Comments on: Attempted suicide in SZ suggests disturbing trend http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/attempted-suicide-in-sz-suggests-disturbing-trend/ News & views about Guangzhou, Shenzhen & Dongguan Fri, 10 Oct 2014 16:24:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Kevin McGeary http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/attempted-suicide-in-sz-suggests-disturbing-trend/#comment-4702 Kevin McGeary Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:17:40 +0000 http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/?p=10403#comment-4702 I heartily recommend anything by Xinran. She takes her patriotism too far sometimes, but "The Good Women of China", although far from an easy read, is one of the most powerful of her works. And as for our initial exchanges....most of my good friends are people I left a bad first impression on, I heartily recommend anything by Xinran. She takes her patriotism too far sometimes, but “The Good Women of China”, although far from an easy read, is one of the most powerful of her works.

And as for our initial exchanges….most of my good friends are people I left a bad first impression on,

]]> By: A Chinese Man http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/attempted-suicide-in-sz-suggests-disturbing-trend/#comment-4701 A Chinese Man Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:02:02 +0000 http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/?p=10403#comment-4701 Did not have a 'reply' button to your last comment Kevin, so new comment. Thanks for your reply. Yes, the high female suicide rate in China certainly caught my interest. I forget exactly when I was first alerted to the statistic (several years ago?) but I remember it was a WTF moment for me. The knowledge shed some light on things I observed as an overseas Chinese with immigrant parents and relatives -- attitudes towards women (as you mentioned), also attitudes towards men, marital roles and expectations, and then ultimately, how those things informed my life as a western child/adult. I haven't read Xinran's book but will add it to my list - thanks. And I'm looking forward to a future article on the subject. Did not have a ‘reply’ button to your last comment Kevin, so new comment.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, the high female suicide rate in China certainly caught my interest. I forget exactly when I was first alerted to the statistic (several years ago?) but I remember it was a WTF moment for me. The knowledge shed some light on things I observed as an overseas Chinese with immigrant parents and relatives — attitudes towards women (as you mentioned), also attitudes towards men, marital roles and expectations, and then ultimately, how those things informed my life as a western child/adult.

I haven’t read Xinran’s book but will add it to my list – thanks. And I’m looking forward to a future article on the subject.

]]> By: Kevin McGeary http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/attempted-suicide-in-sz-suggests-disturbing-trend/#comment-4686 Kevin McGeary Wed, 17 Oct 2012 22:39:45 +0000 http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/?p=10403#comment-4686 Now for a more considered response. Although this particular aspect of suicide in China is not the focus of the article, I think the statistic of China having a particularly high female suicide rate is of sociological interest. Don't you? And it surely says something about attitudes to women and marital values in China. Have you read "The Good Women of China" by Xinran? This is a conversation worth having. Nobody's right and we all learn from each other, that is why it was phrased as a question, because it could well be the subject of a future article on this site. Now for a more considered response.

Although this particular aspect of suicide in China is not the focus of the article, I think the statistic of China having a particularly high female suicide rate is of sociological interest. Don’t you?

And it surely says something about attitudes to women and marital values in China. Have you read “The Good Women of China” by Xinran?

This is a conversation worth having. Nobody’s right and we all learn from each other, that is why it was phrased as a question, because it could well be the subject of a future article on this site.

]]> By: A Chinese Man http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/attempted-suicide-in-sz-suggests-disturbing-trend/#comment-4684 A Chinese Man Wed, 17 Oct 2012 20:23:35 +0000 http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/?p=10403#comment-4684 Charlie Brooker? Now there's a guy that wouldn't back-down from something he wrote or said. And someone worth emulating. Beijing Cream? Shanghaiist? Not so much. Charlie Brooker? Now there’s a guy that wouldn’t back-down from something he wrote or said. And someone worth emulating. Beijing Cream? Shanghaiist? Not so much.

]]> By: Kevin McGeary http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/attempted-suicide-in-sz-suggests-disturbing-trend/#comment-4683 Kevin McGeary Wed, 17 Oct 2012 15:11:34 +0000 http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/?p=10403#comment-4683 Nothing passive-aggressive about it. If you're offended by it then that's up to you. To quote Charlie Brooker: "I hate offended people. They come in two flavours - huffy and whiny - and it's hard to know which is worse. The huffy ones are self-important, narcissistic authoritarians in love with the sound of their own booming disapproval, while the whiny, sparrowlike ones are so annoying and sickly and ill-equipped for life on Earth you just want to smack them round the head until they stop crying and grow up. Combined, they're the very worst people on the planet - 20 times worse than child molesters, and I say that not because it's true (it isn't), but because it'll upset them unnecessarily, and these readers deserve to be upset unnecessarily, morning, noon and night, every sodding day, for the rest of their wheedling lives." Nothing passive-aggressive about it. If you’re offended by it then that’s up to you. To quote Charlie Brooker: “I hate offended people. They come in two flavours – huffy and whiny – and it’s hard to know which is worse. The huffy ones are self-important, narcissistic authoritarians in love with the sound of their own booming disapproval, while the whiny, sparrowlike ones are so annoying and sickly and ill-equipped for life on Earth you just want to smack them round the head until they stop crying and grow up. Combined, they’re the very worst people on the planet – 20 times worse than child molesters, and I say that not because it’s true (it isn’t), but because it’ll upset them unnecessarily, and these readers deserve to be upset unnecessarily, morning, noon and night, every sodding day, for the rest of their wheedling lives.”

]]> By: A Chinese Man http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/attempted-suicide-in-sz-suggests-disturbing-trend/#comment-4681 A Chinese Man Wed, 17 Oct 2012 10:50:20 +0000 http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/?p=10403#comment-4681 Just a cheeky suggestion huh? I would have had more respect for you Kevin had you simply owned up to your comment instead of being a passive-aggressive wank. Just a cheeky suggestion huh? I would have had more respect for you Kevin had you simply owned up to your comment instead of being a passive-aggressive wank.

]]> By: Kevin McGeary http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/attempted-suicide-in-sz-suggests-disturbing-trend/#comment-4678 Kevin McGeary Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:00:07 +0000 http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/?p=10403#comment-4678 The Nanfang's writing style is similar to that of Beijing Cream and Shanghaiist. It is full of asides, comments and subtle digs as well as reportage. That particular remark was just a cheeky suggestion, not a verdict on whether Chinese make good husbands. The Nanfang’s writing style is similar to that of Beijing Cream and Shanghaiist. It is full of asides, comments and subtle digs as well as reportage.

That particular remark was just a cheeky suggestion, not a verdict on whether Chinese make good husbands.

]]> By: A Chinese Man http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/attempted-suicide-in-sz-suggests-disturbing-trend/#comment-4676 A Chinese Man Wed, 17 Oct 2012 08:42:39 +0000 http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/?p=10403#comment-4676 "what does that tell you about being the wife of a Chinese man?" Care to elaborate? “what does that tell you about being the wife of a Chinese man?”

Care to elaborate?

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