Prompted by a post on another railway-oriented Net site: the poster was telling of wonderful experiences of his, with steam in South Africa in the 1970s; and waxing rather penitent, "over forty years on", about his, by visiting and and enjoying the country, having supported the then Apartheid regime. He went on to say that he did similarly, with other oppressive countries -- "Right, Left, and whatever" -- which had good steam -- "held his nose and went anyway"; wonders now, whether he was by doing thus, colluding with evil.
As often, I can see various points of view. (1) -- you're helping the villains financially; and by sending the implied message that you're OK with their horrible regime. (2) -- when there: you can meet, to some extent, the country's ordinary people -- engage with them, hear the point of view of the oppressed (indicate to them that people elsewhere, sympathise with them and support their cause), and the oppressors (suggest tactfully, that they might have things wrong). (3) -- you're just there for the steam (or whatever, in a world now virtually without "real" steam), to hell with everything else -- hopefully you'll behave decently to people you individually meet, whether they're "underdog" or "overdog"; but basically, "not your circus, not your monkeys".
I rank with no. 3 above, and have done thus in my past times of railwaying abroad -- essential feeling for me, of "this world is full of evil and wickedness, but few of us are all-good or all-bad -- deal with it (and don't make too big a deal of it)".
Would be interested to hear people's thoughts on this issue.
As often, I can see various points of view. (1) -- you're helping the villains financially; and by sending the implied message that you're OK with their horrible regime. (2) -- when there: you can meet, to some extent, the country's ordinary people -- engage with them, hear the point of view of the oppressed (indicate to them that people elsewhere, sympathise with them and support their cause), and the oppressors (suggest tactfully, that they might have things wrong). (3) -- you're just there for the steam (or whatever, in a world now virtually without "real" steam), to hell with everything else -- hopefully you'll behave decently to people you individually meet, whether they're "underdog" or "overdog"; but basically, "not your circus, not your monkeys".
I rank with no. 3 above, and have done thus in my past times of railwaying abroad -- essential feeling for me, of "this world is full of evil and wickedness, but few of us are all-good or all-bad -- deal with it (and don't make too big a deal of it)".
Would be interested to hear people's thoughts on this issue.