Dutch tourists don't even have to travel to third world countries to feel superior. They seem to be able to satisfy their longing for a feeling of superiority as soon they cross the border. That's a real bargain.
Have you tried cactusses or other succulents?

cynical

always thought you were cynical, this only confirms it.
this is not why you go to bolivia.
i cannot believe that you view the rest of the tourists in those places as such.
is it just a statement to evoke reactions?
if so here it is:
you have people who need others to exists - the tourists you talk about,(and dictators for that matter.)
but for 'authentic' people this is not true - and are those not the kind of people you relate to? those who can stand alone, just by being themselves.

I notice that I wrote "they". Should have been "we". I guess I wanted to feel superior to the other dutch tourists. Of course I myself never feel superior to the cultures I am visiting...

I am very curious to the statistics you are surly going to present us which support these wired statements.
p.s. I can water your plant the first two weeks of November.

Rein B

If I were just a tourist I would stick to Switzerland, maybe Italy. I had business to do in Bolivia, and I don't need to travel to Bolivia to feel superior to others. Most of the time I feel superior to others, exceptions are my cleaning lady, Ilanit, Johannes, Sander, Jezus Christ the Dutch volunteer, my godson, JM Coetzee, a few prostitutes and Jan Thys.
I fear you consider yourself an authentic human being.
And I fear that you are one of those people who travel all the way to a Third World country just to be able to stop taking showers without having a bad conscious. Rein, let me tell you, you can do that in your native country. It just takes something that is called: guts.
(Besides that it’s good for the environment.)

The plant is wearing a lable. Was it a present?

PS. You forgot her name. Again! You bastard.

guts

Exactly, it does take guts. And you suggest all Westerners travelling to a Third World country lack that kind of guts - I consider that to be cyncical, regardless of how I consider myself.

although I must admit that I am a bit confused about you - the professional traveller - sticking to Italy or Switzerland for tourism; or is that because you indeed are a professional traveller. but there must be a underlying drive that urges you toward that profession and is that not the same drive that leads to tourism?

Ilanit

A weird statement? You can do better.
Maybe I should make an exception for the young Israeli’s straight from the army who travel to places like Bolivia. In general they are too stoned too notice the other and thus never make it to this feeling of superiority. They go there because they can enter the country without visa problems, it’s rather cheap and it’s rather dirty. This is a combination they love. You should not generalize but I would say my impressions are not far-fetched.
We all know that this thing called development aid is not only most of the time very ineffective but also the main purpose of this endeavor is that the giver can feel superior to the person he is giving to. The other purpose is to provide some unemployment academics from Europe and the USA with decent jeeps.
Of course you can come back with the statement that this is weird and my answer will be: dream on darling. And stick to the mystic teachings of the Kabbalah, because that is what you are really good at: nonsense that provide the lazy, the weak and the naïve with some comfort.
Nevertheless I don’t feel superior to you, I just pity you during weekdays from 9 AM to 10 AM eastern daylight time

Anna S

Plant was given to me by amante.
How many children do you have? Have you ever heard of something called condom?

does it mean you dont think I'm reliable to water your plant?

and to my serious answer

I called your statements weird cause I couldn’t find a better definition. I still can not. Maybe ‘driven by anger’ will be a better description, I don’t know what exactly made you so angry. Maybe you simply forgot to take your pills today?! In any case you generalise and point out something which might be true about the mass but then again- don’t we all know that? And do you really think the audience on this blog is the right one to throw this generalised accusation to? I think most of us here are aware of the fact that the western mass are the real ‘slaves’ in this consumption society. That people in the west buy stuff they don’t need with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t even like. And by the end of the day they are still not happy. So they invent problems with suitable solutions like vaginal rejuvenation, anti aging serums and botox parties.
The concept of laziness, weakness and naivety are all relative concepts. The fact that I stated that I lack the self discipline I wish I had and therefore agreed to be called weak, does not mean you should place me among the lazy, the weak and the naïve cause you know I’ll outstand. I am only good in nonsense? Why is it nonsense? Because it doesn’t make sense to you and you are the authority in the world which define the sense and the nonsense? If this is not a superior attitude maybe you should define the word superior and pity me. Why do I care?
But do you want me to take care of your plant or not?

Anna

I think plant lables are handy. At least then you know the name of what you should feel sorry for because it's dead .
Just calling the poor thing 'plant' would generalise it and making it part of the mass; a thing that would make everyone here - seemingly - mad. :)
And why not. Who wants to be 'mass' anyway?

Arnon

I dropped Weber's idea that economic activity can be explained by relgious ideas. I don't think the idea tht Protestantism caused the rise of capitalism in the West is widely accepted.

I do still believe (also in science one can get to a point where it's really a matter of believing) in Weber's methodological principles.

I have never been to a settlement in the West Bank.

What is the name of the settlement where your sister lives?

I have only been to ‘a third world country’ once (Mexico) for personal reasons, where I met a young Mayan artist. We spoke a long time wherein he told me in a gentile way’ Leave us, the Indians alone’. Now I stick to Holland, Germany or France for short holidays (I do not like airplanes or TGV’s)
So I am afraid I can agree a lot with Arnon about that subject.
The new rich superior western tourists often forget ‘Noblesse oblige’.

Rein B

If it were not for my writings I would stick to Switzerland for my travels. Well, Switzerland and Germany.

Ilanit

There is no mass-tourism in Bolivia. Mass-tourism requires infrastructure. There is (almost) no infrastructure in Bolivia.
If I have stated something you already know I apologize.
Mysticism coming out of your mouth is sometimes really unbearable.
And I don’t trust you to water my plant as long as you are not willing to publish your memoirs about your time in the entertainment-industry in Israel. You have not passed my security-check, but I’m sure you will pass it in the next five years.
Michel Houellebecq has interesting things to say about tourism in his novel Platform.

Batta

The Reformation should also I believe explained in economical terms. I thought that there was widespread understanding the protestant working ethics and the bourgeois working ethics were intertwined.
Why do you want to know in which settlement my sister lives?

Arnon

"Defensive strategy never has produced ultimate victory." – General Douglas MacArthur
I’m not convinced and a bit disappointed you’re not even trying.

Arnon

The link between protestantism and capitalist working ethics is not contested. The idea that the rise of capitalism (through re-investment of accumulated capital, as a result of asceticism preventing expenditure on luxury) can be explained by this link seems to overlook colonialism.

Does the exchange of information on the names of our siblings' villages challange your concept of a casual conversation?

Ilanit

I’m not letting the Trojan Horse Ilanit in my New York apartment. If escorted by Johannes you might eat a chicken sandwich in my Dublin apartment. That’s all I have to offer for now.
The words Trojan and Horse summarize your existence fairly well.
Where you appear destruction is bound to begin. Some men might find this attractive but I’m done with Trojan horses in my life. I’m looking for a gorgeous Lippizzaner to water my plant.

Batta

My sister lives in Dolev.
The leftists of forty, fifty years did speak and write a lot about colonialism.Our sibling villages – I don’t live in Dolev. Would you consider Ramallah your village-city-homwtown?

Arnon

I own an Irish Gypsy Horse. It's a mare with a moustache. Maybe she is willing to take care of your plant.

ONCE AGAIN DYING

I was wondering what is/was the indignous plant. I cannot make out from th picture what it is. It llooks like pathetic palm.
Furthemore I like the part about ´once again dying´.
This plant, did you buy it off the man who looked like JC from N.reth. Is it known as the Crucifixionplant?

Sibling

I was not clear.

With siblings' village I meant your sister's (sibling) village. Exchanging information on our siblings' villages would then entail you giving me the name of you sister's village, and/or me giving you the name of either one of my siblings' village. I guess after explaining it, it is no longer funny. Assuming it was funny in the first place.

Ramallah is not my hometown. I just lived there for a while to study.

Arnon,

What an arrogant assumption. Still angry darling? I couldn’t care less about your apartment in NY nor in Dublin. The reason I offered to water your plant was my prediction you will state your distrust in me in writings. I would have then saved it, like I saved your statement of internally gratefulness and the one in which I could ask you for whatever I wished and you will do it or get it for me. It’s for my puzzle, you are not the only observer around. You, however, left it open as in “maybe one day” so I left this subject altogether.
You didn’t convince me as of the fact you place your values above mine and in the same sentence declare not to feel superior to me. You left the reason for pitying me completely open, although I must admit I’m flattered you think of me during weekdays . And you deliberately misinterpret my concept of the mass because it was convenient to your argumentation. And even if you were correct, you were talking about “third world countries” and not only Bolivia. I’m sure you can name some which do have the infrastructure for this kind of tourism. If you can’t you can always ask Johannes to make you a list.
So now I’m a Trojan Horse? And destructive to my environment?
I do love you you know, I hope you trust that.
P.s. why do you seperate the Horse from the Trojan? what makes me a horse?

Batta

Excuse me for the misunderstanding, I thought you were trying to say that Dolev and Ramallah were somehow siblings. A strange statement indeed.
What is your hometown?

Ilanit

How are you?

Manon

what do you mean?

Ilanit

Well,how are you?

Manon

I'm not avoiding an answer. By now you should have learned that about me, but I really don't understand what exactly you mean.

Ilanit

How are you doing?

Manon

I assume your question is asked because of what is written above. I think you even have some ideas since you probably think of how you would have felt if you were me. So let’s start with that? I promises you I will give you an answer after I received yours and Arnon’s.

Arnon

That would be a strange statement. Althought stranger statements are thinkable.

Why do you want to know my hometown?

Aspirin

I am getting completely lost in a text. It is giving me a headache.

I wish texts would me more like aspirins.

Batta

Why did you want to know my sister's hometown?

Ilanit

One of the symptoms of Third World countries is a lack of infrastructure.
Your head I would say is Trojan, the rest of Ilanit can be described as horse-like. (This is not meant to be negative or disrespectful. I respect you both as a human being and a Trojan horse. One of the reasons why I’m careful not to let you in my apartment before a certain time.)
And why not write a book “My Life as a Trojan Horse.”
It could be successful. And you could include your adventures as entertainer.
Your love for me is terrific. By the way, you do have children don’t you?
PS I think Manon wants to get to know you. Could you exchange e-mail addresses and continue the conversation privately? I don’t know the exact meaning of “trivial”, but certain questions and answers give me a clue.

Noa

I promised you an answer so here it is: Jealousy is a feeling originated in the fearful part of our personality. That’s an autonomous aspect of personal consciousness that is rooted in fear and expresses fear(e.g., anger, jealousy, superiority, inferiority, etc.). I believe we should aspire to act from within the loving part of our personality. It’s doable since you can train yourself to think in a certain way. (I’m practicing it for 6 years already – but don’t mistake to think you will ever be “there”. Just enjoy the ride). Having that said I will state that you really have no realistic ground to envy me. I’m can be really bitchy too sometimes. I do however hope to have inspired you to realize it’s never to late to be the person you might have been. Henry Van Dyke once said: “Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best."

virtual suicide

I guess you can call this a virtual suicide. I sensed my days here are numbered, so it’s not a surprise. I have to admit it does feel painful, strangely enough.
I don’t know why I trigger this angry, somewhat unpleasant side in Arnon. I know I’m drawn to it/him because I feel challenged. I can honestly say I see him as one of my teachers for tolerance, kindness and patience, for which I’m grateful. And obviously sometimes he also makes me laugh, which makes him a bit irresistible. (Noa, I am aware of the fact that ‘a bit irresistible’ might be categorised as ‘contradictio in termini'). Either way, I am repeating these lessons too many times and the feeling of challenge is not as strong as a certain sadness I would like to get rid of. Cause basically it’s a ridiculous situation.
I’m sure enough of you feel relieved to see me leave (Oscar W and Batta to name a few), but for those of you who might want to contact me, Johannes has my email address.
Last but not least I will post my virtual suicide note as an extra comment, since it’s a bit long. It’s a short story by Mitchell Chefitz from his book “The Curse of Blessings”. I know Arnon finds it unbearable, but I think one is entitled to be free in the choice of his suicide note.

The wise men who became angry

The wise men sensed he had once been angry. He couldn’t remember quite why he had been angry. That he couldn’t remember made him angrier still. His anger became so great, his wisdom departed. He became an ordinary men. As an ordinary man he stood upright. He walked. He talked. But he remembered he had been wise. That he was no longer wise made him angry, so angry he ceased to be a man. He became an animal that walked on all fours.
As an animal he prowled the forest. His belly swung close to the earth. Once he had stood upright. He had walked and talked. Now he could only growl his discontent. His growling was such, he ceased to be an animal. He became a vine that climbed a tree. As a vine it climbed and climbed, wrapping itself around trunk and branches, reaching toward the canopy of the forest. Even as it climbed, it knew once he had the freedom to roam between the trees. The vine chafed at its limitations. It ceased to be a vine. It became a plant, fixed in the ground.
As a plant it sent roots into the earth and stretched upward toward the light. As it flowered, it felt only regret it could no longer climb to the highest heights. Indignant at being stuck in the dirt, it ceased to be a plant and became a boulder. As a boulder it sat with weight and integrity, solid and substantial. But resentment that it could no longer grow toward the light dwelled at its core. Only the resentment grew, swelling and swelling until the boulder shattered. The boulder became pebbles. As pebbles, it became unsettled by every rain, rearranged by every storm. Though smoothed and polished by water and wind, the pebbles no longer had the integrity of a single entity. Dissatisfaction wore the pebbles down to dust.
As dust it experienced nothing. The wind lifted the dust into the atmosphere, beyond the atmosphere, into the expanse of the galaxy, into the depth of the universe. The dust floated without awareness for the longest time. At last the dust settled to earth and became pebbles. Rain and wind polished the pebbles to perfection. Pleasure fused the pebbles into a boulder. The boulder cherished it’s integrity. So grateful to be solid and substantial, it opened to the light. The boulder became a plant. The plant sipped nourishment deep from the earth, reached high toward the sun. Rejoicing in its growth, the plant flowered and became a vine. The vine embraced a tree, circling in delight. Happiness flowed from its highest point down to the ground. The vine became an animal walking on all fours. The animal pranced and danced through the trees, so glad for the grace of movement. It stood upright to walk and found it could talk. The man standing upright marvelled at each of his limbs. In awe of every movement, he raised his voice in praise of such wonder. The man became wise. The wise man became one with all about him- with all men and women, with all animals, with climbing vines, flowering plants, boulders, pebbles, dust, and the nothingness beneath the dust, but…
The wise men sensed he had been angry. He couldn’t remember quite why.

Arnon

Laura suggests avoiding the use of scattered rhymes in your love letter.

I publicly apologize for offering up Laura's family for visitations. I do believe that you would enjoy visiting Laura's grandmother and her Jamaican housekeeper. I should add that presently, Laura's grandmother is not aware of your existence.

Ilanit

Your “suicide note” is a bit melodramatic. But of course I don’t know what exactly this “suicide note” means to you.
Why other commentators would be glad that you stop commenting is not clear to me yet.
Do you want to feel important?
You are important. You are a Trojan horse, not a drama queen.

Oscar W

How can I contact Laura's grandmother?
My love letter to Laura will be void of poetry; it will be prose and nothing but prose.

@Ilanit

This fairytale leaves for you an opening to revive as a commentator again. That's good, I would like that.

@Ilanit

I wasn't asking for your advice, I was simply stating who I am/what I feel.: you don't have to do anything with it. Why do people feel they have to say something when someone cries, for example. Just be and listen. That's it.
It's only an example.
Anyway, considering your interest in virtual suicide - a concept I had thrown onto this screen - it would seem it was me who inspired you. Reverse pyschology, quite an interesting tool.

@Ilanit

Have a nice holiday and come back enlightened! I hope we don't have to wait till Easter before you resurrect your virtual self.

Arnon

I was curious to know in which settlement she lives.

Have you ever visited her village?

Pet

Noa,
You are sooooo creative in your comments.
'Sooooo' as a matter of fact is a creation of Ilanit, and a very nice one indeed.

I know you only come here to state who you are and express your feelings (remember our first little discussion?).
With you most of the time 'I am and just listen'.
Sometimes I react to you, because otherwise you feel ignored.
Now that I think of it, you need a pet. Do you own a pet?
No cat for you, I am thinking about a dog. A labrador maybe?

@ Batta

I want recommend Wittgenstein to you. His 'on aesthetics' tastes like vitamines.

It looks like this plant isn't dying, but struggling to live. Give him some special food, some water and not too much sun. Fresh air isn't required. I think you already wrote something about third-world-tourisme, or I read something about it (that was more interesting).

Batta

Could you now please answer my question.

Dens

I forgot to declare: I don't feel superior to you. Accept my apologies.

Arnon

My hometown is Amsterdam. The relevance of this fact is unclear to me.

I will leave my hometown tomorrow evening.

Could you now please answer mine?

No apologies needed, Mr. Arnon. I don't feel superior to you as well.

Batta

In a conversation you should trust (to a certain degree) that the other party is asking questions that are relevant.

Arnon

Do you trust that my questions are relevant?

Batta

Of course my darling, very much so.

@Johannes

Perhaps you'd like to be my pet?

German sheperd

Noa,
I thought you'd never ask.
But I'm more of a German sheperd, not a labrador.
Or do you like Schnautzers?

I'm not very sure what a Schnautzer is, but I can handle a German Shepherd. If anything, you may turn against me some day, bite my neck and kill me. And then the authorities will kill you. The end. Nobody will miss us anyway.

Dogs

Come on, not so fearful and fatalistic.
If you were a dog, what dog would that be?
For the Riesenschnautzer (there are many Schnautzersorts) and other dogtypes:
http://www.natuurinformatie.nl/nnm.dossiers/natuurdatabase.nl/i002612.html

PS

PS Needless to say my last comment was for you, Noa.

plant

Here's my application for a reliable plant sitter.
I am reliable
I know how to water a plant
I'll bring my own watering can
I have seen plants before
and I am an amazing sitter

Anna D

Please send pictures of you and your plants to Johannes.
johannes@arnongrunberg.com
Plant sitter will get paid five dollars a day. if plant sitter is a spy plant sitter will be tortured, at the very least mentally abused.