The Vent and Rant Thread

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Isn't Thailand getting into problems, having not enough men?

Not yet. A good part of the question becomes "Why do they need men?"

Afaik, China is in problems not having enough girls... The birth rate seems to be something like M/F 51%/49%.

China is in the beginning stages of emerging from a state common to agrarian, pre-industrial societies. Historically, male children were favored over female children. Labor was manual, child mortality was high, large families were required to insure enough kids survived to adulthood to have enough hands to do the work, and males were better suited to doing the work that needed to be done.

Cultural patterns like that change very slowly.

Also, the limiting factor on population is the number of fertile females. One male can keep ten females continuously pregnant. Ten males can't make a single female produce babies faster and in greater quantity than one can.

China is also facing consequences of an effort to reduce population, and has been practicing a rather draconian "one child per family" policy for years.

One of the issues facing China is that it's no longer the lowest-cost producer for manufacturing. It boot-strapped itself into the 21st century the same way everyone else did it: move the peasants off the farm to the cities to be the basis on an industrial work force. But it's starting to run out of peasants to convert to workers, manufacturers are competing for labor, and wages and costs are rising in consequence. One large Chinese manufacturer announced a full-court press into robotics in consequence.

If you look at global population trends, you see that population growth in industrialized nations is stagnant or even negative. It's places that are not yet industrialized where population growth may be an issue.

In Japan, it seems that males are so dangerously disinterested in sex (and their country's women in general) that a shortage of children is threatening.

I wouldn't ascribe it to disinterest in sex on the part of the male. It's more likely a disinterest in having children on the part of the female.

In a technologically advanced industrialized nation, having kids is increasingly a matter of choice, not necessity. Many women are deciding they don't want to be mothers. And in such nations, having kids is increasingly expensive. The limit on family size tends to be what the family can afford, rather than what mom and dad may want.

But Japanese population growth is now negative. A former senior Japanese bureaucrat is making a push for Japan to attract as many as ten million high quality immigrants, as he foresees a time when there simply won't be enough Japanese to do everything that needs to be done.
______
Dennis

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Hitch

And who knows, Katsu? After all your struggles finding a gf, maybe a katoey would suit you?

Hitch

First, I'm actively not looking for a girlfriend.
Second, I resent that comment to the point of finding it insulting.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

First, I'm actively not looking for a girlfriend.
Second, I resent that comment to the point of finding it insulting.

OMG, PLEASE.

It seriously wasn't intended in any insulting way.

I was simply making a joke. You've previously lamented your situation with girlfriends, and had mentioned going to Japan, SE Asia, etc., and the possibility you might find one there. Given the entire discussion, about men going to Bangkok, being surprised, it seemed like a pretty obvious joke.

I did NOT MEAN TO OFFEND YOU. I didn't realize you would be offended given we've all read about your problems with women--and being so obviously NOT leaning in that direction. Apology tendered, if you find it insulting.

Hitch

[Katsunami]

I have no problems with women, apart from the fact that I prefer eastern over western ones (as far as my experience goes), thus Iam in the wrong part of the world.

I get that your comment was intended as a joke, but I just don't find it's funny. Men aren't my kind of thing, even less than western women.

[Freeshadow]

That's an interesting topic to be followed by itself. I suggest to give it an own thread before the OT rants start steering the thread on rail again

Addon: by "interesting topic" I meant the gender and demography discussion. I started to type when Dennis' post was last.

@ Katsunami I've been there, done that. See you some years later.
I'm past "not looking" I started to actively avoid the sponsor-seekers.
the only thing we differ here are tastes. And humour.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

II get that your comment was intended as a joke, but I just don't find it's funny, as it implies me being gay, which couldn't be further from the truth.

How odd that both you and hitch seem to interpret it that way. I didn't se it that way at all, as I'm reliably informed that gay men aren't attracted to trans women.

Wish I had something to rant about to get back on topic....

[Katsunami]

I rant about spell correction in tablets, and slow editing of posts.

If I could, I would swipe a longer rant.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

How odd that both you and hitch seem to interpret it that way. I didn't se it that way at all, as I'm reliably informed that gay men aren't attracted to trans women.

Wish I had something to rant about to get back on topic....

I WASN'T saying he was gay, not that that would be offensive, anyway--right??? I was saying he might get along with a katoey better than a woman, given his self-described history.

I'll delete it. Honestly, it's easier than this.

Hitch

[Freeshadow]

Nah. Readress it on me. It reminds me of Bel Thorne trying to seduce Miles Vorkosigan.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

How odd that both you and hitch seem to interpret it that way. I didn't se it that way at all, as I'm reliably informed that gay men aren't attracted to trans women.

Wish I had something to rant about to get back on topic....

I think this needs to be reworded as 'some' gay men aren't attracted to trans women. With the openness of transsexualism here, and the lack of stigma attached, things are more easily seen...

I have several gay friends and acquaintances who are in long term relationships with Katoeys. However let it be said that the very, very few Katoeys have gone with complete gender reassignment. It's perhaps much more common to see this being done for foreign men coming to Thailand as medical tourists. While it IS much cheaper to have it performed here, it is still extremely expensive, and usually well out of the reach of the average Thai. Breast augmentation surgery alone averages out to almost a full year's salary for a Thai college graduate.

And let me make this VERY clear... Unless there is a pronounced Adams Apple, it is virtually impossible to recognize a properly 'created' and dressed Katoey just by looking at them. A lot of men over the years have come to Thailand confident in their belief that they could, only to discover later in the evening a handful more than they expected to find... While there ARE actually four differences in the male/female skull, these can not be seen while the skin and muscles are still present, and are not 100% accurate indicators even for forensic medical examiners. Pelvic/Hip size can be padded, Adam's Apples medically shaved, and hormones and training take care of the rest. Obviously, there are plenty of Katoeys who have not bothered with long term hormone treatments and really DO look like 'Klinger!' Nothing worse than a Katoey with a 5'o'clock shadow.

Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I'm sorry, but...at a certain age, you can take almost ANY attractive young boy, put makeup on him, hide his hair, and make him look like a very tasty young girl. It's true, and when I look at that person's picture, I do see a young boy.
Hitch

When I took this photo, this 'young boy' was 32 years old. She's now in her 40's and more beautiful than ever.


Stitchawl

[BuyMore]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

In Japan, it seems that males are so dangerously disinterested in sex (and their country's women in general) that a shortage of children and workforce is threatening, with the country becoming unable to support the elderly. (So, the ratio old:young is rising to unsupportable proportions.)

And here I thought Japanese males are so interested in sex that the porn industry is booming...

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

When I took this photo, this 'young boy' was 32 years old. She's now in her 40's and more beautiful than ever.


Stitchawl

Wow. I look so much worse than her. She definitely takes better care of herself than I do of myself.

And...here goes my rant: there are a few zits on my face. They are small but irritating nonetheless.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by BuyMore

And here I thought Japanese males are so interested in sex that the porn industry is booming...

World-wide, the porn industry today is at the top of the list for profit, more than any other industry, and in many cases, more than many of the industries combined.

Wow. I look so much worse than her. She definitely takes better care of herself than I do of myself.

She spends a small fortune on spa treatments every week, hits the gym for a solid 2-hour workout (and I mean she really sweats!) three times a week, and NEVER, EVER goes outside without a heavy layer of sunblock!

And...here goes my rant: there are a few zits on my face. They are small but irritating nonetheless.

Unless it's Prom Night, don't get too upset. They'll be gone soon.


Stitchawl

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by BuyMore

And...here goes my rant: there are a few zits on my face. They are small but irritating nonetheless.

Cleocin and/or Duac Gel. Work a treat. For both the regular kind and the "cystic" kind. If you don't have either, dab a dollop of cortisone on the offending zit, cover it with a tiny band-aid overnight, and in the morning, usually, it will be like you had cortisone injections to kill 'em dead.

Hitch

[BuyMore]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

She spends a small fortune on spa treatments every week, hits the gym for a solid 2-hour workout (and I mean she really sweats!) three times a week, and NEVER, EVER goes outside without a heavy layer of sunblock!

That's quite an investment. Well, I don't have the luxury of such money and time. Too bad for me.

Unless it's Prom Night, don't get too upset. They'll be gone soon.

Yeap. Luckily there's no major event in the next few days, so I probably shouldn't be bothered too much. But still, it's annoying when I look at the mirror. Or maybe I should avoid the mirror the best I can...