what do you think / what would you have done?

[Iceman1800]

This sounds interesting! Can you elaborate?


I have refrained commenting on the cultural aspect, mostly because it would take a book. But yes, the cultural part is IMO an important part of the equation.

An example we talked about was a guy hiring a house painter in France. According to the prof, it is custom to tip the painter when he is done. Apparently they put special touches n the jobs they do. All of us in the calss thought that was nuts. There was an agreed upon price to paint the house and that's all he should pay. But by not tipping, you wouldn't be able to hire a skilled painter in the future. This is the ddifference in customs in the US vs other countries. I'm assuming the business owner felt that he was creating a situation kind of like rescuing a stray dog. He took it in, fed it and provided for it now he has it's loyalty. This may be common in Italy. Maybe they aren't as cynical as we are here?

[Marius_Ursus]

What do u mean?

The story of Jean Valjean from Les Miserables. He was prisoner 24601...the moral of the story being don't judge others.

[Minotaur]

Another thought though too is that compassion can sometimes still be in allowing someone to accept the consequences of actions. To let your child do whatever he or she wishes isn't loving or compassionate...

Can't have anarchy either.

Especially if harm can come from those actions.

[whatevergirl]

The story of Jean Valjean from Les Miserables. He was prisoner 24601...the moral of the story being don't judge others.

ah! I see.

<< is sick today so is a bit slow

Especially if harm can come from those actions.

indeed.

[sy2502]

An example we talked about was a guy hiring a house painter in France. According to the prof, it is custom to tip the painter when he is done. Apparently they put special touches n the jobs they do. All of us in the calss thought that was nuts. There was an agreed upon price to paint the house and that's all he should pay. But by not tipping, you wouldn't be able to hire a skilled painter in the future. This is the ddifference in customs in the US vs other countries. I'm assuming the business owner felt that he was creating a situation kind of like rescuing a stray dog. He took it in, fed it and provided for it now he has it's loyalty. This may be common in Italy. Maybe they aren't as cynical as we are here?

To give some context, only a few days earlier there had been a very sad case that really hit the country. It was a couple in a similar situation, except that they hanged themselves, and their closest relative, upon discovering the bodies, drowned himself in the sea. It was such a big story that it made the international news. I suspect this may have had something to do in the business owner's decision.

[trymarine]

If the crime were of a malicious nature... or a deliberate act of arrogance... I would disagree with the business owner. But this "thief" was acting out of sheer desperation and to me....the business owners compassion is beautiful and should move others to try to put themselves in others shoes before condemning them.

Wasn't it Gandhi who said "an eye for an eye and the whole world will go blind?"

Just my two cents.

I admire your take on things. Well said.

[CashmereNCamo]

I think it's hard to see the situation thru the lens of what Greece really is today and what the people of Greece are dealing with. In America, we see things thru the lens of a country that has never seen the hardships and realities some European countries have seen. But hang on, cuz we're gonna have that viewpoint in the not-so-distant future.

[GuyJin]

^^^I think the story was about Italy, and not Greece...

But I have an idea of what you're talking about...

[Marius_Ursus]

^^^I think the story was about Italy, and not Greece...

But I have an idea of what you're talking about...

Isn't Greece part of Roma?...I mean Italia...

ROMA VIRES

asdf

[GuyJin]

Isn't Greece part of Roma?...I mean Italia...

ROMA VIRES

asdf

----

qwerty.

Got it.

[sy2502]

Isn't Greece part of Roma?...I mean Italia...

AAAHHHRRGG what did I just read????

[whatevergirl]

Italians are wonderful people.

<<< dad was born in Italy; no bias

[mslman71]

What would you have done?

Honestly, without having been there and not knowing the entire situation I don't know what I would have done. It's easy to spill out responses to hypothetical or incompletely described situations. Aside from anger, my general response when people try and take something from me is (even if rhetorically), "why didn't you just ask first?"

[Marius_Ursus]

AAAHHHRRGG what did I just read????

To be fair, I did write "ROMA VIRES"...(see board name)

[sy2502]

To be fair, I did write "ROMA VIRES"...(see board name)

Ok dusting the cobwebs from what little Latin I studied...


Roma vires = the strength of Rome

Marius Ursus = Marius the bear

[Trinity1216]

Italy is going through some very hard times. What the business owner has done is more normal than most people think. Italians are very compassionate people, especially during hard times.

My Uncle has been giving away hundreds of pounds of vegetable, wine and fresh bread that my aunt makes to fellow villagers.

It's very hard to form an opinion on something like that, because no one really knows what they would do out of sheer desperation.

[Marius_Ursus]

Ok dusting the cobwebs from what little Latin I studied...


Roma vires = the strength of Rome

Marius Ursus = Marius the bear

Right! And a Roamin' Bear would see things from the perspective of empire.

[sy2502]

Italy is going through some very hard times. What the business owner has done is more normal than most people think. Italians are very compassionate people, especially during hard times.

My Uncle has been giving away hundreds of pounds of vegetable, wine and fresh bread that my aunt makes to fellow villagers.

It's very hard to form an opinion on something like that, because no one really knows what they would do out of sheer desperation.

Yes, Italians have a stronger sense of immediate community than other countries, which is odd, because they have little to no civic sense in general. My sister for example lives below the poverty level, and it's nothing strange for her landlord to delay collecting rent until she has the money or to drop some groceries by her house or stuff like that. If I had to guess, I'd say it comes from the fact that for about 2000 years Italy was under very bad governments, often foreign and feudal in nature, governments that only exploited without giving anything back to the population, so people had to rely on each other.

[sy2502]

Right! And a Roamin' Bear would see things from the perspective of empire.

Ah crap, I am so used to Mario being a first name that I forgot it actually meant something.

[Trinity1216]

Yes, Italians have a stronger sense of immediate community than other countries, which is odd, because they have little to no civic sense in general. My sister for example lives below the poverty level, and it's nothing strange for her landlord to delay collecting rent until she has the money or to drop some groceries by her house or stuff like that. If I had to guess, I'd say it comes from the fact that for about 2000 years Italy was under very bad governments, often foreign and feudal in nature, governments that only exploited without giving anything back to the population, so people had to rely on each other.

So true especially the bolded part. I am first generation in America and have gone back to Italy often, Sicily to be exact. And the fellowship and community you feel in the little towns or farm communities is very difficult to find elsewhere.

[Marius_Ursus]

Ah crap, I am so used to Mario being a first name that I forgot it actually meant something.

LOL...it's cool. Sea Bear doesn't seem to be a very popular name these days.

[ted01]

So true especially the bolded part. I am first generation in America and have gone back to Italy often, Sicily to be exact. And the fellowship and community you feel in the little towns or farm communities is very difficult to find elsewhere.

Interestingly, I find that same fellowship and community only in the small towns and communities in the States. Perhaps it's the smallness that matters. I've visited big cities all over the world and every single one of them, without exception, lack that sense of community.

[Brackneyc]

Yes, Italians have a stronger sense of immediate community than other countries, which is odd, because they have little to no civic sense in general. My sister for example lives below the poverty level, and it's nothing strange for her landlord to delay collecting rent until she has the money or to drop some groceries by her house or stuff like that. If I had to guess, I'd say it comes from the fact that for about 2000 years Italy was under very bad governments, often foreign and feudal in nature, governments that only exploited without giving anything back to the population, so people had to rely on each other.

But she doesn't ask for it, or steal it from the landlord. Folks worldwide do nice things for those down on their luck, even in the US.