NYT: In China, Money Can Often Buy Love

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Pashley

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NYT: In China, Money Can Often Buy Love
« on: November 14, 2010, 03:32:26 PM »
Not even a first date; he does not own an apartment, so love is impossible.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/world/asia/12iht-letter.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y
Who put a stop payment on my reality check?

Re: NYT: In China, Money Can Often Buy Love
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2010, 08:57:08 AM »
The sad, sad world we live in...  alalalalal

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Escaped Lunatic

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Re: NYT: In China, Money Can Often Buy Love
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2010, 06:20:33 AM »
My father had a friend at university who got a Dun & Bradstreet report on the assets of the father of any girl he liked before asking her out.  He'd then only ask the ones from richer families for a date.  Sick, but true.

Then again, my parents always told me that it's just as easy to fall in love with a rich girl as with a poor girl.  Unfortunately, I never seemed to manage to meet any rich girls who want to go out with me. ahahahahah

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Re: NYT: In China, Money Can Often Buy Love
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2010, 10:23:07 AM »
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there is enormous anxiety among those who feel they are being left behind

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Lower in status, they fear not getting what they want in life, and look to men to provide it.

These are the key lines. The wealth gap is humongous in China. The have-nots have few opportunities to join the haves. Marriage is one, and probably the only, opportunity that most women will get to climb the social ladder and have some comforts in life. BMWs and such are a surface feature, but more importantly is the security of health care, retirement, etc. Remember, upward mobility isn't as available in China as in western countries. If you didn't go to the right school, or any school, when you were young, you can't enroll in the local community college at age 40 and try something new (and decent-paying) such as nursing, as Americans frequently do.