In the morning of September 14, 1953, millions of American women felt uneasy and thousands of families were again in trouble, thanking to the shameless research by the sex professor–Dr. Alfred Kinsey. Many women suddenly discovered that their lives lacked one critical element–the sexual orgasm. Conservatives were also furious about Kinsey’s Reports. Rev. Bill Graham claimed that Dr. Kinsey had been grossly mistaken about millions of born-again women who had vowed for being chaste in their lives.

The notorious book–Sexual Behavior in the Human Female was in fact a serious academic monograph detailing about the sexual experience and behavior among American women. It was a dry book full of tables and arcane descriptions. Furthermore, men’s dark secrets had already been exposed to the public five years ago in the book– Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. These two books (the Kinsey Reports)were sold 300,000 each, a number which almost all academic writers would envy.

The 2004 movie–Kinsey– documented both Kinsey’s fascinating personal life and his controversial research. In the post-Monica era when people are questioning sex and morality, this movie was timely and also necessary. Human sexuality is not a taboo, and talking about it will not corrupt the society.

(more…)

China has been boasting of its rich culture and sophisticated civilization for thousands of years. Even eight hundred years ago, China still prevailed the world in agriculture, literature and technology. The Western Europe, however, was at the dawn of a revolution. The revolution was so powerful that European science and technology were developed exponentially thereafter. In 1840 when Europeans opened China with thunderous cannons, the country laid in front of them was ridiculously primitive.

Why was China left behind given its glorious history?

Let’s travel back to the later 1400s in Europe. Besides tragedies (for example the Black Plague), military activities (the end of one hundred year war between England and French, and the retreat of Muslim Moors), and adventurous events (the discovery of the America by Columbus), there was also a drastic change in knowledge dissemination and acquisition in the society. People became interested in natural science and started to appreciate Greek philosophy. Universities were formed in major European countries. Even the practice of religion was questioned. Martin Luther started the protestant reformation. Something was definitely happening in Europe then.

(more…)