Question for VN members - why so many pick their noses in public?

Yogi has noticed this also. 

They are still evolving .!!   Any doubts Yogi had about the Darwin theory of evolution was scuppered when he came here. 

Even the other day, at a new shopping centre Yogi saw a young local guy squatting on a table at the food court.  Good table and good chairs gone to waste.  This guy was eating like an animal.

It's the "Snot Rockets" that have Yogi concerned.   When your riding in traffic , and the guy/gal in front of you cleans  out a nostril and you cop the snot on your shirt is a charming experience.

However, Yogi has got used to them pissing on the footpaths.  It's all part of cultural adaption.

Using a tissue or handkerchief is deemed dirty by many locals,it is changing,very slowly. It will take about another 50 years to work its way into the countryside.

Im lucky enough to hear my neighbour a 60 odd year old guy clean his throat and nose out a couple of times a day in his bathroom opposite my bedroom,fantastic.

That's why VN's have mirrors on their m/bikes, ( in between squeezing pimples ).

It's a cultural thing.  Every country has their cringe worthy habit.  China is spitting.  We have our own, but not aware of it.

They love digging for gold.

colinoscapee wrote:

Using a tissue or handkerchief is deemed dirty by many locals,it is changing,very slowly. It will take about another 50 years to work its way into the countryside.

Im lucky enough to hear my neighbour a 60 odd year old guy clean his throat and nose out a couple of times a day in his bathroom opposite my bedroom,fantastic.

Ohh! The daily noisy hack and draw.

if someone is picking their nose,it's easy to look away,BUT there is no escaping the sound of someone cleaning their tonsils with their vocal chords.

Yogi likes it when these lads finish a big meal they lie back in the chair , pull their shirt up over their bellies and get to work with the toothpick... And then spit the dislodged bits onto the table. 

Yogi will try that at the next wedding he gets invited to.

Cloud9 wrote:

They love digging for gold.

LOL....someone referred it to "rolling nasal sushi"

Because many people always think, they just give a birth, and don't need to teach their children carefully. Especially in countryside, they have many children, and have to work much time but still don't have enough money for their children. Or even they have free time, they don't know how to teach their children well, because they are not polite themself.
You will see many differences between a child from a poor family and a rich and educated family

Parents never tell them that it's bad habit! I can see this in kindergarten all the time, and when I tell them to stop it they sometimes start to cry.. until they learn than it is not accepted behaviour in my classes..

Wald0 wrote:

Parents never tell them that it's bad habit! I can see this in kindergarten all the time, and when I tell them to stop it they sometimes start to cry.. until they learn than it is not accepted behaviour in my classes..

that's exactly what a group of VN business women told me at a networking event on Sunday. They said that if their parents, grandparents and teachers never tell them it's bad behaviour they will never know or learn. So I guess we will have to wait another generation OR until some of the bigger firms start marketing tissues and how to use them OR the government/municipalities start hanging signs of a person digging for gold with a big red X through it and 1 with them using the tissue and a 2nd picture with proper disposal of the tissue......and there lies another can of worms.....sigh. Not in my lifetime though.

ngattt wrote:

Because many people always think, they just give a birth, and don't need to teach their children carefully. Especially in countryside, they have many children, and have to work much time but still don't have enough money for their children. Or even they have free time, they don't know how to teach their children well, because they are not polite themself.
You will see many differences between a child from a poor family and a rich and educated family

Ngatt, that may depend on how those families " acquired " their  wealth, it's the rich owners of big cars who are the most arrogant on the road, and seem to be almost xenophobic with foreigners, ( or maybe that's just the impression I've had with many of them here in the countryside ), but the ones who had to actually work for their money probably have better manners.
There's a saying , " money can buy you a house, money can buy you friends, money can buy you a lover, money can buy you an education, ( especially in VN ), but money can't buy you manners ".

Ottvantor wrote:

Wald0 wrote:

Parents never tell them that it's bad habit! I can see this in kindergarten all the time, and when I tell them to stop it they sometimes start to cry.. until they learn than it is not accepted behaviour in my classes..

that's exactly what a group of VN business women told me at a networking event on Sunday. They said that if their parents, grandparents and teachers never tell them it's bad behaviour they will never know or learn. So I guess we will have to wait another generation OR until some of the bigger firms start marketing tissues and how to use them OR the government/municipalities start hanging signs of a person digging for gold with a big red X through it and 1 with them using the tissue and a 2nd picture with proper disposal of the tissue......and there lies another can of worms.....sigh. Not in my lifetime though.

In a way I agree with you.
Yes,they need to learn about using tissues.
Yes,there needs to education about preventing infections from putting a dirty finger up a nose.Mucus membranes are common entry sites for infectious diseases.

BUT,considering how filthy dirty the air is in Asia,the nasal hairs are the last line of defense from airborne contaminants.
And how does one remove the pile of gunk from the constant inhalation of  grot and exhalation of warm,moist air. Like mixing cement powder and water.

I say go for it.If you need a clean,use a tissue.If you don't have a tissue use a finger.
JUST DON'T FLICK IT ON ME WHEN YOU'RE DONE
It's the same ultra sensitive emotion of honking horns.
So what? It works.It saves.It's a short term annoyance.


The image is for entertainment and educational purposes only

The tissue idea is good, then when they drop them at their feet, we can also teach them about pollution, and having some pride in their surroundings, etc, etc, and how cleanliness is not always about personal hygiene.
BTW nice bike, JAP made great lawn mowers as well. ( ride behind )

bluenz wrote:

The tissue idea is good, then when they drop them at their feet, we can also teach them about pollution, and having some pride in their surroundings, etc, etc, and how cleanliness is not always about personal hygiene.
BTW nice bike, JAP made great lawn mowers as well. ( ride behind )

Cheers. Yeah JA Prestwich Industries had fingers in many pies.
I think they all did.BSA,Royal Enfield.

It's a poor man hobby.

Its 'snot' very nice to hear such stories of flicking and picking! 

Who 'nose' whats next? 

This isnt something i thought i'd read on a blog but can say its highly amusing! Although if i saw this for my self in VN i dont think i'd be too happy about it.

I have seen something similar in Asia where you come across someone walking in town and they breath in, block one nostrill and with full force, flush out the snot from their nose! This is abosultely disguisting!... Yuk!!! 
It worse when you see it on the pavement ... Yuk !!

How do you stop people from doing such things? well its whats been mentioned here already, where such individuals were never told its wrong so they grow up doing this kind of stuff as they please.!

I think you foreigners are too 'picky' ...

It's all over Asia and will not change.

bluenz wrote:

Ngatt, that may depend on how those families " acquired " their  wealth, it's the rich owners of big cars who are the most arrogant on the road, and seem to be almost xenophobic with foreigners, ( or maybe that's just the impression I've had with many of them here in the countryside ), but the ones who had to actually work for their money probably have better manners.

Yes, that why I said "rich and educated family", most of them really care about their children, force them study hard to have good future.
In Vietnam, even many people have degree, but not mean they are educated! But, at least, I think they spend 4 years in University, its better than nothing. So, in the past, I always wanted to have bf with the same qualifications or at least, has bachelor degree hehe

I know that sometimes we like to make fun of people's differences.    That's been going on since time began. 

I've always been impressed by the cleanliness, grooming and dress standards of most Vietnamese people.   I often say this to the locals here.   They are always well dressed in clothes that fit properly and look neat and tidy.

You rarely see a Vietnamese with a bad hair cut.   Hair,eyes,teeth,nails,skin etc they pay attention to.     

The same can't be said for a lot of foreigners here😄😄. You wonder what the VN think of some guys.

Some  of the expats around here look like destitute homeless old men.  Some of these guys are grossly overweight,  dressed in worn out singlets and shorts, unshaven , teeth missing and stink of alcohol most of the time.   Not the best example is it.   I've seen some of these clowns go to a wedding in cargo shorts and sandals.  It's embarrassing being among them.

When the Vietnamese arrive at a function their dress is top class .

Yogi is just wondering if the Vietnamese have a " blog" about the dress standards and personal grooming of the foreigners .😄.

Yogi007 wrote:

I know that sometimes we like to make fun of people's differences.    That's been going on since time began. 

I've always been impressed by the cleanliness, grooming and dress standards of most Vietnamese people.   I often say this to the locals here.   They are always well dressed in clothes that fit properly and look neat and tidy.

You rarely see a Vietnamese with a bad hair cut.   Hair,eyes,teeth,nails,skin etc they pay attention to.     

The same can't be said for a lot of foreigners here😄😄. You wonder what the VN think of some guys.

Some  of the expats around here look like destitute homeless old men.  Some of these guys are grossly overweight,  dressed in worn out singlets and shorts, unshaven , teeth missing and stink of alcohol most of the time.   Not the best example is it.   I've seen some of these clowns go to a wedding in cargo shorts and sandals.  It's embarrassing being among them.

When the Vietnamese arrive at a function their dress is top class .

Yogi is just wondering if the Vietnamese have a " blog" about the dress standards and personal grooming of the foreigners .😄.

A bit off topic.....?

The post was never intended to poke fun at VN but merely to ask the question to why and what needs to happen to change the behaviour. Pre-Beijing Olympics, China started a campaign to stop the disgusting habit of spitting on the street. By all accounts it was hugely successful from 2 perspectives, 1) less negative cultural view from foreigners and 2) reducing the risk of spreading disease.

Basic sanitation guidelines and washing your hands after using the toilet are part of health guidelines and public safety standards usually promoted by all regional and global health agencies. As VN moves up the global value chain and continues to attract massive foreign direct investment along with expat workers and foreign companies especially in hotels, food manufacturing and food service (Starbucks, Pizza chains, KFC, McDonalds etc. etc.) these basic sanitation standards become a requirement for staff. Many reading this may suddenly realize that staff in restaurant kitchens may have been digging for gold while preparing their meals.

As many have already indicated, it starts with early childhood education at home and is reinforced at school and demanded in the workplace.

When I read this topic, I thought about I will post to my FB some photos like the below photo. I am always trying to teach my students to be a polite person, even I still have to learn everyday to be really polite .

In the past, when I just work for my University, I was very surprised, when I didn't see my students say "hello" and smile when they meet their teachers, so I tried to tell them: why you don't want to say "hello" to us - your teachers? And now, whenever I meet my students, they never forget to say "hello", and even sometimes I feel "tired" because I HAVE TO smile, and say "hello" again to many students at the nearly same time .

Miss Ngattt,
You'll have to stop that boyfriend of yours in the photo from playing with your lipstick and mascara.

Whatever you do, don't take him to Pattaya Thailand. 😄

Yogi007 wrote:

Miss Ngattt,
You'll have to stop that boyfriend of yours in the photo from playing with your lipstick and mascara.

Whatever you do, don't take him to Pattaya Thailand. 😄

He looks very well groomed😆

hey all, ever experienced a drive down an Australian road and coped a load of mucus and spit from some ones gob on your windscreen ??? or a mouthful of derogatory language fro other passers by ? or seeing some pale face urinating in a main highway foot path ?? or the rage from some fool who thinks it owns the road ?? NO / well come to Australia,,, land of the free to do as you like. beside, who can claim to have NEVER picked their nose, some times the crusties just don't want to leave home, yeh !    they will soon learn if you just walk away

Cloud9 wrote:

Yogi007 wrote:

Miss Ngattt,
You'll have to stop that boyfriend of yours in the photo from playing with your lipstick and mascara.

Whatever you do, don't take him to Pattaya Thailand. 😄

He looks very well groomed😆

cute, but not girly boy material  beside Yogi, who is your make up artist???????????

MarkinNam wrote:

hey all, ever experienced a drive down an Australian road and coped a load of mucus and spit from some ones gob on your windscreen ??? or a mouthful of derogatory language fro other passers by ? or seeing some pale face urinating in a main highway foot path ?? or the rage from some fool who thinks it owns the road ?? NO / well come to Australia,,, land of the free to do as you like. beside, who can claim to have NEVER picked their nose, some times the crusties just don't want to leave home, yeh !    they will soon learn if you just walk away

See how you feel Mark when its done by the person who is cooking or serving your food here.

MarkinNam wrote:

hey all, ever experienced a drive down an Australian road and coped a load of mucus and spit from some ones gob on your windscreen ??? or a mouthful of derogatory language fro other passers by ? or seeing some pale face urinating in a main highway foot path ?? or the rage from some fool who thinks it owns the road ?? NO / well come to Australia,,, land of the free to do as you like. beside, who can claim to have NEVER picked their nose, some times the crusties just don't want to leave home, yeh !    they will soon learn if you just walk away

So many of the VN specific conversations on this forum resort back to either the US or Australia. I wonder why we cannot stick to the topic and focus on the question?.

colinoscapee wrote:

MarkinNam wrote:

hey all, ever experienced a drive down an Australian road and coped a load of mucus and spit from some ones gob on your windscreen ??? or a mouthful of derogatory language fro other passers by ? or seeing some pale face urinating in a main highway foot path ?? or the rage from some fool who thinks it owns the road ?? NO / well come to Australia,,, land of the free to do as you like. beside, who can claim to have NEVER picked their nose, some times the crusties just don't want to leave home, yeh !    they will soon learn if you just walk away

See how you feel Mark when its done by the person who is cooking or serving your food here.

thought that was self explanitory,,,, just leave

MarkinNam wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

MarkinNam wrote:

hey all, ever experienced a drive down an Australian road and coped a load of mucus and spit from some ones gob on your windscreen ??? or a mouthful of derogatory language fro other passers by ? or seeing some pale face urinating in a main highway foot path ?? or the rage from some fool who thinks it owns the road ?? NO / well come to Australia,,, land of the free to do as you like. beside, who can claim to have NEVER picked their nose, some times the crusties just don't want to leave home, yeh !    they will soon learn if you just walk away

See how you feel Mark when its done by the person who is cooking or serving your food here.

thought that was self explanitory,,,, just leave

The thing would be that you dont live here and see it as much as what we do, coming for a holiday is a different story.