西方文化介绍 Sex and relationships

Sex and relationships
Once, the customs for dating and relationships were similar to those in China.
Usually people began dating as older teenagers, and only if their parents said it was OK
You may remember that Romeo and Juliet had to keep their relationship very secret
•Then World War II and the following economic boom gave young people the time, money, and opportunity to create their own social world.•This was largely based on music
The Sixties
(1960s)
This time formed the social attitudes we see today
In the Sixties people realised they could choose their own ways of living –their lifestyles. In this decade, many different styles became popular with different social groups.
Some were very traditional.
Some were really pretty crazy.
The new TV, film and radio connected young people all over the West.
Quite suddenly they saw themselves as a distinct social group.
This was when Youth Culture really started to become popular.
•In the 1960s young people argued strongly against their parents’ politics and values.
•That included dating and marrying. If their parents said, “Do not go out with that boy”, the girl might go out with 20 boys, just to annoy her parents.
Young people were now earning enough money to support their own music and arts industries. They could be independent from their parents if they liked.
•The Sexual Revolution of the 1960s
At this time, scientists developed “The Pill”. It was an easy way for women to stop having babies
The Pill gave young women much more control over their lives and freedom to have relationships
The mini skirt was first seen in the sixties
60's Fashion -YouTube.wmv
The Pill meant it was possible to have many partners without thinking about getting married.
This Sexual Revolution is still with us today.
It is quite common in some social groups for people to have many sexual partners –in some cases, hundreds.
•Also, many young people began smoking cigarettes, and using much more alcohol and drugs
•The use of drugs is often associated with different ways of thinking and crazy behaviour, including strange music and wild parties.
•Those parties are not at all like KTV.•People get really drunk. Both men and women may be asked for casual sex.•Sometimes they can be dangerous, and certainly noisy. It is common for police to be called to these events.
•Skins Party.wmv
Hippie culture
•Certain people, like the hippies, used drugs all the time.
•They said “Make love, not war”, and many non-hippie people thought that was a good idea.
Feminism
Feminism 女性主义(women’s rights) became very strong in the sixties. Women everywhere wanted equal pay and good jobs, more political power, free abortions 人工流产and more power in their homes.
•So traditional ideas of dating, relationships, and marriage were forgotten by many young people.
Traditional values
Not everybody agreed with these new ideas. The churches, for example, were very critical of these bad attitudes towards traditional values. .
•But feminism and youth culture could not be stopped.
•Today they are important aspects of Western thinking.
•Women are now socially powerful, and children sometimes have more rights than their parents.
The spread of black culture meant that inter-race relationships are now accepted in most places
Gays and lesbians are often quite open about their relationships
The Christian church and its
religious influence
In the 1960s, the churches also used the communications technology to spread their ideas.
Those people thought free love and casual sex were absolutely terrible. Today, traditional ideas are still strong.
Some Chinese students in foreign countries feel uncomfortable with Western attitudes.
I am not Christian, and have no interest in supporting any of the churches. However, if you are studying overseas and become worried about the people around you, join a church.
Usually, you can trust those people not to hurt you, although they will want some time and maybe money.
Feminism
•Women’s rights have made free Western attitudes possible, but sometimes have caused serious communication problems.•Some men and women hate each other so much they rarely talk, and will never marry or even have a good relationship.
Sex in Music
•Fever-Peggy Lee Fever -Peggy Lee.wmv
•I’ve got you(I feel good) -James Brown
17 I've Got You (I Feel Good).wma
•Light My Fire–The Doors the doors light my fire with lyrics2.wmv
•Wild Thing–The Troggs 01 Wild Thing.wma •Sunshine of Your Love–Cream Sunshine of your love lyrics -YouTube.wmv
•Human Nature Madonna 03-Human Nature [Radio Version] [Radio Version]-Madonna.wma
•Not Fair –Lily Allen Not fair -Lily Allen lyrics -YouTube.wmv
Parents-children relationships Westerners are often quite casual 随便about sex, and do not control their children very well.
Relationships between parents and their children are now often quite difficult.
Parents are not respected much, and the laws support the children.
In some families, the children can do as they like, and there is little to stop them.
Dating
•Some people start dating as young as 11 or 12 in western countries.
•Parents do not like it, but they can not do much about it.
•Kissing in public is not good manners, but you see it quite often
The problem of teenage pregnancies 妊娠is now serious in many English-speaking countries.
The USA still has done nothing effective, but in the UK there is now sex education in schools.
In religious 宗教parts of society people are still careful about dating and marry when they are young.
In many parts of society, however, it is common to have many girlfriends or boyfriends in your life. That means you must be careful of STDs and STis 性病
All this freedom has a negative side too. People leave you alone, so if you are in trouble, you may not find help easily.
There are many Westerners who live alone and have very little social contact.
Divorce (marriage finished) is common, and many people marry more than once.
We do not usually say bad things about people who marry again.
We just hope they do not make the same mistakes.
•Jack=Jill
•Jill=Peter
Tom John
James
Jack=Wendy
Jack=Mary
Bill
Michael
Unusual behaviour •Generally, in Western countries people are tolerant 宽容of open sexual behaviour.
In Amsterdam, Holland, you can buy sex in small shops.。