RSUSSH 2020
IN20-278 Thai Society in the “Sensation Thinking” of the Humanities
Presenter: Chatchai Khumtaveeporn
Rangsit University, Thailand
Abstract
In short, humanities research methodology is “sensation thinking” of the humanities. It is a critical systematization of knowledge from diverse experiences in places and times of people in the various societies who are different in races, religions, social classes, genders, generations, lifestyles, and cultures. In which, all these are reflected in inherent in varieties of social contexts such as many historical events, situations and historical narratives reveal the power manipulations, negotiations, surrenders, protests, and subjugations. By the limit of historical conditions, some virtues are missing and that lacking cultivates this society to be the “short temper” patriarchal regime, intolerant to different ideas and cultures. It lacks tolerance, the art of conflict management, and the patience to understand the “otherness” by the translation with linguistic hospitality.
Thai elites’ society disciplined Thais by levels of education, religions and main culture, so mostly Thais are forced to be ‘docile persons’ and acquiesce the superiority of the mainstream culture’s values. Thai society has been become to be a one-dimensional society where one must speak in one voice, seeing only one sight, and lacking the recognition of the beauty of the differences. The discriminated will be traduced as terrorists, communists, the ‘politically ungrateful’ or even the ‘anti-patriotism’. So, it’s moral to violently wipe out all these vexing groups and periodically impeding ideas and truth from the people.
With the humanities perspective, the value of trying to understand the ‘otherness’ by the translation with linguistic hospitality and tolerance to different thoughts are recognized as the highest societal common interests of all. The artful integration of all diverse from all cultures is like a marvelous conductor conducting a symphony that orchestrates all instruments to perform heavenly harmonious music, but Thai elites try only to squeeze, by beguiling and forcing, the Thais to appreciate the ‘military parade’ rather than the symphony music.
Citation format:
Khumtaveeporn, C.. (2020). Thai Society in the “Sensation Thinking” of the Humanities. Proceeding in RSU International Research Conference, May 1, 2020. Pathum Thani, Thailand.QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Witsarut Lohwithee (Participant)
I would like to admire that the title of your studies is very interesting. Currently, Thai society, especially the group of some scholars, there are still negative opinions about this matter. Let me ask that, the division of Thai people into different colors, such as red, yellow, blue, white, are from what causes?
Thank you for your question. From historical evidences and also in many Thai literatures, the elite ideology dominated Thai people by the beliefs of unequality of person, by Brahman-Buddish beliefs, some for rulers, and some for being ruled. As the center expanded, many people from regions, races, religions were included with politically manipulation to be inferior cultures, and minorities. If they disobedienced to the power of the center, they were traduced as rebellion and absolutely exterminated by military forces. The differences as described, are not natural difference, since even identical twins still have some differences, but mean political differences. This belief is built in the mind of the people by formal education, literatures, cultural practioces. soap operas in TV programs. No real difference, only invented day after day from the past, now and the future. Thank you.
Nowaday, Is there some change in Thai's sensation thinking? Especially in the movement of new generation.
The sensation thinking is a method for analyzing and understanding Thai society. I think there is no change in the method. But the new generation movement, named anti-patiotism according to the elite, may cause some change in this society. but unfortunately, their leaders are exterminated from the political society. Still interestingly, that event sparked the flash mobs movement to students in schools and university. Because of the hardest situation of panedmics, the new generation will lose faith in elite ideology, in the near future, the movement will be stronger and wider, that will erode the old regime. I think a big change should be hoping for. Thank you.