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711 days ago
[Extracted from one of my posts to an email discussion group] Much of what we see in China, much of that which is dying out, can find their parallels in European and other histories. Thus, for example, listening recently to a talk given on behaviour in the fourteenth century in Europe, the speaker told of people wanting large families, as many boys as possible, and of female infanticide being a regular occurrence. This is not particularly surprising. Child mortality in less developed societies is higher than in developed societies. Societies are largely agricultural, and the more individuals in the family the more the land that can be worked. Boys are favoured both because societies tend to be patriarchal, boys tend to stay 'in the family' rather than marrying out and because boys have more physical strength for labour. In developed societies, large families are not favoured. Rather than producing, children tend to consume resources. Child mortality is relatively low. In an ...
782 days ago
I wrote the following some years ago in response to a fellow teacher in a discussion forum. Fellow teacher: I heard the 'language as a tool' phrase many times... I was vaguely offended by the idea and wondered where it came from - now I know. This man obviously hasn't hear of the even more famous saying 'When you learn a language you learn a culture'... Me: I doubt the originator of 'When you learn a language, you learn a culture' was talking about a language taught as a lingua franca. To be sure, if we learn Chinese we must learn how to use it in a Chinese context and yes, understanding of the culture is thus essential. We will, after all, be using it pretty much exclusively in talking with Chinese people. However, a debate I have tried to start frequently in TEFLChina which has always failed to live up to my expectations is HOW we teach English given its purpose. Firstly, which culture? British? Australian? Canadian? American? And whichever we select, what is its value to a ...
782 days ago
"Why do you keep the people in cages?" "Because if we let them out they will be angry and destroy everything." "Why will they be angry?" "Because we keep them in cages."
818 days ago
In the talk of the Korean Christian evangelists, evangelism itself is coming in for a bashing, but just for a moment look at it from the Christians' point of view. I don't think we can blame Christians for their missionary zeal given what they believe. Were I a Christian I think I would be hysterical looking around me at decent people on the street envisaging what fate has in store for them if they do not convert. I'd probably be grabbing everyone by their shirt collars and pleading. Just as well, then, that I don't believe. If I did believe, what would I then be believing in? A God so despotic that he has created a universe in which, when homage is not paid to him, the culprit is punished with an eternity of hellfire and incessant torture. It makes any despot the world has ever known look like a pussycat in comparison. What of all the people here in China who don't believe thanks to an accident of geography? Were a Chinese to be converted, as one ...
841 days ago
A priest went to visit a man in prison. ‘Is there anything you want, my son?’ he asked. ‘I want to get out of here,’ the prisoner replied. ‘But you know you have been found guilty of a crime in a fair trial and must pay penance.’ ‘I have never denied my guilt,’ the prisoner said. ‘I know I must pay.’ ‘Then you know there is nothing you can do, nothing I can do,’ said the priest. ‘You must stay here for five years.’ ‘Yes, Father,’ said the prisoner. ‘I know I must stay.’ ‘So,’ said the Priest, ‘is there anything you want?’ ‘Yes, Father,’ the prisoner replied. ‘I want to get out of here.’
