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Anonymous.
clay dubeHi Folks,
For copyright reasons, I can't post articles in the public Asia in My Classroom forum, but I thought you might like to see these.
The Christian Science Monitor published a series of articles "Love and Money Reshape the Chinese Family" last December. Sadly I just read them today. I think you'll find them interesting.
Click here for love and money.
The LA Times on Monday had an article entitled "Driven to be Made" about the keeping up with the Wangs phenomenon in China. I've attached a copy of it.
Please feel free to discuss this here or in the "Asia on My Mind" forum.
AnonymousCommenting on the Dec. 15th Article, It seems to me that culture is living and breathing and constantly in flux. Money and freedom are two powerful engines for change and China is realizing this shift. I remember being a young person in the states during the 1970s listening to the adults talk about the changes in values, such as "living in sin," "knowing people physically not mentally," not caring for our elderly,...this artlicle lends me to believe that China is three decade steps behind the U.S. in societal terms. Although, the direction society is taking here and globally is, for me anyway, disheartening.
Frank 😐
AnonymousThe Los Angeles Times (Wed. July 27) published a very interesting article on what happens to many handicapped kids in China. (Keely, there are some sweet pictures...no gapping pants, though.)
Many people can't affford to care for handicapped children, and there is no government assistance. Therefore, many simply abandon the children...as infants or toddlers. One couple -- ages 82 and 81 -- have been taking these children home and caring for them for the past 17 years. A few years ago, the government began to send unwanted kids to them and paid them $80 per month to care for the children (now they have eight). The father is a scavenger; the mother is a full-time mother to the children. Now the government is saying the husband is too old to care for the children and they are threatening to take the children away -- even though they have no where to place them.
These articles make me appreciate the laws we have in place to care for children. Also, most of the time our system isn't so arbitrary about placement and removal of children, though I'm sure many people have experiences that prove otherwise.
It was interesting that in this same newspaper, there was an article about how institutionalized handicapped children in Northern California are not absolutely protected against mistreatment. A few in the state system have been mistreated lately. Even though the difference in the degree of problems is vastly different, treatment of the physically and mentally handicapped is a problem for even wealthy countries.
AnonymousThere was an article in the 7.29.2005 Christian Science Monitor online about colleges in China, and it would appear they are as ambitious as everyone suspects. The changes are dramatic and occurring at a rapid pace. What rasies my eyebrows is that the educational system appears to have solid backing from just about everybody; businesses value and will invest in quality education, the government values and is investing in quality eduation. Despite the importance placed in higher education the value continues to decrease (a bechelors degree just isn't what it used to be) seems to mirror the trend in the U.S. So, as the other article in this thread mentions about dating, western ways continue to creep into the east. I guess there is more hope for the educational system in China because of the willingness to invest in it, something America doesn't seem quite as eager about (or perhaps I am an ignorant fool). Or maybe I am confusing an investment in colleges and universities with public primary and secondary education-maybe this ignorant fool should be posting this in the I didn't Know section!
AnonymousBoth men and women in China are finding themselves as they pursue happiness in a nontraditional style. I believe they will find happiness, however much discussion will need to take place before finding a happy middle ground between the conservative elders and the young hip new dating candidates.
A big problem that I see as being prevailant, is that the young people do not know how to date. They follow western examples, probably of movie and music stars, but are going overboard. A good example is the women grading the men, A, B, C, D- I have never known any women to do this, and it seems a common practice there.
Anonymous"For Love and Money" can offer an interesting view of the changes going on in China. It is amazing how much difference improvements in the economy world affect our social interactions. There is more income; consequently there is more time and resources to explore and modify the way we live and relate.
This article can open the eyes of a few people who still believe China is still a medieval world, where most people live under restrictive social norms. I liked the overall positive feel of the article, as it shows Chinese people rediscovering the joys and satisfactions of enjoying a sense of self-discovery and experience the wonders of "dating", as well as finding that it is possible to have dreams come true, by pursuing a chosen career, etc.
😀