Comments on: Two follow-ups to the protests in France… http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2006/04/12/two-follow-ups-to-the-protests-in-france/ Living the dance, dancing the life. Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:52:06 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jared Goralnick http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2006/04/12/two-follow-ups-to-the-protests-in-france/comment-page-1/#comment-171 Jared Goralnick Thu, 20 Apr 2006 13:06:15 +0000 http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2006/04/12/two-follow-ups-to-the-protests-in-france/#comment-171 You know I hadn't really considered the meaning of that. You're correct in its primary significance, according to a BBC glossary: <blockquote>The Iron Rice Bowl is a Chinese idiom referring to the system of guaranteed lifetime employment in state enterprises. Job security and level of wages were not related to job performance - but adherence to party doctrine played a very important role.</blockquote> I don't think that Kirk meant it to so pointedly to refer to communism. I imagine he just felt that they expected to be spoonfed regardless of their level of job performance. I don't think the communism allusion has to be applied, but I do see your point. I guess I'm taking Kirk's side because I'm somewhat familiar with his writing--I just don't think that was the implication he was after. You know I hadn’t really considered the meaning of that. You’re correct in its primary significance, according to a BBC glossary:

The Iron Rice Bowl is a Chinese idiom referring to the system of guaranteed lifetime employment in state enterprises. Job security and level of wages were not related to job performance – but adherence to party doctrine played a very important role.

I don’t think that Kirk meant it to so pointedly to refer to communism. I imagine he just felt that they expected to be spoonfed regardless of their level of job performance. I don’t think the communism allusion has to be applied, but I do see your point.

I guess I’m taking Kirk’s side because I’m somewhat familiar with his writing–I just don’t think that was the implication he was after.

]]> By: kate.d. http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2006/04/12/two-follow-ups-to-the-protests-in-france/comment-page-1/#comment-157 kate.d. Thu, 13 Apr 2006 17:58:41 +0000 http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2006/04/12/two-follow-ups-to-the-protests-in-france/#comment-157 "an iron rice-bowl"? seriously?? if i'm gleaning the reference correctly here, this guy is setting up that dichotomy that really pisses me off: either worship at the altar of the free market and american 'entrepreneurial" spirit, or be a commie slave worker. and that's patently ridiculous. but correct me if i'm wrong.... “an iron rice-bowl”? seriously??

if i’m gleaning the reference correctly here, this guy is setting up that dichotomy that really pisses me off: either worship at the altar of the free market and american ‘entrepreneurial” spirit, or be a commie slave worker. and that’s patently ridiculous.

but correct me if i’m wrong….

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