Riverside begger
- John Bingham
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Re: Riverside begger
Same as really, I had some low points where I was a complete mess, especially in the late 90s, which also coincided with my career picking up and me doing much better than ever. I then found that most of my social circle had very bad habits. Some of them have done very well since, some are just in and out of the same old patterns and a fair few are dead. When I moved to Cambodia I decided to cut all that out. I still enjoy a beer and a smoke and don't really associate with people who are into heavy stuff anymore. It's very easy to get over the counter medication here or hard narcotics but I completely lost interest long ago.phuketrichard wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:27 pmclutchcargo wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 6:57 pmThis.Some people move to places like Cambodia to get away from bad friends / family situations. Reaching a certain age and not having friends who can bail you out shouldn't be a way of judging someone's character. Some people are natural loners and some people go that way due to bad experiences and feel that life is better with just a small circle of one or two trusted friends rather than a large circle of 'friends' who, due to previous bad experiences, they may not trust. There are many reasons why someone might not have family or a large group of friends to fall back on.
BS:
yea move away from bad experiences an bad friends, escape to Cambodia, start over, reinvent yourself, etc etc, but unless ur a total asshole, you have good friends as well
so which is it? Move away from bad friends /family or have a small circle of good ones?.....feel that life is better with just a small circle of one or two trusted friends rather than a large circle of 'friends' ....might not have family or a large group of friends to fall back on
I have a very small circle of good friends, (who the fuck needs a large group of friends?) that would bend over backwards for me and i for them. I have never considered having friends as a back up plan in case i fall on hard times,,,
Does anyone??
I've been down an out, as have a few of my friends, but with help from each other, we pulled thru
Silence, exile, and cunning.
- SternAAlbifrons
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Re: Riverside begger
Maybe we can go to Jesus for guidance on this.
Or Buddha or Mohamed.
Or should we just stick with the privileged white western success-tells-the-truth-about-a-man neoliberalist model?
And all become good little self-righteous judgemental Dutch rectitudanalists.
With broomsticks up our bums to keep us upstanding citizens.
Personally, I don't follow anybody - but Jesus is lookin' pretty good right now.
Or Buddha or Mohamed.
Or should we just stick with the privileged white western success-tells-the-truth-about-a-man neoliberalist model?
And all become good little self-righteous judgemental Dutch rectitudanalists.
With broomsticks up our bums to keep us upstanding citizens.
Personally, I don't follow anybody - but Jesus is lookin' pretty good right now.
Re: Riverside begger
I'd never judge a man until I walk a mile in his shoes. But by then, I'm a mile away and he doesn't have any shoes!SternAAlbifrons wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 2:38 am Maybe we can go to Jesus for guidance on this.
Or Buddha or Mohamed.
Or should we just stick with the privileged white western success-tells-the-truth-about-a-man neoliberalist model?
And all become good little self-righteous judgemental Dutch rectitudanalists.
Personally, I don't follow anybody - but Jesus is lookin' pretty good right now.
I admire those that have looked in to the black eyes of whatever monster they faced, and came out the other side. I count myself lucky to have never faced any of those demons, and I hope I never have to.
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Re: Riverside begger
Fair enough. I agree. I am making assumptions. I also think you are doing the same. Doesn't everyone?Kung-fu Hillbilly wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:22 pm
You're making assumptions and coming to conclusions based on your own personal life experience alone which many people make the mistake of doing.
Also I always give money to homeless people and have helped out a few homeless pale faces in Saigon. I also knew some of them in HCMC as I used with them on occasion and would even spot them $10 to score if I happened to have any extra money (which was hardly ever as I was an addict myself)
I would give money to the guy this thread is about - but I would know with absolute certainty the dosh is going on his next fix and not on his visa/flight ticket/sob story.
The point I was trying to make, but perhaps failed to do, is whilst many homeless people at home do come from terrible backgrounds of abuse and social deprivation, and therefor are worthy of sympathy and empathy and clemency, I feel 'the homeless falang' in se asia will have had to have come from a reasonably privileged background or at some point been reasonably functional as the concept of travel is, essentially, for want of a better term a middle class aspiration.
I also don't subscribe to the AA/NA concept of addiction being an illness either. Whilst addiction (to gear and alcohol anyway) has the characteristics of an illness it isn't and to say it is, is an insult to anyone suffering from a long term illness. It starts with a choice, an idiotic one too, as addiction doesn't happen over night. Ultimately its a choice to stop too. 'We came to a decision' as they say at meetings. But don't get me started on that higher power AA NA stuff. Each to their own I guess.
I still think a falang begging in a country as poor as Cambodia is a joke and a result of woeful irresponsibility and selfishness.
See you in the titty thread.
- SternAAlbifrons
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Re: Riverside begger
I am not a devotee myself, K-Nat,Khmu Nation wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:39 am
I also don't subscribe to the AA/NA concept of addiction being an illness either.
and could probably pick holes in them all night, if i was of a mind to.
but the simple fact is, their model has had better results for treating addiction than anything else in history.
That is starting to be challenged more recently, by some of the more modern phycological treatments.
But they are only just catching up now. AND, they generally cost heaps, or have very limited availability for Joe average.
If you live in a place with a modern socialist heath system you might be lucky.
(good drug treatment is generally seen as a good investment. in cold $$ terms)
As for the "illness" bit, That is hotly debated still. Depends on your medical definitions, they do differ.
No doubt it is a severe psychological disfunction that needs medical treatment.
Like eg PTSD, severe depression and anxiety, etc etc.
I certainly don't see the use of that term as being disrespectful to people with real diseases.
but that's just my view (and lots of doctors too)
Re: Riverside begger
Well bully for you, but I definitely subscribe to that higher power AA NA stuff. But its not what your thinking. My higher power is my shoes. Or more properly, my work boots that look good enough as dress shoes. They saved my feet from being broken by a car running over them. My shoes are that higher power AA NA stuff. And always will be.Khmu Nation wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:39 amFair enough. I agree. I am making assumptions. I also think you are doing the same. Doesn't everyone?Kung-fu Hillbilly wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:22 pm
You're making assumptions and coming to conclusions based on your own personal life experience alone which many people make the mistake of doing.
Also I always give money to homeless people and have helped out a few homeless pale faces in Saigon. I also knew some of them in HCMC as I used with them on occasion and would even spot them $10 to score if I happened to have any extra money (which was hardly ever as I was an addict myself)
I would give money to the guy this thread is about - but I would know with absolute certainty the dosh is going on his next fix and not on his visa/flight ticket/sob story.
The point I was trying to make, but perhaps failed to do, is whilst many homeless people at home do come from terrible backgrounds of abuse and social deprivation, and therefor are worthy of sympathy and empathy and clemency, I feel 'the homeless falang' in se asia will have had to have come from a reasonably privileged background or at some point been reasonably functional as the concept of travel is, essentially, for want of a better term a middle class aspiration.
I also don't subscribe to the AA/NA concept of addiction being an illness either. Whilst addiction (to gear and alcohol anyway) has the characteristics of an illness it isn't and to say it is, is an insult to anyone suffering from a long term illness. It starts with a choice, an idiotic one too, as addiction doesn't happen over night. Ultimately its a choice to stop too. 'We came to a decision' as they say at meetings. But don't get me started on that higher power AA NA stuff. Each to their own I guess.
I still think a falang begging in a country as poor as Cambodia is a joke and a result of woeful irresponsibility and selfishness.
See you in the titty thread.
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