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David Golombek\\
21F.030\\
Journal \#3\\\\
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In modern American culture, perhaps no phenomenon has ranked lower in
social prestige than ``professional wrestling'', in its primary
incarnation as the World Wrestling Foundation.  Even Monster Truck
racing and boxing, both traditionally all male, very non-intellectual
events, rank higher in popular culture than professional wrestling,
because the outcome of the events is at least determined through
honest competition, rather than predetermined.  There are many reasons
for this lack of respect for professional wresting (calling it a sport
seems unfair to other sports); yet for all the jokes about the sport,
it remains extremely popular, and makes a lot of money for those
involved in it.

On the extreme far end of the intellectual spectrum lies ballroom
dancing --- the very dress of ballroom dancers unmistakeably links it
to high society.  Ballroom dance requires lots of practice, but even
those with only mediocre physical ability can learn it and attain a
passable level of proficiency.  Ballroom dance is closely associated
with very formal events, such as balls, even more firmly tying it to
the ``high brow'' society, which is always defined by those with
money.

Sports of all sorts have traditionally been more of a male taste than
female, especially the more physical sports such as football, boxing,
and hockey.  Similarly, fast cars, pornography, beer, and ``roughing
it'' outdoors, all have largely male appeal.  More traditionally
female interests include sewing and quilting, romantic movies and
books, and housemaking.

My posession of a very large book collection is perhaps the best sign
of my ``good taste.''  I tend to accumulate very little, and about the
only thing I buy on a regular basis are books, leaving me with a large
collection, ranging in subject from historical novels to technical
books to popular fiction.  Reading is perhaps one of the most popular
activities across all classes and both genders; certainly there is
less reading among the very lowest classes of American society, but
among those who can read, it is generally popular (although less so in
recent years).  Perhaps the distribution of my books would betray my
male gender, but not heavily so -- much of my collection is
historical and science fiction, both of which are popular with both
genders.

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Shen Fu's family life was broken into two parts; his harmonious
relationship with his wife, and his frequently estranged relationship
with his parents.  His relationship with his wife is remarkably open
and equalitarian.  He and his wife share a remarkable number of
interests and seem very compatible personality wise, and that they
were able to communicate as well as they did is impressive.  Their
love was amazingly well portrayed, and I was more moved by it than by
almost any other romance I have read.

Unfortunately for Shen Fu, despite his proper Confucian respect
towards his parents, events conspire in chapter three to break his
previously harmonious relationship with his parents.  Growing up, he
and his mother seem to have communicated well, with her agreeing to
his suggestion as to his own wife.  However, misunderstandings about
money and respect cloud this relationship, and his parents force him
to leave their home.  Luckily he has many good friends and other
relatives whom he can borrow money from, which enables him to survive
these times.  

His wife and he engage in a truly cultured life, one that is perhaps
more enthusiastically cultured than many others, even those of much
higher class.  Both he and his wife seem to truly enjoy the painting,
poetry, and drinking games that they engaged in, both alone and with
their friends.  That his efforts in gardening, flower arranging and
decorating were limited by his meager funds was not his fault, and his
wife's efforts to enhance the appearance of their small houses seem to
be extremely ingenious.  Perhaps Shen Fu would have been looked down
at by the most cultured people of the time, because his efforts were
not as perfected as the best artists of the time, but his enjoyment of
practicing the arts seems much more genuine than that expressed by
many others.

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Shen Fu's house (or rooms in another's house, as was frequently the
case) was the primary site of most of his leisure activities, because
it was taboo for his wife to accompany him to many other places.  It
was there that they entertained their friends on most occassions, with
occassional outings to public gardens.  His tastes were very much
shaped by his education, which seems to have very firmly shaped his
personality.  That his wife fully shared these interests, and was so
talented in them, without receiving the same level of education was
truly remarkable.  His tastes were very high brow, and through them he
was able to make acquaintance of many people of much higher rank,
including courtesans of much higher rank than he would ever have been
able to afford.

As mentioned above, Shen Fu's education seems to have truly facinated
him, and even after failing to become a true official, he still
strives to be an official in his private life.  That he truly enjoys
the highly refined activities that he does makes him in many ways more
high brow than those of higher rank than he.  Although by Confucian
ideals, Shen Fu should first have passed his exams, but having failed
them, should not have tried to be someone he wasn't, and should have
adopted the more merchant like activities of the day (for he truly was
of the merchant class, although as stated in the introduction, he had
more administrative power than those in the government in all
likelihood).

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