BEST THEORY FOR THAILAND (in my opinion)
I agree with Functionalism's idea of keeping things work, I think it is like when I am in a group work, I want everyone to participate and help but I disagree with their idea of "You gotta do what you gotta do" It makes people feel unhappy. Everyone has their opinion to share and it is so important to listen because two is better than one! Yet, their idea of privileging some jobs that they believe cannot be done by normal people creates discrimination which they think is good.
Functionalists might be accurate about the job thing but they do not have the right to put some people down for some people to feel better! Marxism or conflict theory is better for Thailand because it is looking forward for a revolution for inequalities. Thai society has a few people who owns massive monopoly businesses such as CP ALL, Advanced Info Service, PTT, and Central Pattana. This gives normal people less chance to become successful. The rich are so powerful that they can use their power to continue being rich. They are so wealthy and powerful that they can control the country by economy and marketing. On the other hand, it can be looked that the poor are getting poor because the businesses are ruled by a few families or because they are lazy to work. In conclusion, to play it fair, people should get as rich as how diligent they are. Government should demolish monopoly businesses or take them all over as public.
LET'S GET TO KNOW ME A BIT :)
Born with a pair of chinky eyes, small bones, and yellow complexion, I was always misunderstood as a Chinese. Since I was young, my family likes to travel a lot. I do not know when since I realised that my sister and I had started analysing and comparing people’s behaviour and characteristics in countries we had visited. As a result, I have a dream to explore more about the world. To be able to do that, I will have to own an amount of money that is enough to spend on transportation and cost of living like aeroplane, trains, food and so on. Not only I am interested in people’s behaviour but also the culture, architecture, and arts. It’s always interesting to see different cultures and learn the history, why is something is like this or that. Reading books and being in a random community on internet does give me insights about people and their culture for example, the book Watching the English, but it is not yet enough, I think being there to actually observe and communicate with people is better. Knowledge about cultural differences is important for me because it helps (socially awkward) me communicate with people while it can also be analysed and applied in design to response with people specifically or universally.
From the GEN 421 class, the three most memorable topics are; Feminism, culture, and human rights and refugees. First and foremost is latest topic taught in class, Feminism. I have already heard about the issue for a long time but never really studied about it deeply until the debate. From the debate, I had to find reasons to support Feminism and defend reasons against the issue. I thought I was a feminist at first but doing deeper research, I was so confused with overloads of information until a Youtube comment clarified my confusion.
Koechiaki777’s Comment on Youtube Video which Support Feminism:
If it was being promoted for both genders, it rightfully would be termed as something like "equalist", representing both rights. Men deserve rights just as much as women do, and as a woman I don't agree with what feminism today has become. Feminism is sadly a modern day joke. Everybody deserves to be treated right. Everybody. I am not a feminist. I am an equalist.”
There are a lot of reasons to have Feminism while there are also a lot to ask for equality for “men” for example, in Thailand, there are still the stereotype that men has to approach women first, be the leader of a family, has to pay dowry on wedding day for woman’s family, wear trousers, cannot wear a lot of makeup meanwhile women who approach men first is judged negatively, the bride-price could offense some women like they are objects for sell, and going topless, having armpit or body hair is wrong.
Both sexes have different expectations from the society that they have to be as stereotyped. Literally, Thai society has developed this issue of equality a lot from the past for example, in Ayutthaya period, it was cool for men to have a lot of wives to show that they were rich enough to afford their wives’ livings. In conclusion, both sexes needs to be equalized but only women are more considered. However, I do think that feminism needs to exist because other than ‘stereotype’ issue, women need to be respected and looked more than just sex object (to feel safe despite what we wear or where or when we walk back home). Second memorable topic, culture, as mentioned in the introduction, I am already interested in it. I did try to understand cultures, their history and present and critically analyse them. The class, with oriental exercises that let everyone share their opinion, made me realize I neglected the serious issues I was already used to that is happening in Thailand, for instance, Thai trend of preferred whiter complexion is a huge thing that made a lot of people feel so insecure about their natural skin that they try to bleach them. Commercials are trying to brainwash people's thought that white skin, slim body, and big breasts are normal and preferred, anyone who does not own those are ugly and have less chance to be successful.
Last but not least, the topic about human rights and refugees. This class opened up my eyes and let me see how close-minded I was. At the beginning of the class, we were asked what we think of refugee. I answered "no education" but that answer shamed myself because not every refugee is uneducated, I was told that refugees are bad because it is a way of Nationalism. We were then took role play as refugees, to feel what it was like in their shoes. We had to walk around with our eyes closed, that made me feel so insecure and scared and that must be how the refugees felt (and even worse in real situation). Actually, I am also the refugee's grand granddaughter. My ancestors are Chinese whom migrated to Thailand around some World War time. This made me realize how lucky I am to have a place to stay, access to education system, and all necessary facilities, unlike the refugees today.
What I took away from the class is not a physical thing but better attitude from knowledge that I have got, and new aspect of the world. I also learnt that every topics have got connections to each other. For example, the idea of living together as a group with different duties creates classes, culture, and theories like Marxism and Functionalism.
Having men as rulers creates culture that give privilege to them and later create 'feminism'.
ME vs INEQUALITIES
There are a lot of women around the world, especially in developing countries, who suffer from gender discrimination.
For example;
∙ women's menstruation is a taboo in India (also in Thailand but the situation in India is worse). The movie 'Pad Man' is a very wonderful example to show how it affect Indian society.
∙ 'beauty' is a considered as a very important thing in Korea. According to comics on Webtoon, Lookism and My ID is Gangnam Beauty, uglier people tend to be so stressful and some are bullied while people who meet the Korean standard beauty will have so much attention from everyone around. This pressures teens to go under the knife.
I am, too, affected by inequalities in many kinds, without noticing. When I was younger, my older sister who is really good at academic subjects like Science and Mathematics is hornoured by my family and people around while me and my talent in art is neglected. However, in my case, the discrimination affect me in a good way. I took more effort to show people that being good at 'art' can do something more than just a 'starving artist' (จิตรกรไส้แห้ง).
My experiences of discrimination;
∙ at an airport in Korea, Korean Immigration Officers (they do not really like Thai people) treated us badly and some of people in the same tour group were sent back to Thailand after they had just arrived. Some people with the same experience said they tired to claim themselves as tourists but the officers would not listen and refused to look at their evidences
∙ sport car drivers are given special car parks in many malls while I spent more than 15 minutes for an empty lot
∙ a book shopkeeper in England checked my sister's credit card signature twice with a suspectful face
∙ when my sister and I were given questionnaires to ask people, a British man made fun of us by telling a silly make-up story instead of the real answer (he did not have an intention to be humorous)
∙ I cannot wear a sleeveless top without shaving my armpit hair while it is okay for men to do so
∙ the mother of my mom's friend whom is a conservative liked me because she thought my face looked like a man and she had always wanted to have a son (I am not discriminated directly but I feel like 'women' are) (Chinese people used to really prefer having son to daughter)
∙ my grandmother told me stories of how she was treated differently because she was born a 'woman' (this is not my experience but it is a very good example)
She was told to do the housework while other male siblings can play and have fun.
She was told to sew the fabrics and do a lot of works.
She was told to stay quite while adults talk, she cannot give her opinion at all.
She cannot choose a husband.
She had to take care of all the children while working (at home) to pay for the livings while my grandpa worked but did not have o take care of their children.
With all these terrible experiences, my grandma is against men privilege and tired to make everything equal for my sister and I.
Acts of injustice or discrimination I have seen or heard;
∙ there is a pub in Korea where you only have to be good-looking to get in
∙ everyone moved away from a guy with dirty-looking appearance in a bus
∙ a top scored student (teacher's favourite) took the elevator down with the teacher (the rule do not allow students to use elevator)
∙ women has their 'lady parking zone' in malls
∙ in an airport to somewhere (I cannot remember) the security guard checked a couple of dark skin men more than twice. They then took the men aside to investigate with more men in uniform that looked like soldier's. They were on spot, everyone looked at them with judgmental face
∙ prisoners are treated really badly as if they are not human!
∙ this video shows how people discriminate people in Hijab and a white woman
From all these experiences (whether it is mine or someone els') made me feel like the world is unfair. I get their feelings as I was once in their shoes. I feel like it is time to fight back for ourselves.
We can develop the situations to be better but remember that Rome is not built in one day so we have to be patience and create a little change like Meghan Markle.
Way to change the way society works has to do with people's mind and attitude because no one is born racist or hating another person. If a child born in a family with good attitude and is fair play, that child is going to learn how things work and become like their parents like a saying 'like brother like son'. Imagine if most people in the society has kind heart, moral right, and open mind, the world would be a really better place to live in, there will be less crime, bullies, cheating, racism, and privileges.
References
Fox, K. (2004). Watching the English: the hidden rules of English behavior. Hodder And Stoughton
Photo Gallery - Movie & Tv Awards 2017 - Mtv. http://www.mtv.com/photos/08v2n5/movie-awards-greatest-gifs
Toxic Femininity W
hy Im Not A Feminist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8IWrXU-bBM&t=24s+Second+mem (Apr 1, 2017)
Jamnarnwej, Wimolsiri. Family Law Of Thailand. http://www.thailawforum.com/articles/familywimol2.html
Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows. (2018, January 05). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42575155
Park, Taejoon. (2017). Lookism. Korea. Webtoon
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