Tuesday, February 9, 2010

More cultural exchanges: A good joke

As I was walking along last night with my good Indian friend, we stopped and asked someone for directions to another part of town. I thanked the man in Tamil, and my friend said, that's not always the best way to go about it. I asked him why and he told me that since the man had spoken very good english while giving us directions I should have thanked him in english. The problem is not me he says (although I have a hard time believing this) but that the biggest social problem to Indians is Indians themselves. He then proceeded to tell me a good joke, and I think it is apropos.

There is a large ship carrying tons of crabs from all over the world toward a large seafood market. On the ship all the crates are closed and locked except for a small corner of the ship in which all the boxes are open. One of the crew asked about the reason for leaving these boxes open. Another crew member said, "no need to worry, those are Indian crabs. If anyone of them tries to escape, the other will pull him down."


It seems a mildly sad state of affairs, but somehow it goes back to the idea that India is terribly overpopulated and many people have to do what is necessary just to survive. I don't think it's necessarily a case of wide spread schadenfreude in India, but more appropriately a wide spread hysteria. I still have trouble dealing with the idea that lines means nothing. I don't know where it comes from, but intense crowding to get on trains, buses, and planes irritates the hell out of me.

Just some thoughts...

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