I saw someone make a comment about a Loser Back Home a few days ago so I looked it up

"Loser back home" is a label affixed to an expatriate who was a loser in his home country and attempts to craft a new, more glamorous and interesting identity for himself in his new country of residence where no one knows him and the locals are unable to read the cultural signs which mark him as a loser. This often entails knavery, clumsy seductions of local women, public intoxication, and generally shameful behaviour that tarnishes the reputations of all the LBH's fellow expats, causing them to be viewed forever after with suspicion and distaste. Like an alien entering into our atmosphere, we would be captivated by it's differences and oddities, but far from our minds would be the label of a loser no matter how different they seemed.

An LBH is a "special" type of person that just doesn't quite fit in. Back home, they may have been teased, out-cast and shunned and either didn't know how or want to change their behaviour, to be able to socialize on a day-to-day basis with others. This is why so many LBH's flock to China because they are accepted for who they are and not judged and shunned as they would be back in our culture. Their impoliteness, loud mannerisms, overstated opinions and general know-it-all attitude would still make it a difficult process to attain the label of 'loser' in China, but like with any alien, one person will eventually step forward to learn more. It's when you are another Westerner meeting this type of weirdo guy or girl, in China, that you can recognize the social awkwardness and gag reflex behaviours they provoke, and safely look into their eyes (if you can manage this) and think that's an LBH in the flesh!

For those of us who don't possess a finely tuned LBH-radar, here are just a few ways to spot one:

Never had a successful career – has moved from place to place and job to job (train wreck to train wreck)
Doesn't have a stable family life – often has left a string of broken dysfunctional relationships and a number of children to different partners and has not contributed to the financial support of them (train wreck to train wreck)
Is in China because he couldn't make anything of himself in [insert western country name]
Lacks self-awareness
Has delusions of grandeur (e.g. thinks himself a misunderstood genius)
Invents an exciting and interesting background story about his life at home (that doesn't make sense on closer inspection)
Indignant/angry/violent when details of his back-story are questioned or discovered to be obviously false
Expert on China and all things Chinese (likely to live in a western style gated community, drinks and eats almost exclusively in western style bars and restaurants, has probably never been more than one hour from home-base)
Expert on foreign politics, Chinese politics and anything newsworthy and will argue his opinion whether you want to hear it or not.
Believes themselves to be untouchable and above the law (I'm an [insert country], they can't do anything to me/I know [insert title of local official they met once])

Dear friends, if you know an LBH or meet one (oh the humanity), smile, agree with everything they say then politely excuse yourself and get the hell away from them. Should you develop a relationship you will be automatically assumed to also be an LBH and when something bad does inevitably occur you will also go down with them.

(Some of this blog is copied from others and some is original content. This is the internet afterall.)

Comments and personal stories about an LBH you have met are welcome.

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Comment by huajuan, 哆哒, e... paca!! on September 23, 2014 at 4:34pm: jimmy i just did you a favor by putting it in the discussion.

Comment by Jimmy Jazz on September 23, 2014 at 4:12pm: This should have been a discussion so could get back to the top with replies. It deserves a wider audience although it may well be too close to home for a lot of people! Good find Wolfie!

Comment by Roddin EH on December 18, 2013 at 3:49pm: A characteristic LBH wears khaki pants/shorts, sandals with socks, and wife beaters. Sometimes they may wear sunglasses atop theirs heads, but never in the proper position.

'Let's Be Honest' ...it actually means Loose Butt-Hole describing someone that is being a douche and thinking he or she is the shit.

Not to be confused with LBHS or Leaking Butt Hole Syndrome usually occurring after a night of heavy drinking and eating at any resturant with the words "authentic mexican food" in the name or "House of Thai" or any food with the word "jerked" in it.

Comment by Timis on May 20, 2013 at 7:13am: Sums up the Village Idiot in zs or should I say pilot;webmeister;rockstar;confidante-of-every-official;businessman/advertizing-guru;expert-on-everything;international-sales exec;father/husband-of-the-year-every-year;property-mogul;mensa-genius and perpetual victim.The list goes on & on & on.

That just makes him sound cliche when everyone around here thought he was a special sort of dirt-bag. I guess he is cliche after all

Comment by Randal on May 19, 2013 at 10:49am: Teddy, I am sorry that you feel this way. This article is simply a combination of a tiny amount of research and personal experience. It shouldn't be taken as Gospel because this IS the internet but we all do know this person.

Dante Alighieri said in his famous tale "The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis." (BTW thanks for the book Jimmy Jazz) The LBH phenomenom here is a moral crisis of sorts. At least you are not neutral, so good on you for that.

Comment by Teddy on May 18, 2013 at 6:17pm: This seems needlessly negative, petty and judgmental.

Comment by Tony Bailey on May 18, 2013 at 10:10am: Amy, the typical "LBH" wouldn't have the self awareness to realise that this was a description of themselves. They have their heads that far up their own backsides that they can't see how much crap they create around themselves or when they are having a Picard moment.

Comment by NAKAMA on May 17, 2013 at 10:56pm: Imma loser everywhere!!!! Woot! Hehehehehehe :P

Comment by Luella ·Chen on May 17, 2013 at 9:41pm: How the great listeners were tempered,they are tempered from meeting some of those.To temper your justice with mercy,or to temper your disagreement with a smile ,if it woe onto you.

Comment by Amy Wang on May 17, 2013 at 7:39pm: Think some people would not like read about themself