<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16825" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>a very simple reason is the lack of english skills ... I don`t have the time for too long and too complicated eMails, so simple english is a help (for me, at least)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>- and I agree completely with Carlos (global south focus)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Markus (Berlin)</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=zvi@inro.ca href="mailto:zvi@inro.ca">Zvi Leve</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=richmond@alum.mit.edu href="mailto:richmond@alum.mit.edu">Jonathan E. D. Richmond</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=paulbarter@nus.edu.sg href="mailto:paulbarter@nus.edu.sg">Paul Barter</A> ; <A title=Sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org href="mailto:Sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org">Sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, June 06, 2009 6:07 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [sustran] Re: Regional focus for sustran-discuss: Asia or the globalSouth?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>I do not think that it is exactly "fear of punishment" that inhibits people from certain cultures from participating in such 'public' exchanges - it is more a "fear of losing face". That is, they are worried about how they will be perceived by others.... When interacting with people directly it is easier to understand the social cues, so more people would be inclined to actively participate.<BR><BR>Not sure what can be done about this. If one desires, it is not difficult to hide one's true identity from the forum (generic email address, no full name, etc.), but this does not seem to make much of a difference.<BR><BR>Anyway.... <BR><BR>Zvi<BR><BR><BR><BR> <DIV class=gmail_quote>2009/6/6 Jonathan E. D. Richmond <SPAN dir=ltr><<A href="mailto:richmond@alum.mit.edu">richmond@alum.mit.edu</A>></SPAN><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid"><BR><BR>I do not think the issue is fear of lack of knowledge but fear of punishment.<BR><BR>In many Asian countries there is a taboo about expressing opinions, an activity often felt to be reserved for politicians and the most senior officers --Jonathan! <DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=h5><BR><BR></DIV></DIV><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR> <P> <HR> <P></P>-------------------------------------------------------- <BR>To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit<BR>http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss<BR><BR>-------------------------------------------------------- <BR>If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the real sustran-discuss and get full membership rights.<BR><BR>================================================================<BR>SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South').</BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>