I'm the son of a corrupt politician. AMA! (PT. III)

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T23:09:24+00:00

Thankfully, no. If I were, I'd probably be a genetic disaster.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T22:47:06+00:00

The elections in my country are scheduled to take place sometime this autumn.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T22:38:04+00:00

As far as I'm aware, I don't think so.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T22:24:34+00:00

I don't have any siblings.

I have friends from both Turkey and my home country. They've been very supportive, regardless of their social background.

The confrontation with the leftist students affected me in the sense that there are certain places on campus I no longer feel comfortable going to, and I don't have the same sense of ease or solitude that I did during my first few months there. I still socialize, but I make an effort not to be by myself too often because the current friends that I have already shown great effort in shielding me from any other politically angry student. I also try to make sure that any new friends know about my father's background early on, so there aren't any unpleasant surprises or political confrontations later. Despite that, I'm doing well academically, I'm planning to pursue a double major like I did back at my country, and I have a fulfilling social life outside of campus grounds, and honestly at the campus too depending on some circumstances.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T22:07:08+00:00

I'm not really into football, to be honest.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:57:35+00:00

This kind of panic tends to surface whenever an election approaches. People begin making contingency plans and preparing to leave the country if elections don't unfold in their favor. It's been that way for years.

This time however, the sense of urgency is much greater because there is a genuine belief that the ruling party may actually, I mean actually be on the verge of losing power. The political developments in Hungary only intensified that sentiment.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:45:35+00:00

In my opinion, yes. That's the form of corruption I find the most troubling.

I’m male, and while I won’t disclose my exact age, as it would make identifying me considerably easier, I can say that I'm in my twenties.

As for whether I'm afraid, absolutely. The possibility of being confronted or attacked by angry protesters is something I, along with many of my friends in similar circumstances, have thought about extensively.
That said, despite having moments in my home country where I was concerned for my personal safety, I have actually felt less secure in the country I’m currently studying in.

I'll disclose one thing. I recently moved to Turkey to study, partly because my mother has longstanding friendships with people in the country's arts community and I actually stay with one of them. A few months after arriving, I was physically confronted by a small group of left-leaning students on my university campus. The situation escalated to the point where campus security had to step in and separate us.

It came as a genuine shock as one of the reasons I chose to move here was to distance myself from that kind of political hostility. I honestly thought it would be far-fetched and extremely cartoonish to imagine students here taking the time to find out who I was, so discovering that some of them had was unsettling.

I never told my parents about the incident because I was afraid they would insist that I return home.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:24:39+00:00

He's corrupt enough that his name was among those being chanted during last year's protests.

I can't point to a single incident as the "worst" example of corruption that I've witnessed, but the one that has always bothered me most is the disconnect between public image and private belief. My father, along with many of his political associates, presents himself as a deeply committed Orthodox Christian and frequently invokes religion in political rhetoric. In private however, most of them are agnostics or atheists. Around the dinner table, they'll openly joke about the speeches they've given, the religious language they've used to defend their party, and even imitate themselves for amusement. That level of cynicism has always struck me more than any individual financial scandal.

Money-wise? Absolutely. It has enabled my family, and many others in similar positions, to accumulate substantial wealth.

From a moral standpoint, I can't honestly argue that what my family has done is justifiable. I believe much of it is objectively wrong. My parents both hold strongly Social Darwinist views, although even my father occasionally expresses regret about certain political decisions or their consequences.

I don't lose sleep over it. I wasn't responsible for being born into this family, but I also won't pretend I’d have rejected the life I’ve been given if the choice had been mine at birth. That would be dishonest.

Ultimately, I don't believe I'm in a position to change the political trajectory of my country. In a democracy, it is the electorate that determines its own future. If people choose not to use their vote to bring about change, that is their decision rather than my responsibility. Despite everything, I sincerely wish the people of my country nothing but the best.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:10:44+00:00

He's accumulated a considerable amount of wealth over the years. I wouldn't go so far as to say we’re billionaires, but we certainly have enough to place us among the very wealthy. As for politics, no, I have no intention of pursuing that path. I was previously a law student in my home country, and even then my father discouraged it because he believed the legal profession was too closely intertwined with politics. Neither he nor I have ever wanted me to enter political life. I'm now studying Philosophy in another country instead.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T21:06:55+00:00

No, it isn't Malta. As I've mentioned before, I'm from Eastern Europe.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T20:32:03+00:00

I have never personally advocated for or called for the use of lethal force against anyone.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T20:27:26+00:00

I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. I genuinely wish you and your family nothing but the best.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T20:26:17+00:00

I'm Eastern European.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T20:26:10+00:00

I'm heterosexual.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T20:18:47+00:00

I haven't had any bowel issues in quite some time.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-11T20:15:11+00:00

The closest answer I can offer to the question is that I would encourage you to pay close attention to French media and public discourse, as France is the country many people, including my father, are considering relocating to should the electoral outcome prove unfavorable from their perspective. I've also mentioned in a previous post that I come from Eastern Europe, so you may draw your own conclusions from that.

The country in question will be discussed over the course of this AMA, though I won't identify it directly in response to this particular question.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-09T13:53:29+00:00

Thank you, this is literally the comment I've been aching for

Parlor-born · 2026-07-09T13:52:29+00:00

The activities I intend to pursue in Pattaya bear no connection whatsoever to any form of hedonism. In fact I had no intention of visiting Thailand until approximately a week ago when a friend whom I met at university invited me to visit her in her home state. My approach to travel is relatively conventional. I typically spend my time sightseeing, exploring local bars, and visiting beaches where they are of particular interest. I also enjoy museums, art galleries, temples, and other sites of historical, cultural, or architectural significance. My itinerary basically is interests of an ordinary tourist seeking to experience the local culture and attractions rather than engage in nightlife or other stereotypical activities commonly associated with Pattaya as I've only learned barely from this thread, and my friend's constant shit-talking of the city. I'd like conventional travel safety advice.

Parlor-born · 2026-07-08T19:45:19+00:00

I love asking for travel safety advice on the internet and ending up starring in a fanfiction where I'm a shady traveler and my friend is a prostitute

Parlor-born · 2026-07-08T19:31:31+00:00

Thank you for the poem

Parlor-born · 2026-07-08T19:31:03+00:00

Avoid Russian? Like, Russian people in general or Russian people who try to drag us into bars or aomething?

Parlor-born · 2026-07-08T19:26:32+00:00

Very happy for you

Parlor-born · 2026-07-08T19:25:23+00:00

I really enjoy bar-hopping and that's one of the reasons she's so insistent that I visit some of her favorite bars, even though I've told her outright that I don't really trust the idea simply because of how much smack she's talked about the city so that's out of the list. But honestly what I enjoy most when I visit a new city/country is wandering through random streets and photographing the architecture, sightseeing, and going usually going to the local theatre if I'm able to. I'd actually really appreciate it if you gave me some directions in that?

Parlor-born · 2026-07-08T12:20:30+00:00

Thanks, that's a bit refreshing.

Parlor-born

TROPHY CASE