Rich vs. Poor Countries - Pros/Cons and Considerations

[Winston]

Here are some great dissertations from Ladislav comparing Rich and Poor countries:

http://expatriateobservations.blogspot. ... tries.html

Rich vs. Poor Countries

In the Third World, the richer, the more arrogant, and the poorer, the friendlier. In the first world, the truly rich are relaxed and quite friendly, but the poor look mean and nasty.

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The so-called Third World is probably what we call "the real world". It runs a full gamut and represents the full spectrum. It has a high top and a deep bottom. First world countries do not have a deep bottom. Middle class people are struggling to make ends meet in the First World. In theThird World they are much happier lording over the 60% of the population that belongs to the working class.

What does it all mean in practical terms? It means that in the third world you can start a business with very little capital and have a family with very little money. It means that middle class people enjoy great respect, high status and can have servants and a great choice of wives from the poorer classes. It means that you can live in a house on the beach for next to nothing. It means that you can eat out every day.Third World is cheap and affordable world with lots of great wonders to be enjoyed. Most important, as long as you are in the third world, you will never be lonely.


***

The best place to live in most countries is the second or third largest city. It is hard to get to know the country and its people if you live in the capital- its people do not really represent it.

***

Whether a country is rich or poor is not determined necessarily by the people's monthly income in US dollars. One has to keep in mind the income/price ratio in local currency when calculating if people are rich or poor.

You may want to pity a Burmese worker whose salary is $30 a month but a meal there costs a few cents and the Burmese worker probably has his own land and a house out in the country- free and clear and usually he pays no tax, either. Not many 1st worlders are this lucky.

"Poor countries" are "cheap countries". So, before you feel the temptation to become smug about your income, think about the PPP- purchasing power parity- i.e. how much your money can actually buy in products and services in your country and how much it can buy in their country.

Mexican and Central American illegals who risk their lives to cross the Rio Grande are not necessarily doing that because they have "The American Dream"- they are often coming to capitalize on-

1) the huge purchasing power that the dollar has in their country.
2) the very high interest rates that their banks pay- $20,000 can already be used as a deposit to generate a significant peso income at a Mexican bank and even enable one to retire.
3) Very cheap real estate there. One can buy a farm for peanuts in many areas where tourists do not go.

So, before you smugly curl up your lip when you see a Guatemalan waiter in your city working his buns off for $30-50 a day and feel so very proud of the opportunities that America can provide, remember- he can (and will) buy a house and a lot back home for $5000 but you can't (and probably won't).

Most countries have an overinflated view of themselves and their role in the world. In Thailand they think that the whole world knows their king and that he is some great world leader next to Kofi Annan ( sp). In the US, they think that events in the US, especially the 9/11 "changed the world forever". Also, that every human being on the face of the earth would rather be living in the US than back in his country.

In Arab countries, they think that the entire world is looking to them to be taken out of darkness and to be converted to Islam.

The Russians think that the most important event of the 20th century was the October Revolution of 1917.

Again, the countries, their media and educational systems confuse "our country" with " the world". Most people do not know Thai king's name and have never seen him. Most people like to live in their countries and 9/11 changed *the US* forever, but people in Bhutan, Lithuania and Mali were not changed by the 9/11 events which took place in a country very far away from theirs.

Most people do not want to be converted to Islam and the Russian revolution of 1917 was an important event for *them*. Not for the world.

*Some countries, such as the Philippines, make their own no-frill cars- jeeps for one. A brand new jeep here with absolutely nothing, not even a radio- but it moves- is less than $3000. And Western electronics are replaced by cheap Chinese goods. These are not as sophisticated but a $20 camera will take pictures, a $4 electric razor will shave and a cheap, $30 TV will be black and white but they will still watch a movie. And most people will have them- some one will make the money and help them- an uncle, a brother, a girlfriend. Inthe Philippines most people have cellphones and color TVs. Credit is expensive but accessible to many.

Quality is lower but people manage to enjoy the function- it does give you what it's supposed to give.

In the US a 16 year old is considered a child and 22 year old is referred to as a "kid". In other countries, a 16 year old man is not a child but a working adult and a 22 year old is a fully married member of society taking care of a wife and kids. When an immigrant from such a country arrives in the US, he has to travel back in time as he is treated by society as a "kid" and gets little respect. He is even told that he is too young to get married. 19 year old US girls treat him as a kid and themselves, behave like what a 10 year old girl would behave in his country. He feels completely disoriented and unable to fit in in the new society.

Immigrants are shocked when 26 year olds among them are told- "Oh, you are just a baby!" 20-24 year old, fully-formed , mature and intellectual men coming from theThird World cannot fit in with swaggering, spitting and "cool" stateside 20-24 year old "kids" .

Conversely, a 56-year old man in the US is a middle-aged man while in most 3d world countries he is an old man at the end of his rope.

***Whether you are rich or poor is determined by only one thing- what your money can buy within the society you are in. That's all. By finding cheaper societies, you can multiply your worth manyfold.
You may not be poor. It is just that products and services around you may just be too expensive.

***You can become rich and famous practically overnight- that is after an overnight flight to Indonesia or another such place.

A Westerner appearing in a small village in the so-called Third World may become an overnight celebrity and lauded as a great hero and treated as a president of a country. If Indonesia, your money can just dextuple- a $100 will become $1000 and your $20,000 is savings will become $200,000 within their economy. You can buy a house for your fiancee for $8000 free and clear and virtually become her "king".

I once did one thing just for kicks. I took a bus across the island of Mindanao in Southern Philippines. Mindanao is the size of Florida. The bus from the top to the bottom of the island cost me some $4.

But the uncanny thing was this: no Westerners ever travel by that bus and the people in that remote part of the world had never met a white man, and as it went through the jungles, we would pass by small villages along the road. I would stick my head out to look at villages and the inhabitants, upon seeing me, would cheer, clap and shout with joy. Some people would start jumping and virtually dancing.

It reminded me of President Kennedy riding through Dallas. All that was missing was little flags in their hands.


***

Do you pity poor immigrants working for peanuts in the US? Do not pity them, envy them.

All these poor people are happy to be able to save $300-$400 a month for a few years and then go back home to their very very cheap countries and buy a house, a business and have a big royal wedding on that money. A Mexican who goes back to Mexico with $20,000 can just put that money in the bank and never work again- the interest will be enough to live on.

All that while a smug and deluded Gringo is smiling at the Mexican with prideful satisfaction- see? America is the greatest! Everybody is coming here.

Everybody is leaving, too. Once they have $15,000-20,000 they are gone.

A Gringo can't ever scratch his behind for that kind of money.

While the Gringo must pay $400,000-500,000 for a piece of &^%$%^&^ apartment in San Diego and be in debt all his life and date spoiled women, the Mehicano is back home on a free- and clear ranch sleeping with his spicy senorita and living off the fat of the land.

That is his "American dream". Make $20,000 and get the hell out of the Gringolandia

God put everything that a human being needs onto this planet- great food, great music, great women. He just did not put it all in one country.

You almost always get what you pay for- if you go to a foreign country where prices are 3-5 times lower, do not expect the same quality of service and the same quality of products as you would get in a place like USA or Japan. People will be incompetent, your Big Mac will be stale and they will forget to put catch up on it. Phone operators will not be able to find even basic numbers for you- i.e "Please give me the US embassy"- "I do not know that number". Can you imagine?

Richer or Poorer country

If you move to a country that is richer than yours, you may run the risk of being pitied or looked down upon as someone less civilized.

If you go to a country poorer than yours you will get lots of admiration but also jealousy and will run the risk of being ripped off and cheated.

It is usually desirable if you can move to a country that is on the same level with yours economically to feel socially comfortable with the people there.

***

http://expatriateobservations.blogspot. ... r-and.html

Poor countries are not that poor and rich countries are not that rich

***Poor countries are not that poor and rich countries are not that rich.

The media in most rich countries likes to present a sorry picture of what life is like in the so-called poor countries. People are portrayed as living in slums, starving and dreaming of emigrating to a richer country so that they could live a better life and greater freedom. What they do not tell you is that while people would like to go to a richer country, most often than not, they would like to return back to their country to live once they have more cash.

Why? Well, for the simple reason that there is no place like home. Home is where feelings are. That is the place where you grew up and formed attachments to people, streets, language, culture and music and a myriad other things. That is the place where you feel more or less comfortable with the world around you, where things are known and possible future events are predictable, where you had your first love and where you have family and friends. You know the rules of society there, the do's and the don'ts in most social situations and this is probably where you would like to be if various social, political or financial situations would not chase you away in search of economic opportunities.

For those who do not leave the poorer countries for greener pastures, life is still not so bad. Unless you have actual war and starvation or genocide going on or unless you are a member of a hated minority group that is constantly harassed by both the people and the government, you may not have such a bad life.

If you are a poor man in many poor countries, you will have many advantages that poor people in the West do not. For one, since there are not that many opportunities to advance, there are many other poor people around you who will provide you with sympathy and camaraderie. Unlikein the West , you will not be ostracized. Since you are in it together with millions of other not-so-rich folks, you will have friends and be able to find a lover, often quite attractive, from millions of working poor women. Unlikein the West , these women will not be stuck up and not dreaming of marrying into a rich family since there are very few rich families to marry into.

If you work hard enough, you will be able to start a small business and since poorer countries are less regulated than richer, developed countries, you will most probably be able to start by setting up a small stall and selling fried chicken to the local poor. All without having to apply for business and health permits and without having to have huge amounts of capital as you wouldin the west.

In slums, particularly in those located in tropical countries, life is not as bad as the Western media would like to have you believe, either. You either pay no rent or pay very little. There are plenty of humble, friendly women to date and you do not need a car to take them out. You can just walk to their house. Neighbors will help you with food and small loans if you have no money. Children can play without the fear of being chased away by the cops for loitering or obstructing traffic. There are few laws that regulate the lives of the slum people. If the slum is near the sea, you also have access to fish and various seaside type entertainment such as swimming, snorkeling and just basking in the sun. Therefore, if you ever end up in a tropical slum of a poorer country, you will often notice that the people there are among the happiest and friendliest people on earth.

If you go to the countryside you will see that people are even happier there. They have their own land, free and clear which provides them with basic necessities all year around- fresh eggs, fresh bananas and fresh air. Whatever consumable items that you cannot obtain directly from the land you work on, can be purchased cheaply and easily from local stores. No mortgage, no taxes and even if there is crime, it will be minimal as everyone knows each other and a suspicious stranger will be watched very closely. People that are not strangers will have little impetus to commit a crime as everybody knows your every move and you will be quickly denounced, punished and chased out of the community.

People, particularly women in such a healthy environment will be largely free from mental disorders as well as character disorders such as arrogance, greed and selfishness. Also there is no paranoia that comes with thinking of where the next paycheck is going to come from for you to pay your mortgage, insurance and taxes.

People in such places are generally religious, traditional and obtain solutions to their problems through daily communion with nature, God and other generous and humble people around them who are willing to lend a helping hand and advice based on folk wisdom. Women coming from families in places like these will most probably make the best wives one can imagine. They may not have the sophistication of some slick city girls but whatever knowledge they need to make you happy, can be taught by you later. What is most important is that the fundamental character will be very wholesome and everything else can be built up on top of that.

Because in many poorer countries basic commodities are cheap, many people do not have to worry about not being able to afford clothing, matches or soap.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule- there are some countries where things are quite expensive- but in most poorer countries, they are not.

Believe it or not, there are even organizations that measure the happiness level of nations. Based on some surveys the happiest people seem to be in poorer Asian countries- Indonesia, Bangladesh, Philippines. The least happy seem to be in Japan, Hong Kong and other rich countries. So, being developed is not a guarantee that people will become happier. Maybe, it is a sure way to render the society even less happy.

Those who have lived in poorer countries for a long time and watched them develop into newly industrialized nations would often notice that as the economic and technological progress would set its foot in the country, so the spiritual and social characteristics of the nation as a whole would go in the other direction. People would become more selfish, less helpful and develop sever mental problems. The ones who would become richer, would also become more arrogant and less sociable. Such rich people appear happy but in an unhealthy, abnormal and smug way. Their "happiness" is often just the sense of power that they can have over the masses of the poor people underneath them.

[FuzzX]

thanks for posting