| 1-12-2006: Saigon, Viet Nam |
| Government vs. Personal Opinion Made it to Saigon and talked with two students tonight...it was very interesting. These students come from comparatively well-to-do families, and when we talked together about any of the more sensitive issues, they really struggled with what they personally wanted to think and what the government wants them to think about it. For instance, we talked a bit about the issue of the minority ethnicities in the highlands - mostly about their schooling and how they're not up to par with the rest of the country, and about the things the government is doing (or supposedly doing) to help the minorities out. These two students would start to contradict themselves every so often, and I could hear where their own opinions stopped and where the government standpoint that they were taught in school began. They would be on a roll about why the education is so bad in the Highlands, but then I would ask a question or pose a different situation for them to think about and it flustered them, and instead of taking time to think before they answered, they would move into talking about what great opportunities the government gives the minorities - even though we were just discussing how the minorities DON'T have any good opportunities. It became confusing after a while since what the government and society teaches about minorities goes against what they personally want to think...not to mention, the government is doing a good job of confusing people by both offering pseudo-opportunities to the minorities while at the same time oppressing them. It's a bit confusing, but it's interesting. |
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