"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not" - André Gide
September 1, 2010 By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
Fourteen million Cambodians, many with vivid memories of Pol Pot's atrocities, continue to endure the degradations imposed by a dictatorship that is legitimized by the international community, even though the government's existence is, itself, a violation of the 1991 Paris Peace Accords that ended the Cambodian conflict.
It's encouraging that some scholars and writers have opened a dialogue with me on whether Cambodians can get out of their current plight, considered bleak and, at this time, unchangeable. The world community has shown no willingness to pressure the current dictatorship to change. We disagree on certain points, but in our interactions respect each other's views.
It is, however, discouraging that the widely held perception of Cambodian social culture is negative, and with some justification. A common view is that the society continues to be characterized by promiscuous, divisive gossip that divides and alienates by: entrenched "reproductive" thinking that is lacking in creativity, innovation and criticality; and a pervasive victim complex that encourages the assigning of blame rather than the acceptance of responsibility.
The familiar image is of trapped Cambodians, unwilling, unable and unprepared to learn, unlearn and relearn.
Quality thinking determines the quality of the future. Cambodians' general practice of blind obedience and unquestioned loyalty blocks the road forward. I debate public policies; inherent in quality thinking is assessing and evaluating. Gentlemen can disagree; some detractors are simply disagreeable and quarrelsome.
The French writer and humanist Andre Gide once said, "It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not."
I am unnerved when I am labeled by some as "anti-Sihanouk" or "anti-Khmer traditions." When I served under President Sihanouk, who led the fight against Vietnamese occupation troops, I found him, and Princess Monique, his wife, charming, gracious and likable. Today, at age 66, I still bow as I walk in front of Khmer elders, I clasp my hands under my chin or on my forehead to express gratitude; and I kneel for a Buddhist monk's prayer and blessing, etc. How to be more respectful of traditions?
Those who know me know political flexibility and political expediency are not unknown to me. Many also know the intellectual in me never allowed me to practice blind obedience and unquestioned loyalty, a factor that landed me in political hot water quite a few times.
I fear an authoritarianism lurking in Cambodians' behavior and attitudes. Not long ago, Pol Pot's mistrust of intellectuals led his Khmer Rouge to kill everyone wearing glasses; Pol Pot's uncompromising "correct thinking" resulted in "tbaung chawb" (hoe blade) -- used by his Khmer Rouge to strike the necks of those with "incorrect" thinking. "No gain to keep; no loss to take out," they said.
Last April, a Khmer New Year's message that made the rounds in cyberspace, from a Khmer physician in Australia, Dr. Kang Kem, prayed the Tevodas to guide the Khmers to unite, love one another and let go of the disastrous and painful past that split Khmers into "generational enemies."
Why? Because while the dictatorial regime consolidates its power, its critics, the Cambodian democrats and rights activists, are in disarray -- divided, fractious, riddled with victim complex and pointing fingers at others.
Cambodians of my generation had learned since elementary school that "l'union fait la force," or unity is strength. Today, "l'union" is with "me" or "my party" who lead; "you" and "your party" follow.
Recall Benjamin Franklin's words, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately," as he appealed to American rebels either to band together or find themselves hung individually at the British gallows. The 13 American colonies banded together as the United States of America.
And recall Irish statesman Edmund Burke, who warned in 1770, "When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle."
Lord Buddha teaches: "Everything changes, nothing remains without change."
Cambodians, in general, like other peoples across cultures and national boundaries, rally behind cliched slogans. They talk the talk, but many don't walk the talk. "Yes, we can!" they say. But as a Khmer saying goes, "trokieak slab s'doak" -- "the hip joint lies dead."
Change is an inevitability. But it may not be the change they wanted to see; it can be worse. Let me repeat another slogan: "We are the change we want to see."
It may not be unreasonable to see Cambodians' future as bleak. Their traditional blind obedience and unquestioned loyalty must be abandoned, and they must start learning and using quality thinking, with its creative and critical components, to imagine and innovate, and to question and evaluate. This is a road to survival.
A respected Khmer-American academic reminds me of Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov's dog experiment in classical conditioning, associative learning, as an example of conditioning reflexes.
But wait. If blind obedience and unquestioned loyalty are conditioned, they also can be unconditioned or reconditioned, a challenge for democrats and rights activists!
The Phnom Penh regime and its foreign backers cannot be blind to the small but growing numbers of unhappy Cambodians, even in the regime's military and bureaucracy as well as abroad, who are dissatisfied with the status quo.
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.
It's encouraging that some scholars and writers have opened a dialogue with me on whether Cambodians can get out of their current plight, considered bleak and, at this time, unchangeable. The world community has shown no willingness to pressure the current dictatorship to change. We disagree on certain points, but in our interactions respect each other's views.
It is, however, discouraging that the widely held perception of Cambodian social culture is negative, and with some justification. A common view is that the society continues to be characterized by promiscuous, divisive gossip that divides and alienates by: entrenched "reproductive" thinking that is lacking in creativity, innovation and criticality; and a pervasive victim complex that encourages the assigning of blame rather than the acceptance of responsibility.
The familiar image is of trapped Cambodians, unwilling, unable and unprepared to learn, unlearn and relearn.
Quality thinking determines the quality of the future. Cambodians' general practice of blind obedience and unquestioned loyalty blocks the road forward. I debate public policies; inherent in quality thinking is assessing and evaluating. Gentlemen can disagree; some detractors are simply disagreeable and quarrelsome.
The French writer and humanist Andre Gide once said, "It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not."
I am unnerved when I am labeled by some as "anti-Sihanouk" or "anti-Khmer traditions." When I served under President Sihanouk, who led the fight against Vietnamese occupation troops, I found him, and Princess Monique, his wife, charming, gracious and likable. Today, at age 66, I still bow as I walk in front of Khmer elders, I clasp my hands under my chin or on my forehead to express gratitude; and I kneel for a Buddhist monk's prayer and blessing, etc. How to be more respectful of traditions?
Those who know me know political flexibility and political expediency are not unknown to me. Many also know the intellectual in me never allowed me to practice blind obedience and unquestioned loyalty, a factor that landed me in political hot water quite a few times.
I fear an authoritarianism lurking in Cambodians' behavior and attitudes. Not long ago, Pol Pot's mistrust of intellectuals led his Khmer Rouge to kill everyone wearing glasses; Pol Pot's uncompromising "correct thinking" resulted in "tbaung chawb" (hoe blade) -- used by his Khmer Rouge to strike the necks of those with "incorrect" thinking. "No gain to keep; no loss to take out," they said.
Last April, a Khmer New Year's message that made the rounds in cyberspace, from a Khmer physician in Australia, Dr. Kang Kem, prayed the Tevodas to guide the Khmers to unite, love one another and let go of the disastrous and painful past that split Khmers into "generational enemies."
Why? Because while the dictatorial regime consolidates its power, its critics, the Cambodian democrats and rights activists, are in disarray -- divided, fractious, riddled with victim complex and pointing fingers at others.
Cambodians of my generation had learned since elementary school that "l'union fait la force," or unity is strength. Today, "l'union" is with "me" or "my party" who lead; "you" and "your party" follow.
Recall Benjamin Franklin's words, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately," as he appealed to American rebels either to band together or find themselves hung individually at the British gallows. The 13 American colonies banded together as the United States of America.
And recall Irish statesman Edmund Burke, who warned in 1770, "When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle."
Lord Buddha teaches: "Everything changes, nothing remains without change."
Cambodians, in general, like other peoples across cultures and national boundaries, rally behind cliched slogans. They talk the talk, but many don't walk the talk. "Yes, we can!" they say. But as a Khmer saying goes, "trokieak slab s'doak" -- "the hip joint lies dead."
Change is an inevitability. But it may not be the change they wanted to see; it can be worse. Let me repeat another slogan: "We are the change we want to see."
It may not be unreasonable to see Cambodians' future as bleak. Their traditional blind obedience and unquestioned loyalty must be abandoned, and they must start learning and using quality thinking, with its creative and critical components, to imagine and innovate, and to question and evaluate. This is a road to survival.
A respected Khmer-American academic reminds me of Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov's dog experiment in classical conditioning, associative learning, as an example of conditioning reflexes.
But wait. If blind obedience and unquestioned loyalty are conditioned, they also can be unconditioned or reconditioned, a challenge for democrats and rights activists!
The Phnom Penh regime and its foreign backers cannot be blind to the small but growing numbers of unhappy Cambodians, even in the regime's military and bureaucracy as well as abroad, who are dissatisfied with the status quo.
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.
10 comments:
i agree with the title, cambodia must unlearn to relearn, not literal, just the paradigm shift, i guess. cambodia can use a degree of paradigm or thinking shift as see fit; i agree.
I don't think so, among 14 Cambodian people, more than 50% were born after Khmer rouge including me and as my experience talking to many young men and women, very few pay attention to Khmer rouge legacy. What they care is how to make a living. Some old generation also try to forget and move on. Nothing to learn about from mentalist. There is no reason what so ever that people commit crime toward their own brother, sister friend, parents like that but only people with mental illness could do that and we can not lean any thing those people with such diability.
LEAFLETS distributions and prosecuted Khmer Krom people, where are Khmer freedom of expression and freedom of speech? Why did Khmer Leader hurting their own people to fulfilled the Viet interests? What is the Cambodian future will be under the current government carelessness, ignoring Khmer suffering, and etc. ??? Khmer must help Khmer no matter what and where they are and what they has done is to protect Khmer land and people, Hun Sen must protect them not hurting them because you are Khmer too. Even though you are educated in Vietnam and Vietnamese is your boss but your country is the most important precious platform for all Khmer people to survive without it all Khmer people will be die and gone forever from earth. Please Mr. Hun Sen rethink and learn from your boss on how to save and protect Cambodia.
To Mr. Gaffar,
"In the land of the hungers, food is everything to them." Having said that, Cambodia has been pushed back 50 years behind its neighbors. Vietnam and Thailand know quite well what to do with Cambodia. First, their dream is to reduce the populations of Cambodia into something that can be controlled; secondly, once Cambodian population has been reduced, their next step is to control Cambodia's economy from a far; thirdly, once population and economy both have been established as they have expected, they then will seek to put an end to the growth and prosperity of Cambodia as a whole. Under this analysis, Cambodia will never have a chance to compete with Vietnam and Thailand, due to shortage of manpower, labor forces and economic prosperity for future growth. I do not like to point my finger at anyone, but I like to say that we, as Khmers "been had and we had it good". These two nations have shoved everything that they have down our throat and we have to except to their terms regardless of what we want as a nation. These two nations know what we are capable of because we have Angkor to show for. These two nations know that Khmers, as people, once united, we can do greater things, thus they do whatever they can to prevent us from rising up against them.
If we really wanted to change and hungry for change, we have to learn except respnosibilities and learn to admit when we make mistakes. In addition, we must concentrate on rule of law, because only rule of law can take Cambodia into another level of expectation. Rule of law helps us to walk, drive and navigate according to plans like a sailor needs his Compass while at the High Sea. Only rule of law can truely change Cambodia into the directions everyone wants. Look at Thailand for example, they know what they. In 1915, Siam decided to follow the West and thus they have chosen America and British as their Compass and guidance. The King and I should have explained that better than anything that has ever written for all Siamese. Once the Siamese have decided on what they want they will never look back, and we can see the result of the present time...they have outgrew Cambodia when it comes to success and being established. Having said that, Cambodia ought to do the same thing. As a nation, we must pick a model, the best model there is in the world t use it as guidance and compassing our hardest time and made it to a greater and better place for all. In the end...no one is stopping us from growing, but ourselves. Democracy is there for us to grasp, rule of law is there for us to be written, models are there for us to follow. The question is...when will we say enough is enough and this is the time to rise up to the challenges. WE CAN DO IT. NO MORE EXCUSES.
I thank you.
X-MEN
are we that stupid to let them control us? it's time to wake up, people!
If Khmer people could unify the inside and the oversea,Khmer people would not take Thailand as a model.there are a lot of countries beside Thailand to be Kampuchea model such as Israel,South Africa ...Khmer do not want to a copy cat of Siam.This race was a Khmer slave since 900 to 1238 and became independent.Khmer was an Empire with 22 states under Khmer umbrella.The unity only can make Khmer proud.Unity with all heart,soul,energy,body,words,action,these can help Cambodia making a big difference.Put Khmer Empire into action;unity is strength.
Dear blockers, to share some ideas - as to when Khmer will waik up again from the current regime? The answer is simple, but difficult to achieve. Each indivitual should be honest, trueful, patriate, respect others Khmer(people). Men and women should step up take care themselves, their children, their family, and possible - take care their community...once khmer take care themselves, their family, their community...it will reach critical mass, than the problems will take care itself. I am sure that Dr. Peang-meth had face students would had ask him how can they have done all the homeworks that had been assigned to them...take care one homework at a time, than the entire homeworsk will finished themselves by the end of semester...This would be the same for Khmer society now. Just take care of their own problems, than the national problems will take care itself...
6:09AM!!!! Unity can only achive under the real rules of law! Not from the foul mouth of a Dickhead!
And OK to take Thai as a sample since Thai use to take us as a role model!had Thai have culture and geographi almost exackly like Cambodia than Israel or Africa.
As a role model why don't you just shout to the top now like USA? so we can surpass Thai and reach the top if possible!
Respect HUMAN and RULE of laws like USA Cambodian will reunite as ONE!!!!
You want to be Thai slave,but not me. it is your right to do so. I have the right to speak up for myself.If you do not want to read my blog just skip it.
12:28PM! Is not about the Thai slave but about working idea! Do Thai ever under Cambodian again after it took every idear from ANKOR???
And you should not want to be any one slave. What you should do, just use them as model not master, STUPID HEAD!!!!
I would not go to your blog! but sorry I would not skeep your comment, I will comment something on YOUR COMMENT after Iread it!
Too bad dude is a free space!
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