Strangers in a Strange Land: Savvier Exiles from History

[CorpGovActivist]

The concept of Exile ([Only registered and activated users can see links];3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FExile) is one that is studied extensively in literary and academic circles.

Just look at this list of notable people who spent a period of their lives in Exile ([Only registered and activated users can see links]).

Would Lord Byron ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) have written as beautifully if he had not embraced - and participated in - the culture of his exile?

What of Albert Einstein ([Only registered and activated users can see links])? Would he have been as productive, if he had self-segregated, rather than actively participating in his newfound home?

Would Yoda ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) have been chastened enough to take on such an unusual Padawan Learner, had he not lived in exile on Dagobah? (Hey, it's History! A long time ago...)

Who is your favorite Exile from History, and what does their savvier use of their time in Exile teach us?

- Dave

[Icky]

apropos of your title! Michael Valentine Smith, of course.

Got Grok?


Seriously... this is not a subject I spent any time thinking about... I'm not really sure...

:shrug:

[CorpGovActivist]

apropos of your title! Michael Valentine Smith, of course.

Got Grok?

:coffeedrink:



Seriously... this is not a subject I spent any time thinking about... I'm not really sure...

:shrug:


The whole Great American Melting Pot meme - one I personally cherish - only works if colliding cultures mix it up, and don't self-segregate.

Moreover, the concept of the Exile's Return - bringing back useful foreign concepts to his/her home culture - is an important one in both History and meaningful Literature.

- Dave

[Icky]

:coffeedrink:





The whole Great American Melting Pot meme - one I personally cherish - only works if colliding cultures mix it up, and don't self-segregate.

Moreover, the concept of the Exile's Return - bringing back useful foreign concepts to his/her home culture - is an important one in both History and meaningful Literature.

- Dave

My wife (as you know) is from Brazil... They REALLY mix it up!

They had slavery too... But when their slavery ended and they were asked to get along... Boy did they!

I have been at Family BBQ's with family members that are so dark they're almost purple and other family members that are blonde haired and blue eyed... and everybody in between.

There is a SERIOUS Segregation problem in Brazil, however... Haves and Have Nots. Wide gulf there.

It seems that racism isn't as huge a problem as Classism... or... Income-ism. The rich and the poor have nothing to do with each other...

With one exception: Housework. Poor people will ride a bus for 2 hours so they can get a job doing housework and cooking for a rich family... then take the 2 hour ride home...

This is part of their economy and their culture... It takes some getting used to for somebody raised to be humble and self-sufficient...

Talk about blending cultures! Take little ol' me who's: Grandfather was a Southern Baptist preacher... Was raised in red-neck central... Who was taught I should be responsible for myself... etc... It's tough to let somebody else clean up the mess I just made. It's tough to let somebody do my laundry. It's tough to have somebody around all the time that you can't (or shouldn't) get too close to (but I tend to befriend them anyway :) )

Brazil has a VIBRANT and wonderful culture that is very diverse! It also has some problems (not the least of which is it's very corrupt gov't! (which is a reflection of the citizens of Brazil....) ... but it's doing quite well as far as I can tell.

I'm richer for my experiences, that's for sure!


Not sure where this stream of consciousness is going... (typing it between rx's... kinda lost my way somewhere.... hope you enjoyed it anyway!) :p

[CorpGovActivist]

My wife (as you know) is from Brazil... They REALLY mix it up!

They had slavery too... But when their slavery ended and they were asked to get along... Boy did they!

DOOD! Did they ever!!!

Sophomore year of college, I was still a History concentrator (I switched that year to Government).

The Sophomore Tutorial required us to do a comparative history of slavery experiences, and Brazil's was one of the comparisons!!!

:anim_beer:

I kept all those books.


I have been at Family BBQ's with family members that are so dark they're almost purple and other family members that are blonde haired and blue eyed... and everybody in between.

That's sort of like how Obama describes his, too!


There is a SERIOUS Segregation problem in Brazil, however... Haves and Have Nots. Wide gulf there.

In my travels, I've seen that, too. Sucks, doesn't it?

: /


It seems that racism isn't as huge a problem as Classism... or... Income-ism. The rich and the poor have nothing to do with each other...

Unbelievable mansions - overlooking squallid hovels downhill.


With one exception: Housework. Poor people will ride a bus for 2 hours so they can get a job doing housework and cooking for a rich family... then take the 2 hour ride home...

This is part of their economy and their culture... It takes some getting used to for somebody raised to be humble and self-sufficient...

I'd gladly run a farm with you any time, as long as you take charge of the chickens. I'll trade you two chores for that one.


Talk about blending cultures! Take little ol' me who's: Grandfather was a Southern Baptist preacher...

:rofl:

That doesn't explain anything at all.


Was raised in red-neck central...

Did they move that Golden Spike? Or did ya'll sneak across the Ohio or Tug Fork and steal it again?

Dammit.


Who was taught I should be responsible for myself... etc... It's tough to let somebody else clean up the mess I just made. It's tough to let somebody do my laundry. It's tough to have somebody around all the time that you can't (or shouldn't) get too close to (but I tend to befriend them anyway :) )

That freaks me out, too. Do you also tidy up hotel rooms for the maids? Unless I've somehow overslept, that has to be done.


Brazil has a VIBRANT and wonderful culture that is very diverse!

There is a very large enclave in Boston Metro. Patrick's brother supervises a landscaping crew with lots of these guys. They're hard workers, they're funny, they're incredibly light-hearted, and their wives send some of the most amazing baked goods I've ever sunk teeth into!

:c015:


It also has some problems (not the least of which is it's very corrupt gov't! (which is a reflection of the citizens of Brazil....) ... but it's doing quite well as far as I can tell.

Official graft in foreign countries is a hot topic: in fact the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is one of the key statutes that Halliburton/KBR "allegedly" violated ([Only registered and activated users can see links];3A%2F%2F[Only registered and activated users can see links] 2Bcorrupt%2Bpractices%2Bact%2Bcorpgovactivist) - over and over and over and over and over again - "allegedly," ya know?


I'm richer for my experiences, that's for sure!

Not nearly as rich as those of us blessed to have encountered you.


:dancingsnoopy:


Not sure where this stream of consciousness is going... (typing it between rx's... kinda lost my way somewhere.... hope you enjoyed it anyway!) :p

This goes in your permanent record!

:rofl:

Besides, don't you know that we hang on every bite of Cheerios that you eat?

- Dave

[Icky]

You silly! :p

[CorpGovActivist]

You silly! :p

Nope. Just drawn that way!

: p

[Sejanus]

The little boot who was exiled rather than be killed as a son of Germanicus

[CorpGovActivist]

The little boot who was exiled rather than be killed as a son of Germanicus

Sheer survival or savvy?

; )

- Dave