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Rob_Hugo@PortNWhmm i was really suprised that Diamond mentioned that women were looking to date only high ranking officials. Not suprised that even back then women were kinda gold diggers.. but during the Mao era.. I thought people especially the peasantry were very indoctrinated into Mao/communism beliefs.. I guess I'm trying to say.. that I wasn't aware that some jobs were paid more than others in Communist China. Obviously a member of the red army was ranked higher then say a person who delivered water to everyone in the village.. but I wasn't aware that people were paid in money.. isn't that captialism a difference in earnings? It was just weird to me.. [Edit by="stran on Apr 24, 8:36:08 PM"][/Edit]
AnonymousThis week's readings caused a bipolarity in terms of my sympathy and disdain towards the men and women who were used as examples. The first reading provoked my sympathy towards the women who were treated as "chattel" and abused as subordinates by their husbands and the marital family members. The second reading caused me to think "what is going on in this world" and I could not help but feel a sense of disdain for these people's lust for a spouse who is wealthy, powerful, and satisfied their hunger for material objects and sexual appetite. It might as well be hell. There was this one example that caught my eye; a male prospect wooed a woman into marriage by signing his salary amount at the bottom of a love letter to her. They eventually married, but also divorced shortly after the woman discovered he fabricated his salary amount. I'm sure that's really attractive: "Dear Honey Sweet Cakes, I love you and want to marry you- Love, Dave President/CEO earns $1m/year +bonuses".
I'm sure we are all familiar with http://www.myspace.com
I vowed never to be a part of a web community that lives off of underage girls and club strippers whose body measurements, marital status, and INCOME are posted alongside countless photos that might as well be from Maxim or Stuff magazine. I am not chastizing those people that have a myspace account, I just chastize those girls that destroy all that is proper and respectable of any female in this society. We were treated as "chattel" many years ago, and there are still girls who allow this to happen.
I am digressing.
Thanks to Sophie for starting this thread!
-Ames
Anonymousi share a mild confusion in the way communism works in general; apparently by understanding of communist-chinese economics is quite flawed. the Neil Diamond writes, "instead, rank and file workers sought to marry better paid factory staff and skilled cadres". the actual term, 'better paid', did catch me off guard. i mean, common sense does kind of demand that some are paid more than others. why else would the communist leaders be pampered with all their material belongists, while the peasants are still generally not that well off. but i guess this type of thinking never entered the realm of non party leaders; it had never occured to me that communist ideology was THAT off. apparently, workers are not all paid the same wages. now the method in which they are paid differently, i little idea. my comprehension in how economies work in general is already beyond hope -.-
Anonymousok , i just have to respond to this:
many of us scream this as we watch cnn or read the paper, what is the world coming to. but i guess what has always been going on in my left-handed mind is, what has the world always been. i had no idea that myspace was connected with such disgusting realities. though, i am in no way dissing ppl with myspace since i'm sure most (if not everyone) had no idea as well.
but back to the world. partners getting married for financial reasons. to the romantic, this would probably be the WORST love story known to man. i laughed out loud at the honey buns quote. but when we think about it, it really is no laughing matter.
how sad is it really. i realize the sense of indignancy that leads to, "why can't women just have woken up?". i'd like to put a distinction between want and need. its sad, but whats the reality of the past. i'm sure that many women who married for 'financial reasons' do it not because they wanted to, but because they really had to.
too often we have the stereotypical view of those slutty good looking females that entice rich old guys in movies. but the reality is many of these women have little choice. why else do women prostitute themselves. surely no little girl grows up thinking, "yup, when i grow, i wanna be a prostitute mom"
its , at least i would hope, always a last resort. what is the world coming to. i'd like to say, in contrast, what has the world always been. too often women (and men) marry members of the opposite sex driven for financial reasons, we lament. i just say,
people who say money is not really important have enough of it.
well i guess it could've been phrased better, but the bottom line is, often we say, money shoudln't be the center of our lives. but lets just say, that people who don't have a place to stay or don't have enough to eat at everymeal would literally kill for money. if money is the difference between buying medicine for our sick sibling and letting them die, i'm sure we would as well. whether we like it not, money IS important, so important, that it can drive our lives. why else do our parents and the adultwork just work, work, work, and work. i coudln't understand it when i first grew up, but money really is, unfortunately, our master and forever slave driver. as unfortunate as it is, it'd take a divine intervention from God to save the world from being so grim....
people could even bring biological statements into this. what does a female want on a scientific level? well...i'm not a female and i apologize if i'm wrong but one of the big ones is sense of stability and protection. with this said, you could even argue on darwinian principles i daresay that money is directly correlated with financial stability, which is ironically on the psychological list for top factors in a successful marriage... o.O
~yup so the moral of the story you guys is, don't ever grow up, or take really long naps =][Edit by="afang on Apr 24, 11:06:48 PM"][/Edit]
Anonymouswow, some good posts. props albert (that's you, right?!) for helping keep a balanced perspective on things. It disgusts me to see women degrade themselves, but at the same time, I think it's important to remember to have compassion and try to understand why they allow it to happen, whether it be prostitution or just putting up with an abusive husband. I too would like to think that many times it comes down to a lack of other alternatives. To simplify it too much is just unfair. aiy..off to class i go. more later 
clay dubeHi Folks,
Don't know if anyone still visits our forum, but I thought this article from the LA Times (Nov. 22, 2005) on the rise of mistresses in contemporary China might be of interest. Please feel free to download it by clicking on the icon below and feel free to share your thoughts here or in the "Asia on My Mind" public forum.