Thai Superstition vs Western Skepticism: Building Bridges with Dr. Andrew Johnson Part 1 [S6.E63]

Thai Superstition vs Western Skepticism: Building Bridges with Dr. Andrew Johnson Part 1 [S6.E63]

Part 1 of 2! Greg interviews author Andrew Johnson, a cultural anthropologist with an expertise in the supernatural beliefs of Thailand and how they interact with urban planning and architecture. First, Greg inquires about the nature of 'superstition' in Thailand, and whether Thai people truly live up to their reputation for being 'superstitious.' Andrew notes that the distinction between 'religion' and 'superstition' is really a modern formalization of certain 'official' religions, Buddhism in Thailand's case. But the nature of Buddhism is such that it is more tolerant of 'syncretism,' or the mixing of beliefs, so Thai culture is really steeped in three traditions: formal Theravada Buddhism, Brahmanism (an earlier form of Hinduism), and 'animism,' or the folk beliefs of early Thais.

Next, Andrew emphasizes that both the newer systems of belief and the older folk beliefs are actually in a constant state of evolution. Thais from the countryside steeped in animist ideas must adapt to living in a city of high rises and skytrains and taxis, just as Thais from the city may prefer modern variations of Buddhism (such as Dhammakaya or Santi Asoke) to traditional Theravada Buddhism.

The men continue with a fascinating exploration of the status of Bangkok in Thai society, how Thais address the issue of skepticism and belief, and how foreigners can best open their minds to Thai beliefs while keeping their feet on the ground.

Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

Avsnitt(563)

Bangkok Podcast 75: Muay Thai Fighter

Bangkok Podcast 75: Muay Thai Fighter

On this show Greg and Tony welcome back past guest Paul Garrigan who joins us to talk about his new adventure as a muay thai fighter. While always harbouring the dream of stepping into the ring Paul w...

2 Sep 201248min

Bangkok Podcast 74: Cost of Living in Bangkok

Bangkok Podcast 74: Cost of Living in Bangkok

If you’ve been following the Thai news over the past few months, you might have heard about the big constitutional court crises a few weeks ago. As with many things in Thailand lately, it was a very h...

1 Aug 20121h 5min

Bangkok Podcast 73: The Return

Bangkok Podcast 73: The Return

Welcome back! Ten months after our last regular show, Tony and Greg are back with a new format but the same focus - Bangkok in all its wonderful, weird, awesome, odd glory. With Tony in Japan (but sti...

1 Juli 201234min

Bangkok Podcast 72: Greg & Aom's Wedding

Bangkok Podcast 72: Greg & Aom's Wedding

On this special INTER-CONTINENTAL episode of Bangkok Podcast, Greg and Tony connect via Skype to talk about Greg's recent wedding.  Getting married in Thailand is a very ceremonial process that involv...

16 Mars 201252min

Bangkok Podcast 71: Encore

Bangkok Podcast 71: Encore

Welcome back to Bangkok Podcast! Since Tony had to come through the 'Kok again, we thought we'd dust off the old equipment and record a quick reunion show! On this episode, we're joined by past guest ...

27 Dec 20111h 21min

Bangkok Podcast 70: The Finale

Bangkok Podcast 70: The Finale

Well, the time has come. With Tony moving to Japan and Greg's wedding quickly approaching, geography and limitations on free time have conspired to take Bangkok Podcast off the air - for now. On this ...

11 Sep 201137min

Bangkok Podcast 69: Do You Believe What You Believe?

Bangkok Podcast 69: Do You Believe What You Believe?

On our last episode our Buddhism series with Venerable Pandit Bhikku, we switch things up a bit and let Pandit interview us for a change. As someone who has always been curious about what regular layf...

4 Sep 201145min

Bangkok Podcast 68: Korn Chatikavanij

Bangkok Podcast 68: Korn Chatikavanij

On this episode of Bangkok Podcast, we are very happy to be joined by Mr. Korn Chaitikavanij, Thailand's ex-finance minister. Although his Democrat party lost Thailand's most recent election, he is st...

28 Aug 201146min

Populärt inom Samhälle & Kultur

en-mork-historia
podme-dokumentar
gynning-berg
p3-dokumentar
svenska-fall
aftonbladet-krim
skaringer-nessvold
mardromsgasten
hor-har
creepypodden-med-jack-werner
killradet
kod-katastrof
flashback-forever
blenda-2
p3-historia
rss-nemo-moter-en-van
vad-blir-det-for-mord
historiska-brott
rss-brottsutredarna
rss-mer-an-bara-morsa