User Comments - adam_p_lax

Posted on: The Wives of Gay Men

there isn't written record but there is plenty of archaeological and anthropological evidence and studies that support this. So it's not speculation. If you are curious, I suggest you read the book "sex at dawn." Really good overview of this subject.

If you look at rising divorce rates in developed countries and the number of children born out of wed lock (especially in the US), one might think that it was an institution that was on the decline. Or at least something that needs to be modified to meet our changing reality.

Posted on: Working in the Countryside

so 开阔 can also be used to talk about one's personality? is it usually translated as tolerant/open in character? also, 肥料和农药有什么区别？also, can you say you say 在日常生活人家用电器替他们的干活- In everyday life, people use appliances to help them do work

Posted on: Everything is Entirely Complete

Where does 任何 fit into all this? is it more formal to say? I see it in a lot of chinese translations of American TV Shows and Movies

Posted on: The Wives of Gay Men

"All cultures demand marriage and kids because, 1) they want stable socieities and 2) they want their societies to persist". - Actually, even in China there is a minority group where marriage doesn't exist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosuo. Marriage doesn't necessarily create stability nor is an inherent biological necessity. It is a very socially based and shaped notion.

In fact marriage in history has been mainly abt the stability of property since the inception and adoption of agriculture in many human societies around the world not about stability of family. Before that in hunter gatherer tribes there was no real use for marriage as they were smaller bands of people who very close and tightly knit groups. As a result there was exchanging of partners and not monogamy as we know it. Even into agricultural period, there were societies that didn't practice marriage like the minority group in China I mentioned.

Many societies in ancient times actually practiced ways of limiting their population through abortion and birth control methods because they didn't have enough food to support so many children. In fact, many ancient societies had low average life expectancy but thats because there was a lot of intentional infanticide and death from malnutrition and starvation because of issues with food supply. But if you got through child hood, avg life span was quite high. Thus its not inherently biological that humans seek marriage or child birth.

This fuss about marriage and its "sanctity" is just garbage. It covers up that marriage is a socially based institution that's malleable to the human forces that shape it.

Posted on: Making Soup

North Americans always say "eat soup" or "have soup", so it must be an American vs. Brit English thing.

Posted on: A Visit From Superman

shouldn't "news and features" be used for news about chinesepod? Sorry, but I don't see how this is relevant.

Posted on: The Wives of Gay Men

I guess I'm the only one then that knows the term "beard" as a term for a fake partner.

There was a "Seinfeld" episode with that term when Elaine goes out with a gay man to a theatre show with his boss so his boss would think he is straight.

But I would understand non-native or non-American English speakers not getting that term.

Posted on: The Wives of Gay Men

its one thing for Chinese accept foreigners as homosexual but its quite another to accept other Chinese as homosexual. Homosexuality is barely publicly acknowledged in China by the government. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China

I don't think legalized gay marriage will happen anytime soon. Even in Western Europe where people are relatively more receptive to homosexuality, its been slow to legalize gay marriage.

From my experience with college students in China, being gay is something they always laugh and giggle about. Not in a mean, demeaning way but in the same way when children talk about sex they innocently laugh and giggle. This is especially true when they mix up "he" and "she" when talking about a significant other. So I wouldn't say they are accepting, they just don't acknowledge it either.

Posted on: The Wives of Gay Men

yea societal pressure for marriage in China is real intense

Posted on: The Wives of Gay Men

I love the edgier lessons being released from chinesepod as of late for upper intermediate: legalizing marijuana, beggars, journalism in China. Its great! Personally I find it very interesting and its chinese learning material you couldn't find anywhere else.