The Concept of “Sanuk”
Posted by The Asian Badger on October 8, 2008
If you’re a conservative today, there is not a lot of “Sanuk” (sa-nuke). What is sanuk? It’s a Thai word I’ve used it a few times with friends of mine and occasionally in conversations at “Drinking Right”. (Next edition to be held at Papa’s Social Club on October 14, 2008.)
Anyway, I’ve always explained Sanuk as “fun” but that’s really not the whole thing. Sanuk, a Thai word, and a VERY important word in Thailand, is something beyond fun. I know what it is but I’m not a good enough wordsmith to explain it in writing.
Happily for me, as well as my 12 regular readers of this fine blog of important political and economic posts, an “internet friend” of mine, The Werewolf, an American expat in Bangkok, the capital of Sanuk, has captured the feeling of “Sanuk” in his blog and I am proud to present it here.
I’m posting this because we, as conservatives, we need a little Sanuk right now and liberals don’t know the meaning of the word unless they’re trying to fuck over America. (If you think you might be a liberal, you are.)
Without further ado, may I present The Werewolf on “Sanuk”.
Sanuk — you think you know what it means, but do you really?
I always thought I understood the concept. Sanuk is fun. Sanuk is good. Sanuk is part of what you do in Thailand.
But I’m starting to realize that it’s more than just fun; sanuk is about really enjoying yourself. About being silly and not worrying about it.
Sanuk is why Thais love karaoke and never worry about whether they can actually sing. It’s why everyone claps when your rendition of Frank Sinatra’s My Way is finished even though you sounded a great deal more like Lou Reed than like Francis.
Sanuk is why Thai people spend three days throwing water at each other to celebrate new year. It’s silly. It’s fun.
Here are two pictures of Sanuk and Non-Sanuk. Same girl, the lovely Mint, a bartender at my favorite joint in Bangkok, The Big Mango. Guess which one is Sanuk?
Sanuk
Anyway, go over and read the post about “Sanuk”. Then go figure out what gives you Sanuk outside the fucked up political arena we’re in and just go do it.
By the way….”Drinking Right” is Sanuk. Unless you’re a libtard. Then it could be not so sanuk. In fact, I have jai dam toward libtards.
