当代英国概况unit2

Chapter2Family&PersonalRelationships(1)Sept.2007XiaoHuiyunA1TheFamilyInmodernBritainpostWW2,theamountofthediversefamilieshasgrownduetochangesovertimeNuclearfamilyLone-parentfamilyCohabitingcoupleA1TheFamilycont.One-parentfamilies&theirdependentchildren0.00.20.40.60.81.01.21.41.61.82.02.22.42.62.83.019841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000Estimatednumber(millions)Dependentchildreninone-parentfamiliesOne-parentfamiliesA1Familycont.Almosthalfofallmarriagesfail.Ifpresentdivorceratescontinue,morethanonechildinfourwillexperiencethedivorceoftheirparentsbeforetheyreachagesixteen.BritainhasoneofthehighestdivorceratesinEurope.Loneparentinghasincreasedthree-foldinthelasttwentyyears.1in10familiesisaloneparentfamily4in10peoplearebornoutsidemarriage1in10ofBritonscohabitingAnnualmarriageratesareattheirlowestsincerecordsbeganin1840A1Familycont.Fromallthesefactsandfigures,itappearsthatthetraditionalfamilyisindecline.Butisthisreallyso?AccordingtotheSoulofBritainsurvey:80%ofBritonsbelievethatmarriageisnotout-dated76%ofBritonsexpectourmarriagestolastforlife46%ofBritonsdisapproveofloneparentingasalifestylechoiceColumnistMelaniePhillipsarguesthatthetraditionalnuclearfamilyhasbeenattherootoftheirdemocracy,becauseitleadstotheformationofpeoplewhoaresecure,stable,inner-directedandself-confident,andwhohaveasenseofdutyandresponsibilitytoeachother.A1Familycont.TraditionalfamiliesarebetterforchildrenBobRowthorne,professorofeconomicsatCambridgeUniversitychallengedthepropagandathattheblendedfamilyorstepfamily‘atitsbest’canprovideagoodalternativetothetraditionalfamily.Heclaimedthatthereisoverwhelmingevidencethatonaverage(ratherthan‘atthebest’)stepfamiliesareverydangerousplacesforchildrentobe.Thelevelofchildmurderismanytimeshigherinstepfamiliesthanintraditionalmarriedcouples.Rowthornealsopointedoutthatchildrendonotdoaswellinlone-parentfamiliesorincohabitingfamiliesastheydoinstablemarriedcouples.Thephenomenaoflone-parentfamiliesincontemporaryBritishsocietyhaveledtoanincreaseinpovertyandsocialproblemsrelatedtopoverty.A1TheFamilyHomeisWheretheHeartisStablemarriagewillbethemostimportantingredientforahappyhomelifeinMillenniumBritain,accordingtoanewAlliance&LeicesterpublicopinionpollbyMORI.Thesurveyasked1,938peoplewhatwouldbethemostimportantingredienttofamilylifein25yearstime.Keyfindingsincluded:Stablemarriageandlessdivorcetoppedthepollwithmorethanoneinfourpeople(26percent).Theimportanceattachedtostablemarriagewasconsistentacrossallagegroups,dispellingthepossibilitythatthefindingsonmarriageweresimplyasymptomofyouthfulidealism.A2YouthYouthisnotsimplyanagegroup,butasocialorganization.InBritaininthe1950sthingshappenedthatchangedthewaythatyoungpeoplethoughtaboutthemselvesandthewaytheybehaved.ForabouttenyearsaftertheendoftheSecondWorldWarin1945therewasariseinthebirthrate.Thereweremoreyoungpeoplearoundwithmoneytospend.Companiesstartedtomanufacturethings-music,films,clothes-especiallyforyoungpeopleExistingintheBritishculturethiskindofagegroupisasubdivisionofthenationalculture,hencetheterm‘youthsubculture’.A2YouthYouthSubculturesSubculture:a‘culturalgroupwithinalargercultureoftenhavingbeliefsorinterestsatvariancewiththoseofthelargerculture(COD)Youthsubcultureshaveadistinctindividualstyle–certainwaysofdressing,speaking,listeningtomusicandgatheringinsimilarplaces.Youthsubculturecanbedescribedasthewayoflifesharedbyyoungpeople.Youthsubculturesareinevitableproductsofaffluentsociety.(e.g.TheTeddyBoys)Themajorityofpeopleleavethesubculturesatsomelaterpoint,oftenatthepointofmarriage.A2YouthThe1950swastheRock'n'Rollera.ThismusicwasoriginallymadebyblackpeopleintheUSA.WhencopiedbywhitemusicianslikeElvis,itbecamepopularwithwhiteaudiences-especiallywhiteteenagers.Britishkidslovedittooandoneofthefirstpost-Warteenagecults,theTeddyBoysor'Teds',adopteditastheirmusic.Tedshadslicked-back'quiffs'or'DA'haircuts.Theyworenarrow'drainpipe'trousers,'drape'jackets,fancyshirtsand'bootlace'ties.TheyhadareputationforviolenceA2YouthTeddyBoyscont.CharacteristicsofTeddyboys:Group-mindedness–areaffirmationoftraditionalworkingclassvaluesandthestrongsenseofterritory.Theydemonstratedworkingclassresistancethroughrituals.Extremetouchinesstoinsults–thisover-sensitivitybecameattachedtothedistinctivedressandappearanceofthegroupConditionsforitsformation–extensivewelfareprovision(socialsecurity,health,housing),EuropeaneconomicboomwithMarshallplan,abolishingofdraft,introductionofhirepurchaseTeddyBoysdrasticallyandfundamentallyalteredtheconceptoftheadolescentandintroducedtheconceptofayouthsubcultureA2Youthcont.TeddyBoysinthe1950sA2Youthcont.TheBeatniksBeatniks-Membersofthe“beat”movementintheUnitedStatesinthe1950s.Beatniksfrequentlyrejectedmiddle-classAmericanvalues,customs,andtastesinfavorofradicalpoliticsandexoticjazz,art,andliterature.Theirvisualsymbols-jazz,poetry,marijuannawereexportedtoBritain&becamethehallmarksofBritishBeatniks,asectionofmiddle-classyouthTheBeatniksthereforeconstitutedacounter-cultureinthedecade.A2YouthBeatn