Morgan Pitelka; "Don't be judgemental..."

[Anonymous]

As I re-read my last entry I feel I should apologize for being so wordy.

rueben gordon

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the correction. When I was deciding if my son should be circumcised the doctor said it really didn't matter. But that was before the aids epidemic hit Africa. Obviously if it could save lives then it's a good thing. I always thought the dietary proscriptions (for example against shellfish or pork) had more to do with categories than any "scientific" benefit that would save people from trichinosis. When you think about it, the guys who wrote the Old Testament were hardly experimental scientists. A long time ago I read Purity & Danger by Mary Douglas which spends a lot of time on Leviticus, but I guess that's probably outdated by now. We seem to have gotten off the topic of Asia, but not really, because our presuppositions influence our interpretation of even our own culture, how can we learn to appreciate another? I believe it is by trying to understand those "categories" that Mary Douglas, and other anthropologists, especially the structuralists (now I'm really dating myself), attempted to identify. For example, I believe that if we are to evaluate foot binding, we have to start with Chinese explanations or attitudes before judging it according to our standards of beauty or enlightened science or health. I believe that according to the presentation, people wanted foot binding to make a more mariagable candidate--like breast reduction/augmentation, nose jobs, liposuction. When you think of all the stuff we add to food and the possible unhealthy consequences, we would probably concede the point but not change our behavior much. An outsider would probably decry our irresponsible attitudes. I guess I'm getting a little too wordy also, but at least I'm trying to get back on topic, by some ridiculously circuitous route.

[Anonymous]

Exactly, what would other cultures think of some of practices we as a culture accept and even promote.

Also, it will take more than one study to prove the potential benefits of male circumcision and how it could reduce the transmission of AIDS by 70% in Africa. Based on what scientific evidence do you claim that circumcision prevents the transmission of AIDS? I have heard many health campaigns directed towards men using protection to reduce the risk of contracting AIDS, but haven't heard anything about circumcision, are all these individuals just jrefusing to take a stand on something that could put an end to the epidemic? I don't think so.

Also, I have heard that lean pork can be just as healthy as chicken.

[Anonymous]

This lecture really held my interest. The things women do to get a man is something I will never understand; though I don't judge them. I suppose foot binding in the old Chinese culture is no different, depending on how you think about it, from the things perpetuated in our society all for the purpose of attracting the opposite sex. If a woman set her sights on a rich man, what do you do? Whatever you have to!

[Anonymous]

Looking at the feet on the videos of the women who practiced foot binding was heartbreaking. It's hard to see how that could be a thing of beauty, especially when it was painful and it incapacitated these women. However, beauty is culturally defined. In any culture if you don't meet the standards of that culture's definition of beauty, do you feel somewhat physically, mentally, and socially incapacitated?

[Anonymous]

I appreciate your erudite response; I don't find it too wordy at all. As regards getting back to the topic, I don't think they mind too much if we veer off here and there -- it's what good classroom discussions do, sometimes. But just to clarify, I didn't mean the SPECIFICS of Kosher laws, many of which were rendered obsolete -- according to those of us who see many of them as basically a health code -- with the invention of the icebox/refridgerator. I meant the IDEA of considering and creating a formal health code, at all, given that it will likely change with changing conditions.

rueben gordon

[Anonymous]

With all due respect, there is much reportage/evidence on the value of circumcision regarding AIDS. Just google "AIDS/circumcision" and you'll get pages of commentary, most of it quite positive.

As regards eating pork, or shellfish, for that matter, conditions change. In ancient times, before refridgeration, pork products spoiled quickly and trichinosis was easily contracted and invariably lethal. Shellfish could be equally dangerous. As mentioned in another post, I'm really just talking about the progressive step of simply INSTITUTING a formal health code at all.

rueben gordon

[Anonymous]

Again, I want to comment on your disinclination to judge the practice of footbinding. Why not? It's true many cultures have different definitions of beauty, but footbinding turns an able-bodied woman into a cripple who can't walk! We judge slavery to be wrong, don't we? If a slave in the Southern U.S. continued to run away he could be "hobbled" (the description of which I'll spare you, if you happen not to know of it), the results of which are similar to footbinding.

The point I'm trying to make is that consciously trying not to judge other cultures puts an unnecessary filter on our capacity to think and reason. Certainly much scientific and anthropological research requires objectivity, but we're scholars and teachers. Of course, it's our opinion, but we have a right, in some cases an obligation, to express it. Do we not judge totalitarian abuses? Shouldn't we criticize the abuse of women by dominant males? I often wonder why many consider it a virtue to "give a pass" to nearly every Islamic society where women are virtual slaves. Being judgemental is a function of human progress.

rueben gordon

[Anonymous]

Using this thread as a forum for current news and information, I noticed this item about China in a news release: "The State Council Information Office published on Friday a white paper entitled Status Quo of Drug Supervision in China. The document, composed of five chapters, points out that the Chinese government has always attached great importance to supervision over drug safety, and has always been committed to the goal of strengthening such supervision and guaranteeing public drug safety."

With this in mind, one wonders what will happen to "wild and crazy" Western youth who are busted at the Beijing Olympics with drugs, say just enough for personal use. How harsh will the Chinese authorities be?

[Anonymous]

Did you ever see the Richard Gere movie Red Corner? It's from 1997, but you know "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose".

[Anonymous]

I was looking at my notes from the class on this topic and found additional information on the topic. It seems that small feet were a sign of beauty and that this practice was perpetuated by the elite women...the speaker referred to it as competitive grooming. The women during this time period could not inherent wealth or power of any kind and it was communism that finally put an end to this practice.

[Anonymous]

I believe the Bejing Olympics may best be responded to in the spirit of the Olympics themselves. For our students, and perhaps for ourselves, I think it is important to understand the history of the Olympics and the spirit they are meant to embody before we attempt to understand the meaning , ramifications, political connections, etc., etc., of the Bejing Olympics. It is my sense that the American Media, and unfortunately hence the American people, are making the Bejing Olympics into a political issue and is so often the case, without an informed basis for judgement.

[Anonymous]

Great reads with footbinding references as well as other references to Chinese culture are books by Lisa See. The two that I have read to date are Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Peony in Love. I have also heard that her other book On Gold Mountain is excellent. Totally enjoyable reading and a wonderful opportunity to read fiction with a critical eye employing our knowledge of Chinese culture/hstory acquired through the seminar.

[Anonymous]

8) I really was struck by the term "competitive grooming" which our lecturer used in reference to the practice of footbinding. It really helped me to put the practice into context. Women (and men) all over the world and throughout time have participated in such acts. Our current western culture is a fine example...the money spent on cosmetics, hair, clothing, plastic surgery, etc. is huge. All in an attempt to feel more attractive and for what, to whom? What connotes beauty is definitely a subjective ideal but one so influenced by cultural context.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, this was my favorite session. I took about 15 pages of notes on this session. I had so many misconceptions when it came to Asian women and the family structure. I was able to speak with so much more authority when I did my Asian Lit section last semester in my Humanities classes because of this session.

[Author]

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