“Thousands of couples across Europe and the US who have married or renewed vows in Asian ceremonies must now be wondering what was really said as rings were passed and kisses were exchanged,” writes William Sutcliffe in the UK’s Guardian newspaper.
“However pleasant the officiators may have seemed, however sincere the tone of the ceremony appeared, it is clear now that literally anything could have been passed off as a blessing or a chant. Of course, this should always have been clear, but such is the determination to believe in some vague ideal of Eastern mysticism that most people who buy into these ceremonies presumably dismiss any legitimate scepticism as somehow “Western” and inappropriate.
“All hotels are reliant on a theatre of deference and respect. In expensive hotels in poor countries, where cocktails are served by waiters whose daily wage is less than the price of one of the drinks they serve, the gulf between what the staff think of the guests and how they are obliged to behave is likely to be at its largest. Only rarely does the fourth wall in this drama ever come down. This video is a truly spectacular example.”
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Comment: Culture and misfortune
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Well what remarkable insight Sutcliffe has gained from an 8 minute video in Dhivehi. So thankful are we, the great unwashed of our small poor country, earning less than a drink a day. What a pile of patronising 'holier than thou' pinko crap you slop out.
How dare you pretend you know what happens in our lives, what values we hold dear tonour hearts, we in the main, massively proud of our propensity towards unconditional hospitality and decency.
You are enflaming this situation to sell a sensational story, you have no idea who we are so stick your own fine words whete the sun does not shine, cos it does here!
I am sorry you feel that way from the exerpt of the article. The point of the article was exploition in luxury resorts, not in a way that it excuses any insults, but with a sharpened twist to make UK-readers/tourists think about how they come across in foreign contries. Teh article is mainly directed at westerners who try to generate an outrage about the Maledives in general because of this videao-incident.
The search of paradise it critisized once it makes tourists close their eyes to the reality of people, expecting them to be always happy whatever disrespect they face or charade they have to make up.
In my opinion, it does not critizise or diminish your value of hospitality, or any other of the other good things you cherish.
If the article asks anything from you, then to celebrate your traditions and values and culture and tourists to look for the real thing instead of spending on ceremonies mixed and made-up for some global disney land in which only money rules.
This is a propaganda piece written to help the tourism industry, well if helps I am not complaining.
Although I must say we have social problems arising fro different avenues. This acceptance of different value system than help by our honorable ancestors, mainly through media and religious indoctrination.
We has a a people has now accepted the fact that happiness is totally dependent on the amount of wealth, with this the mindset has changed to obtain wealth by any means, even for a few no matter how a despicable means it may be. With that we lost that unconditional hospitality we had, the tolerance to people of different faith was lost with a recent Wahaabi religious invasion.
My parents tells me in there time they never used vulgarities (lhaviyani bas or auguraan) among friends and it became common place on the streets somewhat recently, within a 18 or so years.
I would like to quote Democritus "Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold, the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul."
Hmm so in your opinion I got it wrong, is that really what you are saying? You can write whatever you like but you do not have the right to enforce a certain interpretation on the beholder.
It would have been better to have let your words stand for others to read rather rhan patronise me into saying I do not understand your point!
I do agree with you that to project 'the real Maldives' is something few resorts have done, if any, but abusive and corrupt as many are they are providing employment that would otherwise not be there.
Of course this does notvexcuse people trafficking, poor wages and othrr forms of abuse, but you cannot push that solely on the heads of a couple wanting to avail themselves of a legitimate and offeted service.
If your words were meant to sting westerners into your way of thinking then mark it as such perhaps, journalism is global you know.