Japan

[Taro Toporific]

[Caustic Saint]

And here I thought this was going to be another cosplay story.

Actually, the "hybrid women" are just my speed. Live for yourself, never get tied down, make your own decisions - everybody should be so lucky!

[GomiGirl]

For reference of above.. see GomiGirl!!!

VP of a company, Single and Happy!!

[Big Booger]

Single or married, life is tough. I would think, a DINK, Dual income no kids situation would be the best of both worlds... and it sounds better than SINK, hehehe

I am a happily married man. I don't treat my wife like a slave. I'd say we are egalitarian. I am very happy to have a life-long partner with whom I can share my experiences with. I know she is the one I can trust and she can trust me.

In our old age we have each other. A single person, when they are old, really leads a difficult life [img]Insert%20image%20of%20old%20bag%20with%20lots%20of%20cats%20here[/img]. I think while you are young, being single looks good. You are in full health, you have friends, you can enjoy life.. but as you age, your attitude may change and you will find yourself alone and isolated, because all the other old timers have kids and grandkids that take up a large part of your senior life. As a single person, you miss out on that.. and while it may sound like children are tough to raise and care for, the enjoyment you get from that experience makes up for all the difficult and unpleasant times.

But some people out there love solitude and the solitary lifestyle.. they hate kids, they have family times, and they'll die and be forgotten as if they'd never lived.

Different strokes; different folks.

[Caustic Saint]

and while it may sound like children are tough to raise and care for, the enjoyment you get from that experience makes up for all the difficult and unpleasant times.

I call bullshit!

That is one of the quintessential "breeder bingo" lines that parents trot out to justify their ruined lives. I have yet to meet a parent - including my own - who can honestly say "it's all been worth it." Every parent I've asked has said they'd do it differently (no kids) if they had it to do over again.

[AssKissinger]

they'll die and be forgotten as if they'd never lived

Since they'll be dead I guess they won't care too much! BTW, sooner or later everyone will be forgotten. It's probably for the best.

[GomiGirl]

Since they'll be dead I guess they won't care too much! BTW, sooner or later everyone will be forgotten. It's probably for the best.

Spoken like a true existentialist!!

[Neo-Rio]

[Big Booger]

and while it may sound like children are tough to raise and care for, the enjoyment you get from that experience makes up for all the difficult and unpleasant times.

I call bullshit!

That is one of the quintessential "breeder bingo" lines that parents trot out to justify their ruined lives. I have yet to meet a parent - including my own - who can honestly say "it's all been worth it." Every parent I've asked has said they'd do it differently (no kids) if they had it to do over again.

Care to explain, "Breeder Bingo?" I'd say that most of the parents you have met are most likely not self-actualized then.

My point was during later years, we need relationships that are stronger than mere interactions and associations. With a family you have people that have a blood relationship, that is generally stronger than any friendship you can ever make (though not always)..

Enjoy your solitary life, I'll stick with being married and sharing my life with someone more meaningful. I'd rather be with someone than to live alone.

[Caustic Saint]

Care to explain, "Breeder Bingo?" I'd say that most of the parents you have met are most likely not self-actualized then.

Any overly used set of phrases or terms can be called "bingoisms." If you were to put them all on a 5x5 grid and check one off each time you heard one, you'd eventually get five in a row, giving you a "BINGO!" (There was a PalmOS app liked this based on the overused management phrases that Dilbert took many jabs at. "Self-actualized" would be a perfect example of such a term. )

Common "breeder bingo" expressions are:

It's different when it's your own.
You're not a parent so you couldn't understand.
My kid's not the bad one.
My child would NEVER do such a thing.
Just wait 'til you have kids of your own.
I don't want to hurt his/her self esteem.
Being a mom/dad is the most important job in the world.
Not having kids is against God/Nature.
But he/she is only a chyyy-uld!
It's so haaaaard being a parent.
My/your child could cure cancer.
Who will take care of you when you're older?
You'll change your mind.
We have to do so-and-so for the chiiiiil-drun!
You would make such a good mom/dad.
Did you have a rotten childhood?
How do your parents feel about no grandkids?

Enjoy your solitary life, I'll stick with being married and sharing my life with someone more meaningful. I'd rather be with someone than to live alone.

I've never said that I'll never get married. And my life's hardly solitary. I've got a rather large group of friends, some local, some back home and others all over the world. I'm hardly a hermit in a cave on a mountainside.

[GomiGirl]

I've never said that I'll never get married. And my life's hardly solitary. I've got a rather large group of friends, some local, some back home and others all over the world. I'm hardly a hermit in a cave on a mountainside.

Well said Mr Saint!! Couldn't agree more.

I would rather be single than to be in a bad relationship - and trust me I have been a few of those. I also know some very miserable married people * who settled for less rather than just settled down. So I am holding out for Mr Right.. if you are out there, I regularly hold auditions..

* I also know some really happy married people, so I know that married bliss is possible. I am not old and bitter.. yet.

[Caustic Saint]

So I am holding out for Mr Right.. if you are out there, I regularly hold auditions..

Please, tell us more about this audition process.

[Big Booger]

I've never said that I'll never get married. And my life's hardly solitary. I've got a rather large group of friends, some local, some back home and others all over the world. I'm hardly a hermit in a cave on a mountainside.

I wasn't specifically talking to you.. and thanks for the lesson on Bingoisms.

I know for a fact after talking to several people, especially in their 70's-90's, the one thing most of them talked about was being lonely. Most of their partners had died or they never married and they regretted that. They said that isolation and loneliness were depressing and they wanted more intimate interaction, and not just friendship. They were blessed with friends. But when it came time for holidays, family visits, trips, etc.. they had no one.

And when you get into old old age, many of the women said it was difficult to try to form romantic relationships because there were so few men, as the man usually died before the woman, and if he didn't then he had quite a few women to choose from.

I think you are thinking short term, while I tend to think long term.

[Neo-Rio]

So I am holding out for Mr Right.. if you are out there, I regularly hold auditions..

Ha ha... you have no control over the screening process....
You're not supposed to "get a man"... MEN GET YOU! :P

[Blah Pete]

I discussed this with the wife last night and she says that it ia not only the J-men to blaim but that there are also many Japanese women that do not want to have any responsibilities. Most have been raised free of parental restraint and an unlimited parental supply of cash.

I thought the main reason was they didn't want to end up with some guy who would eventially become a greasy comb over oyaji salaryman...

[Neo-Rio]

I agree. That explains perfectly why Japanese women are so flakey.

I just find it hypocritical of the article for the woman to say that she doesn't need men, and yet try and make them be responsible for taking care of her (because she obviously can't).
Then when she encourages other young women to play cute, innocent, and stupid to get what they want... she wonders why men won't take her seriously.

Duh....

[kamome]

I agree that many J-women are "enablers" of their own second class status. A lot of them don't question their status or just resign themselves to it. But the sad thing is that many buy into it because it's all they know.

The minute you take a J-girl out of Japan, she changes her entire outlook because the possibilities become apparent. Yet, once they decide not to accept the status that Japanese society foists on them, they either have to leave Japan forever or bang their head against the sexist wall in Japan. It's not an easy predicament for them.

[Taro Toporific]

I.... many Japanese women that do not want to have any responsibilities. Most have been raised free of parental restraint and an unlimited parental supply of cash.

I don't know how valid this survey is---parts sound a little wacked but...

Women generally happier than men worldwide, survey shows
Knight Ridder Newspapers / Wed, Oct. 29, 2003
WASHINGTON - All around the world, in rich nations and poor ones, women are happier with their lives than men are, although men are more optimistic about the future, according to a survey released Wednesday.
... The happiness gap between men and women is most pronounced in less developed countries and Japan. "In particular, women are much happier than men in Japan, India, the Philippines, Pakistan and Argentina," according to the survey. In North America and Western Europe, the difference between the genders was not as sharp, the survey found....
... For more information, go to: http://people-press.org/commentary/display.php3?AnalysisID=71