Nowadays it looks like the only civilized areas of Asia are Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. Which is a pity, because after the end of both colonialism and the cold war, that region showed such promise. As just a highlight of things being wrong, consider Burma (ethnic cleansing on a massive scale), the Philippines (extra-judicial killings on a massive scale), and Thailand (sex slavery on a massive scale). Admittedly the Australians and Europeans are partly responsible for the last item, given that they can't brutalize juveniles quite so blatantly in Amsterdam and Sydney, but while the tourists are the customers, the Thais supply the commodity.
India, of course, has become a basket case under Modi.
Lynchings, rape, and journalist killings.
The Philippines are probably the biggest disappointment, for a variety of reasons. But the problem is, largely, that they are idiots.
"Lawmakers in the Philippines have voted to give an annual budget of just 1,000 pesos ($20; £15) to the public body investigating the country's controversial war on drugs. The cut to the budget of the Commission on Human Rights was supported by a margin of 119 to 32 in Congress."
Source: Duterte drug war - BBC
The last time I was in the Philippines it was a shitty banana republic, under Marcos, but we all thought things would get better when that CIA stooge and his shopaholic wife were eventually removed.
We were wrong.
Since then the list of offenses wreaked upon Philippinos committed by their own people has grown beyond comprehension. Timothy Mo once wrote a novel painting the place and the natives in a bad light. Justifiably, but he didn't tell the half of it.
They have great food. They are extremely nice people.
Their society is vicious, rotten, and depraved.
Twenty dollars isn't nearly enough to buy a handbag.
Not even a bootleg Louis Vuitton.
Made locally.
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A DUMPSTER FIRE OF TWITTERY
Often while at work I get to hear the sour old dingbats in the backroom spouting Republican drivel and venom. Which does not leave me positi...
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And Taiwan! We're civilized too!
Well.... except for your well-publicized brawling in the parliament. But you are right. No death squad activity, no sex-slavery, and no murderous rampages.
Plus universal literacy and a lively press. Those are good things.
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