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Post by scott on Nov 14, 2016 17:10:27 GMT -5
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Post by barrumundi on Nov 14, 2016 18:11:30 GMT -5
11% of the population involved in illegal activities? More likely .....maybe......11% of the population is NOT involved in illegal activities!
It is the way of life ....... the culture.
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Post by jabberwocky on Nov 14, 2016 19:00:37 GMT -5
Sorry - what does it consider illegal activities? Being involved in the drug trade? - selling food on the street without a license? Very broad spectrum without much clarity - Maybe the number is higher - don't know but I do know that it is tempting for some Colombians to get involved in illegal activities given how very low the wage scale is for the typical local
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Post by caliorbust on Nov 14, 2016 19:01:20 GMT -5
Welcome to Colombia - if you can handle it. This country is not for the squeamish. Wait for the FARC freedom-fighters to mix with the populace. They may turn in their AK 47' but not their pistols.
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Post by gallito on Nov 14, 2016 19:01:46 GMT -5
It's not like politicos are a shinning example!
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Post by caliorbust on Nov 14, 2016 19:12:55 GMT -5
Where else can you pay a judge 2 million pesos to see the case your way or pay a traffic cop 50 mil to get around a heavy fine. I kind of like it here and have every intention to make this country my home.
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Post by gallito on Nov 14, 2016 20:36:15 GMT -5
Where else can you pay a judge 2 million pesos to see the case your way or pay a traffic cop 50 mil to get around a heavy fine. I kind of like it here and have every intention to make this country my home. Careful what you say,the odd one won't be such a bargain.
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Post by búfalo on Nov 15, 2016 6:38:45 GMT -5
Not to mention the cheap price one could pay for something to happen your way.
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Post by búfalo on Nov 15, 2016 6:40:04 GMT -5
I must admit tht when I first started my Colombian experience most people I knew were imvolved to some point, even sweet mama. Now is definitely not the csse.
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Post by mudd on Nov 17, 2016 8:16:37 GMT -5
girl i know who here in medellin has $6,000,000 which was little short to buy a new moto, talked to a guy she knows, said "give me the $6.000,000 and in two months i can give you $12,000,000. " of course when she asked how, all he said was " gold o cocaine" so was illegal obviously lol,
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Post by elexpatriado on Nov 17, 2016 10:03:44 GMT -5
Maybe headline should read 11% of Colombian Population NOT involved in UNETHICAL activities..
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Post by mudd on Nov 17, 2016 10:52:06 GMT -5
colombians seem to be only concerned with " if it benefits me, its ok if its illegal" and they wonder why they have such a problem with corruption and drug trade,
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Post by caliorbust on Nov 17, 2016 11:24:40 GMT -5
It will take several generations to change this culture, if it ever can be changed...
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Post by barrumundi on Nov 17, 2016 15:54:58 GMT -5
Reform has to start at the top and work it's way down.
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Post by elexpatriado on Nov 18, 2016 9:30:38 GMT -5
Reform has to start at the top and work it's way down. I think the opposite is true. Start with an integral family unit with a responsible father figure present and start teaching your family proper ethics and morals..responsibility, honesty, dependability, compassion,common sense.. Too many years of either "hard life" or "quick fix" to the easy life with selling drugs, prostitution, or just ripping of your neighbor or the kind, compassionate people because they are "bobos" and "dar Papaya"... And forget ths superstitious mumbo jumbo..brujas, duendes and the like. A person supposedly has a PHD (from cracker jack box U) and they still believe in Duendes and Brujas? Give me a break..
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Post by barrumundi on Nov 18, 2016 15:50:45 GMT -5
Maybe elexpatriado , you can wave a magic wand and turn every adult male Colombian into a kind, considerate, caring and honest individual? Why would the average macho joe want to change into a responsible father figure? What would drive that change? Why would they give a shit about, "proper ethics and morals..responsibility, honesty, dependability, compassion,common sense..", when they don't see any of this in government, police, politics, corporate business and of course their peers. Give me a break ........you've got it back to front. Reform is not possible without good leaders.
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Post by sedelen on Nov 18, 2016 16:16:03 GMT -5
Wow, a thread where most everyone's on the same page as far as their way of thinking.
Indeed, poor country, what's too look forward to given the low standard of living? unless you go outside the law. Here you have widespread prostitution, loan sharking,
drugs etc. to get a leg up on in life here. It's hard for me to find one Colombian I know who doesn't know personally someone involved in unlawful activities, whether it be
family or friends. It's widespread across the board, in every aspect of life, in all professions. It's to some degree accepted into the culture and accepted as a way of life.
After all, I'm sure some of the family might benefit also indirectly, and what are they going to say? Refuse it, no they need the money also, as most are scraping by
themselves.
May we never cross the wrong person!
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Post by barrumundi on Nov 18, 2016 17:57:14 GMT -5
Picture a triangle like the 'healthy foods' triangle. On top you have the President. The next level is all the various department Govenors. Then you have all the Mayors. Next level is the Police and on the bottom is the General Public.
All levels are contaminated by graft, corruption, dishonesty, lies, cheating and theft.
Most of it is petty stuff, particularly on the lower levels. It is a hard life when you are on a low income and get little or no help from the government. When you are on the bottom of the 'food chain' and you know everyone above you is filling their pockets with ill-gotten gains, you see theft and crime in general as 'normal'.
There are good people. Many of my friends and family are 'good' people but I see so many people breaking the law on a day to day basis. They are not really 'bad' people .....they are just playing the game to survive.
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Post by elexpatriado on Nov 18, 2016 18:57:44 GMT -5
Maybe elexpatriado , you can wave a magic wand and turn every adult male Colombian into a kind, considerate, caring and honest individual? Why would the average macho joe want to change into a responsible father figure? What would drive that change? Why would they give a shit about, "proper ethics and morals..responsibility, honesty, dependability, compassion,common sense..", when they don't see any of this in government, police, politics, corporate business and of course their peers. Give me a break ........you've got it back to front. Reform is not possible without good leaders. It is a very naive assumption that the men are all bad , and the women all good. The women choose these losers, get knocked up. make bad life decisions. And who are all these women these Mujeriegos are screwing around with? Surely not just one or two women. There must be a few awfly sore Putas in Colombia , if that is the case. LOL Personally, I find the women who complain the most about Colombian men, are pots calling the kettle black, I saw the same thing i Russia. The society is rotten to the core. Like Josef Conrad´s Whitewashed sepulcher analogy. People are friendly , happy on the outside, but start digging deeper ..muy podrido.. And to say it is okay because the politicians do it is a pretty lame excuse..as well as "being poor" is a lame excuse...give me a break..morals begin at home..
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Post by elexpatriado on Nov 18, 2016 19:10:15 GMT -5
Where else can you pay a judge 2 million pesos to see the case your way or pay a traffic cop 50 mil to get around a heavy fine. I kind of like it here and have every intention to make this country my home. Have you actually been in the situation where you would like to have bribed a judge in Colombia? I have been in that situation, and it isnt that easy , let me tell you. Like hiring a sicario (even if it is just to intimidate someone). Easy to say on an internet forum. You may end up getting in way more shite than you were in the first place. I ended up with an honest lawyer, took the long route (but shorter than going to court), ended up waiting a while, but way better than going to court and trying to bribe a judge. There has been a crackdown on this thing in recent years. Maybe some lawyers do it, in some cases, but not all. Its easy to say these things on an expat forum the internet, but unless you have actually done it yourself, everything is just here say and speculation.
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