"Cheap holidays in other peoples misery?" There was definately a bit of that, but the Goa economy has a lot of involvement from Westerner's with kids who have carved for themselves a "great escape" from the west over the last 20 years. There is a lot of real harmony.I'm glad that it was hard for me to dance with a kid in front of me with an outstretched hand. I'm glad the kids with their hands out was something I never got used to in a year in India. I didn't always give them money, but I didn't hit them or shout at them like I saw a lot of "enlightened hippies" doing. The prevailance of their attitude was what really disturbed me.
"Its their karma man!" they'd say.
Fucking convenient explanation.
9 comments:
Disco Valley, is it?
With all its unpleasant modern connotations (of middle-class self-indulgent tragicomic ignorance) I don't get it why you still happy to be characterised as a hippy, you hippy.
I find most of these hippies in India quite objectionable (most of them are fresh out of the Israeli army, come to think of it) but as you point out their presence and money enable some (whether local or scumbag expat) to make a comfortable living for themselves.
Shut up about hippies already, you're losing all your readers.
lazy: "but as you point out their presence and money enable some (whether local or scumbag expat) to make a comfortable living for themselves."
You realize this is the international-business-is-imperialism debate in microcosm. Would they all be better off without your presence?
It would have been very interesting to interview a few of the "enlightened" hippies that hit and shouted. (I don't say this to condone their actions, but to understand them, innit.)
Very good Bill, disco valley it is. We rented the house in the background. What year were you there? I went to an amazing party in Oorebroo Sweden in 95 and one in Christiansand Norway in a rough viking castle with walls 8 foot thick. One of the highlights of my life.
I've heard the Police stomped on you lot the next year? Didn't know you were a party head. Got to be ultracareful with that in your neck of the woods.
Mr.Camel! I was refering more to those westerners who run buisnesses and bring their kids up in Goa. Great place for kids.
Mr. Scrutinator! If intenational buisness was set up along the lines it is in Goa I'm sure everyone would be better off innit?
I think a more firearm orientated "final solution" to the "enlightened hippie" problem is in order.
db: "I think a more firearm orientated "final solution" to the "enlightened hippie" problem is in order."
What happened to peaceful solutions?? What happened to understanding those with whom you disagree? Giving them a voice? Are you messing with us?
Don't know anything about Goa, just taking your remarks at face value.
Hippies with money? What kind of hippies are those? ;^)
I went to India in 2001 and spent most of December in Anjuna. My God, it was hell to land in ol´ Soviet Sweden after weeks of partying on that sweet Mephentine. The Swedish winter never seemed so dark and cold as that year.
Yea, repetetive beats and all the rest aren´t exactly appreciated in this godforsaken country..
Mr.S.
You lot are Republicans. You are supposed to be evil. Hippies are supposed to be "peace and love to everyone" and the more spiritually enlightened they were, the worse they seemed to treat the locals.
Ask Mr. Camel. He's a hippy.
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