[lit-ideas] Re: News via the web
- From: "Andreas Ramos" <andreas@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2004 21:42:08 -0700
From: "John McCreery" <mccreery@xxxxxxx>
> > http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040404wod1.htm
>
> I'm curious. What makes the conclusion interesting?
The non-conclusion. The story as a whole doesn't seem to "say something". It
talks about this, it talks about that, and then ends on a down note. Here's
the final paragraphs:
> Unlike young people who have the energy to restart their life, many
middle-aged women who get divorced find it difficult to live in society as a
single individual, outside the shelter and support of family life. It also
comes as a shock to realize how the taxation system is skewed to support
families and couples. In addition, many find themselves alone after
realizing that their friends, who promised to go out with them or to go on
trips together, in fact do not have time for them.
The article talks about divorce in a social context, in terms of the web of
social relationships. An American story on divorce would talk on how the
woman has made a clear decision and has now freed herself to do what SHE
wants to do, take trips, take classes, express herself, start life afresh,
and so on. To talk about social isolation seems like something from the 50s.
It's somewhat like kids in an American burger bar: they get choices,
choices, choices. Ketchup? Fries? Normal or curly? Coke? Sprite? Large?
Medium? Small? At every point, the little prince gets to choose. If you take
away His Highness' choice, he has a panic attack over the violation of his
dignity.
Look at Mexican kids: they eat what they get served. "Here. Eat this."
There's none of the decisions.
I got an advertising package from Starbucks a few weeks ago. It's a booklet
(!) that explains all the choices one can make upon ordering a cup of
coffee. Try this link:
http://www.starbucks.com/ourcoffees/menuboard.asp?category%5Fname=Coffee+Menu+Board
Try ordering water in a San Francisco restaurant. Bottled or tap? Domestic
or imported? Carbonated or flat? Flavored or plain?
yrs,
andreas
www.andreas.com
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