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The Instrumentalist Theory

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The Instrumentalist Theory
Every day we are able to see several examples of the instrumentalist theory, however, throughout the novel, Waiting, we realize that it is an inadequate theory when it comes to terms about love and romance. Many of the books would-be choices are followed through cultural norms which then challenged, shaped and determined the thoughts and actions of the central protagonists. Using characters from the book I will demonstrate what the instrumentalist theory of love would have been like for both Lin and Manna had they followed a path centered on maximizing their wealth and prosperity. Then when the scenarios are compared to what actually happened, it will ultimately prove that the world is not culturally flat as practices of love and romance differ from country to country demonstrating that the instrumentalism theory of human action is not always correct.
In lecture, …show more content…
The book, Waiting, offers a glimpse at Chinese society during the late 20th century. The practices of love and romance that took place in the book significantly differ based on what cultural lens they are seen through. The practices of courting in China are much different than those of the US. According to the book, in China one cannot walk out in public with someone of the opposite sex and enjoy time with them without attracting glares from other civilians. However, in the US one can date whomever they want and do not have the negative stigma following them. Another cultural difference is in sexual intercourse, in China one must wait until they are married, whereas in the US, it has become the norm to have sex before marriage. Most importantly, divorces are majorly different in China than in the US. In China, Lin had to wait 18 years to get a divorce from his wife, but in the US divorces happen on a regular, day-to-day
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