing process with his or her vote and participation.A consumer is a hole to pour things in.
Kadek
Consumerism + Throw Away Society = Economic Growth + Better GDP = Jobs = People with Money = Consumerism. :shock: Is that full circle? I may have missed a couple of points in between and it is a very simplistic view - of mine of course [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6_EGyf6Swo[/url]Here is a nice education video by IDEP Foundation at local schools in Bali. Great job!
JohnnyCool
Actions speak louder than words Eh![/quote]Sure enough. However, being a foreigner living here does not make one a Balinese. It's a growing problem in Bali and the way I see it, the Balinese need to address it [u]in their own way[/u]. If [i]their way[/i] is to ignore it, that's unfortunate, patently stupid, and simply irresponsible.There is another famous saying:"[i]The pen is mightier than the sword[/i]" :roll:
