Dicussion Board

[Thamiel]

At first, this topic dun care about your grammar and writting skill very much < . This topic is almost like a place for you to chat and discuss about some specific topics . It's just to like the speaking task, but you have to write down what do you think (because I can't hear you) (

. You are allowed to you abreviations, slang but not taboo .
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How much do you use computer technology in every day life? What do you think are the most positive and negative effects of computer technology in your life? if possible, give example.
Would you ever chat to strangers online? why? why not? would you ever place a personal ad on a dating website? why? why not?
If you could have any gadget (for example: Nokia mobile phone, iPOD), what would it be? why?
Enjoy

 

[benjamin]

Those questions that you have up there are just like the topics for some standard English tests like TOEFL or SAT, or essay topics for some scholarships on fastweb. This makes me feel like you are trying to get other people's ideas to put in your essay. But that's not gonna work, because all the things like personal ad or blind date have yet had any large social impact on the Vietnamese society, nobody can really understand how it would be, putting their personal info on a dating website, since none (especially high school kids) has experienced that.

 

[Thamiel]

nah, I'm not that kind, Benj, how can you....
You can search this topic on th Internet if you want, I'm sure that you won't find it in any "standard English tests like TOEFL or SAT, or essay topics for some scholarships on fastweb".
<div class='quotetop'>Trích dẫn</div>

This makes me feel like you are trying to get other people's ideas to put in your essay[/b]

=> you've made me felt Xtremly sad
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[benjamin]

Well, i'm just saying, you know. The point is that some of those questions are not really practical in Vietnam, at least in my opinion. So nobody is gonna answer them. It just looks like it was pulled off from some where else.

Even when they suit the current issues in Vietnam, I don't think people will come in here and discuss since most Vietnamese high school kids suck in English. Even Vietnamese folks who are good, don't wanna come in because they hesitate from making mistakes, though it's not really a big deal. At the same time, We don't have a large population of students studying abroad like Le Hong Phong or Nang khieu's website. It's gonna take a while till this section of Bui Thi Xuan forum can be developed, in my opinion.

I used to visit Nang Khieu forum a lot, so i kindda know about it.

 

[BNDTEGAK]

umm, you got the point anyway, benjamin. But thats not gonna be a good excuse for not developing this box... With your nice English, you should have helped those youngster out of their problems, rather than be criticism like that <_<
But you are rite ^__^ the topic should be something else more familiar than those bloody hell (the "technology" itself made ppl give up already ) Why not about the World Cup?? Its over, I know, but what Im trying to say is some prominence like that ^^. Cheers

 

[benjamin]

the whole "English" things in here are not very active anyway. If you've already seen other topics in this English section, you would have noticed that none has been participated except the stupid "cloze test". Well, Baby_wholoveyou tried to help, but obviously that didn't help much. And Why is that ?

First: You see, the point of a discussion or and argument is based on the difference of personal opinions or the disparity of knowledge. And the issue must have a certain amount of impact on participant's daily lives, or on personal concerns. As I said above, most of the disscusions in Bui Thi Xuan's English section didn't strike on any of those (except the "power of money". That is an interesting one, but too bad, no one joins). And when a topic failed to attract people's attentions, or to raise an obvious conflict (in which oneside believes that the other side is totally wrong, and there's no major common interests between them), that topic is dead.

An example for this would be the "Inspiration" topic. You guys have really nice stories, but there's nothing to argue in it, nothing to discuss. The whole thing would have changed, if the poster of those stories give some kind of comments. If he did do so, people will come and and say:"hey, i don't think i agree with this guy" - or "Hell no, this story is not about that, this guy is a jerk" - or " I think he has his point, but i don't really agree with him". then, naturally,the discussion will emerge. In fact, the one who posts those stories didn't say anything at all ! He makes people feel like he didn't even give a damn about what he just said, and you know what ? if he doesn't care, why should I care ? - that what's I, personally, feel. Actually, Baby_wholoveyou could have "saved the day" by give some comments, either criticize those stories (there's nothing wrong with that) or support them. Too bad, He didn't. And that's where the topic dies.

Another case would be: Most of the questions in this topic are good, but like i said, people who believe in this side can still see the reasons of people who believe in the other side. So people will try NOT to be radical by saying something like :"it depends" --> right here is usually where the discussion ends

You see, the point of developing a topic is not to put a bunch of "replies" in it (like putting a bunch of replies in this topic but those replies create no conflict between people ). The key is to attract people's interests, or to create a major conflict. If you succeed in doing so, you may only need to put a few replies in it, and the topic will develop by itself.

But i think after all it's just a minor problem of this English section. I think the key point, for now, is very simple. These topics are not active, therefore people who speak English well don't bother coming in. Even when there're a few good English speakers in it, people still don't want to come in, because they don't wanna talk to just this guy or that guy over and over again. In other words, people want to have a larger community so that they can satisfy their social needs. But in order to develop a community that can benefit everybody, either everybody's comprehensive skill must be relatively equal, or the community's poplulation must be large enough to create different "zones" for different people. We have neither.

So that's why I believe it would take a while till this section of the forum can be developed. Putting more topics and more questions in here won't solve anything. These things need time, and an active "watcher" (I believe Baby_wholoveyou is good enough).

Well, maybe I'm just another freaking negative guy, but I don't think that would make what I just said wrong

 

[benjamin]

BNDTEGAK:

well, I would love to help youngsters, although i'm kindda liberal "Republican" in this aspect, I believe in "save youselves before God saves you", so I think if people need help, they must help themselves first by getting out of those retarded "cloze test" topic and join topics such as "power of money" or some other topics that allow them to express their ideas in their own words, not just putting words in sentences. If they don't, only God can help.

Baby_wholoveyou:

Hey, man, sorry about what I said the other day, it's just kindda offending, I have no idea why I said that, I probably got angry because of something else. I apologize for that.

 

[Thamiel]

Don't worry about that, it's alright.
Well, I'm thinking about an interesting topic but I still can't. Why don't we talk about Love? (quite interesting huh?)
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This week's topic: FRIENDSHIP & LOVE (means tình bạn và tìnnh iu đó muh )

 

[BNDTEGAK]

Man, you didnt give out any question for the discussion
okay, here comes mine....
What dya think bout friendship between ppl having opposite genders? What Im trying to say is... can a girl have a true-close-male-friend? And one more...dya think love is unique? I mean, can people love more than 1 person?

Well, my standpoint, for the 1st one, is .. yes, I do believe in such kind of friendship (though most of ppl dont ). Yet, for the 2nd, Im really confused. Cuz at the very first, I used to trust in the unique love (prolly Im so selfish ) but now, something had happened.... my belief is not that strong any more. Really wanna share with you guys.....

 

[Thamiel]

For the first time I've fallen in love, I did think that love is unique and I will love her 4ever. Then, as time went by, I realize that I'm not loving her anymore . Is kinda weird but I have interested in watching beautiful girls than seriously face with them .

 

[benjamin]

It depend on the way you approach the issue. I don't have much to talk about these things since i'm not in any kind of serious relationships right now. Anyway, many pretty college's chicks are easy.

I don't know why, but right now, i only remember what the guy next to my room just told the girls the other day at a party: "Why buy the cow when you can have free milk". he was drunk though, but that was halarious, this thing just stuck in my head lately.


Oh, one thing, college in America mostly means both university and 2-year college, just in case you don't know.

 

[BNDTEGAK]

Well, my apology for not making the question clearly... What I really mean is loving 2 ppl SIMULTANEOUSLY. And, Benjamin, Im talking about the true love, not just the "puppy-love" or any kinds like this. Actually you dont need to have any real relationship now to discuss this topic Or you may not refer to your own experience. I myself havent had any relationship neither experience at the moment (yet Id really love to discuss bout those stuffs )

Well, I have a friend. Hes had a gf for a long time already. They have been getting on really well, even till he told me he was falling in love with another girl I was, you know, kind of disappointed at him. But I eventually sensed hes pretty serious at what he has said. I was trying to persuade him that his feeling for that girl was just temporary.... but that is him who made me confused . Well..Im just wondering.... if that is possible....

 

[benjamin]

did you see the movie: "Spring, summer, fall, winter and spring" ? That is one of the very classic Korean movies, it's about 90 min, much much better than other junk Korean movies that people usually watch in Vietnam.

Anyway, one of the main ideas of the movie is that: love leads to desire, desire leads to jelousy, and jelousy leads to crime. Therefore love itself is painful. It's basically a Buddhist idea. I'm not really a Buddhist, but i did a little bit research about Buddhism and found it really interesting, so i believe it. Philosophically, i think love is nothing but an illusion that we are all traped in.

Alright, gotta go now, friends calling.

 

[Thamiel]

@siz BNDTEGAK: can I ask you a question? Cause you are a girl so I just wanna know what does a girl feel when someday her best friend say that he loves her (but she don't)? what would she think about him? and what her feeling if he just keep trying to be her lover even she have said that she dun love him?