"Golden Wings" is a sociological work written in the form of a novel by Mr. Lin Yaohua. By comparing the rise and fall of two families in the first half of the twentieth century, the author puts forward several propositions about human society.
First, the bamboo pole and rubber band system. Through the description of these two families, the author outlines a framework of the interpersonal network. This frame is composed of bamboo poles and rubber bands. The bamboo poles represent individuals in human society, and the rubber bands maintain these individuals.
Second, equilibrium state. The relationship between individuals in human society always hovers between balance and imbalance. If "the system of interpersonal relationships is in a constant state of balance, we can call it equilibrium." Throughout human activities, the external environment always gives individuals some stimulation. Sometimes, these stimuli strengthen the balance of the system, and sometimes, some stimuli promote the imbalance of the system. But overall, the general direction is still balanced. Regarding the factors that damage the environment, the author summarizes four points: first, changes in the physical environment prompt changes in technology adapted to it, which results in changes in interpersonal relationships within the system; second, due to a technical reason The resulting technological changes will also lead to changes in people's daily relationships; third, changes in characters and teams will also lead to changes in interpersonal relationships; fourth, changes in external factors of a system will also lead to changes in the system. Changes in the relationship between members in the system will affect all personnel in the system.
Third, about fate. The issue of fate is mentioned in many places in the book. When Dong Lin encountered a lawsuit, he thought it was an inevitable fate; when Mao Heng's family fell into decline, he thought it was a problem of Feng Shui... So how does the author view these so-called fates? Dang Dong Lin believes that "all this has been arranged by God a long time ago." The author retorts, "Today we can understand God as human beings themselves and destiny as human society." Regarding Maoheng's "Feng Shui Theory", the author commented: "He attributed the change in Feng Shui to the nightmare of one person's incarnation. He completely failed to realize that the so-called personal nightmare is a dynamic force that belongs only to the person in a greater destiny, and is also due to his environment, his time and his The product of status, which in turn comes from a large-scale network structure formed by people's emotions and reflections on the objective environment. "From these words, the author believes in fate, but gives fate a wider scope. The content defines "destiny" as human society.
I think the above three points are what the author wants to tell readers through this book. In addition, there is a sentence in the book that I like very much - bury the seeds in the soil. A good book is good if it can give readers some inspiration. In the last paragraph of the chapter "Deadlock", looking at the enemy planes flying overhead, Dong Lin calmly said to his grandchildren: "Children, don't forget to bury the seeds in the soil!"
Yes, don’t forget to bury the seeds in the soil! If you bury them, you will have hope. Only if you bury them, will the seeds take root and germinate, and then you will have a good harvest. Nowadays, the whole society is impetuous, and we personally are also very impetuous and confused. How to calm down in the face of many temptations is a question worth thinking about. As a student, you must not forget to bury the seeds in the soil.
Finally, I encountered the following problems while reading:
First, in the chapter "Agricultural System", the author mentioned multiples of nine, or the last digit of nine Numbers are unlucky numbers. Why is this so? Is this statement local?
Secondly, why must the number of pieces of clothing worn by the deceased when buried be an odd number? In which places does this folk custom exist?
Third, in the chapter "Split", according to the primogeniture system, the eldest brother received more property. But in some areas, inheritance is generally equal, and it is possible that the youngest son inherits the most, because parents are most likely to have the youngest son to support them. The question is, what are the differences in inheritance habits in different regions of China?
Fourth, "The Golden Wing" is a very important book in anthropology, which uses the form of a novel to illustrate social relations.
The question is, what are the flaws of this novel-style academic work? As an academic paper, can such a book pass the censorship in the Chinese academic world?