The Wall Street Journal-20080112-The Informed Reader - Insights and Items of Interest From Other Sources
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The Informed Reader / Insights and Items of Interest From Other Sources
Culture:
Drama, Not Politics, Fuels Film Baby Boom
Has Hollywood shifted to the right?
A spate of movies involving unplanned pregnancies -- but no abortions -- has prompted some people on both sides of the issue to talk about a new conservatism in popular culture. In fact, the on- screen baby boom in films like "Juno," "Knocked Up" and "Waitress" has very little to do with politics, says Michael Currie Schaffer in the New Republic.
Abortion is rare in movies and television because pregnancy lends itself so much more to amusing and suspenseful plot lines. "No pregnancy, no zany Lamaze episode, no dramatic race-to-the-hospital sequence, no cute little kid to push the narrative along for a few more lucrative episodes," says Mr. Schaffer.
Unexpected pregnancy has been a staple of prime-time television for years. The older the mom, the bigger the surprise -- and the greater the boost for family-centered sitcoms as once-cute kids head off for college. That seemed to be the impetus behind late-series pregnancies in such shows as "Growing Pains," "Roseanne," "Family Ties" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
It is possible that producers, especially in television, avoid storylines featuring abortion out of fear of a political backlash, says Mr. Schaffer. But what is more likely is that babies add new drama, so much so that viewers often have to suspend their disbelief over what would normally reflect some fairly improbable family- planning decisions.
-- The New Republic -- Jan. 11
Latin America:
Why Peru Still Can't Solve
Its Malnutrition Problem
Peru's economy has expanded at a robust rate for the past several years, but many people, especially children, still don't get enough to eat.
The Economist says both bureaucratic ineptitude and unique cultural factors have made the crisis especially tough to address. The Peruvian government spends some $250 million on food-aid programs annually. But corruption, overlapping assistance and a lack of local control are hampering the flow of aid. Meanwhile, Peru's economic development has been uneven. In the Apurimac region in the southern Andes, the poverty rate actually has risen slightly since 2004, to 75%.
Another problem involves a mistaken belief in poor areas that people of Andean Indian descent are naturally short. Since chronic malnutrition in the Andes often manifests itself as stunted growth, hunger doesn't register with parents in the same way that it would if their children were extremely thin or dehydrated.
There are some signs of change, however. In one district in Apurimac, the rate of malnourishment in children has been slashed to 30% from 80% since 2000. Whether that success can be replicated across Peru remains to be seen.
-- The Economist -- Jan. 12
Religion:
China's Urban Professionals
Are Drawn to Buddhism
A growing number of successful urban professionals in China are turning to Buddhism, drawn by the faith's rejection of materialism in an increasingly money-oriented culture.
Some of the new adherents in China tell BusinessWeek they began exploring Buddhism after feeling unfulfilled in their demanding professional and social lives. The interest in Buddhism mirrors the growing popularity of religious faith in general in China in recent years. Despite the government's official atheism and its troubled relationship with the Dalai Lama, it has generally tolerated Buddhism's resurgence.
One consequence of Buddhism's popularity has been the growth of faith-related commerce, including pricey, monastery-run hotels and religious DVDs. That has sparked a backlash of its own, as some traditionalists worry that Buddhism has become too trendy.
-- BusinessWeek -- Jan. 21
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