Bangkok Devaluation: A Few Things That Used to Matter…But Don't Anymore [S7.E22]

In a possible new series, Greg and Ed discuss things that have become less important or meaningful since they began living in Thailand. In short, stuff that we used to value a lot that just seems not to matter as much anymore.

Ed begins with the somewhat obvious: clothes in general just matter a lot less. Never a fashion guy, Bangkok's 'uni-season' is perfect for him since he can basically wear the same thing all year round. Greg - famous for his consistent shorts/t-shirt/vans outfit, concurs that it's just much easier here to get dressed in the morning. No need for 'winter clothes,' giant snow boots, nor rainwear either - rains come and go so quickly, it's simply better to wait them out.

Greg starts out with a much more complex topic: he thinks sex and perhaps even romance are given less significance in Thai culture, and it has rubbed off on him in the last twenty years. Many factors could be at play: Thais seemingly casual nature about just about everything, the advantage that foreigners seem to have in the Thai dating market, or perhaps the greater social acceptance of go-go bars and redlight districts. The guys do their best to delve into the nuances of the issue.

Ed responds by bringing up his total lack of interest in owning a car, something that would be unthinkable anywhere he lived in the U.S. Although Greg likes the freedom owning a car in Bangkok brings, Ed sees it as nothing but a hassle and is glad to be free of looking for parking spaces, paying for upkeep, and worrying how much he has had to drink.

Greg then brings up another tricky topic: intellectual property. Back home fake goods were a hard no-no, but their prevalence here has devalued the importance of buying original all the time, with the caveat that you know what you are getting when you buy.

Ed finishes off by admitting that he probably cares less about his salary living in Thailand than he would have if he stayed back home. Greg concurs that when the average salaries of nearly everyone else are much lower, it makes it much easier to be happy with what you are getting here, as long as you like your job.

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