tuesday, September 15, 1981
daily nebraskan
page 7
Professor says marriage unpredictable, changing
By Tom Shelton
Professor Werner Leinfellner found a surprise when he
came back to Lincoln after spending the summer in his
native Vienna, Austria - far more students than he
expected.
Leinfellner, who teaches a philosophy class dealing
with the ethics of marriage, was surprised to find 160 stu
dents enrolled in his five-week mini-course, 20 more than
planned.
Leinfellner said the rapid alteration of the institution
of marriage probably accounts for the large class enroll
ment. "Marriage is in change," he said. "Nobody knows
where it wOl go in 10 or 15 years. Some say it will become
more traditional, more puritanic, but I don't think so."
But, he said, "I didn't expect so many students. Over
200 would have joined if we had let them."
Leinfellner said this is the first time he has taught the
course although it was first offered last semester. He said
interest in marriage is at an all-time high because of its
unpredictable and changing nature.
"Why talk about an institution that's in good stand
ing?" said.
The philosophy class explores several aspects of marri
age and includes the views of several philosophers on the
subject, but Leinfellner has his own views too.
"Marriage in America has turned away from the
puritanic, traditional life," he said, "away from absolute
and rigid forms of marriage. It's loosened up."
Last longer
The professor said the marriages of couples with several
children tend to last longer.
"A marriage with one kid is socially different " he said.
"If you have three or more, you have to live with the
family.""
Leinfellner said the presence of children often forces
parents to stay at home more, causing both marriage part
ners to spend more time together.
He said big families are less prevalent today because of
economics.
"Look at the economic pinch," he said. "In China,
three or four children and you don't get money from the
government. In India, big families are prevented by the
lack of food."
Leinfellner said the economy of the United States has
made large families less common.
He said marriages do not last as long as they used to.
"Marriage doesn't last as long - that's a fact," he said.
"But it is as common as it used to be."
However, he said, the structure of marriage is flexible.
"Old-fashioned marriage where marriage is absolute
and without any infidelity is not possible," he said. "We
don't need and we don't want it."
Leinfellner, who said his special interest is social
philosophy, has had considerable experience in studying
social relations on a world-wide basis.
Wittgenstein Symposium
For the past several years he has attended the Wittgen
stein Symposium, a yearly gathering in Vienna of over
600 philosophers from around the world. He attended the
1981 symposium Aug. 23 through 30 before returning
to teach this semester.
He has frequently taught philosophy courses in
Europe. Leinfellner has taught in Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, and Czechoslavakia.
He first came to Nebraska in 1967 and since then has
found several social differences between the United States
and European countries.
"Europe is so liberalized now," he said. "In Vienna, in
Germany, everywhere, there is legalized topless swimming
in public areas," he said. "The reasoning is if men can
swim topless, why can't women?
"There is even public nude swimming in Europe, it's
legal. If people want to take it all off, nobody cares. Most
don't, but about 15 to 20 percent do," he said.
Leinfellner said nudity in some public parks in Europe
is an example of changing social attitudes.
Book exchange turns best fall profits
More than $3,000 was made by students during this
semester's ASUN Book Exchange, but Dan Renn, ASUN
director of records, says he is still disappointed by the
turnout.
According to Renn, ASUN acts as an intermediary, sell
ing the books for students and giving them the money,
less 5 percent for advertising expenses.
Renn, said this, seme st ex's exchange was ASUK's most
successful fall exchange. More than 500 sales were made.
But Renn says the figure should be much higher.
Library offers tours
Tours of Love Library will be offered for the next two
weeks, said Kay Crawford, of the Bibliographical Services
Staff.
The tours, conducted by staff members, are designed
to familiarize students with the building layout and the
services the library offers.
"But if a student comes to the tour with a specific
problem - as on a term paper, perhaps - we will be
happy to help," Crawford said. The tours replace those
formerly conducted by the English department, which
have been discontinued, she said.
Interested people should meet on the first floor of
Love South, to the left of the circulation desk. The tours
will be offered twice daily on the following dates: today
at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Thursday at 10 ajn. and 4 p.m.;
Sept. 21, at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Sept. 23, at 8:30
ajn. and 3 p.m.; and Sept. 25, at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30
p.m.
"We're still not getting the word out to the students,"
he said, "especially the incoming freshmen.
"We need to get the message across that students can
buy and sell books at the best prices with us, especially
paperbacks.
"Students are not being paid what they should for
their paperbacks. It's a disgrace."
But Renn. says he has. higher goals set fox the second,
semester book exchange. Among them is to reach between
$5,000 and $6,000 in sales.
"It's (turnout) usually greater in the spring because
more people have heard about it," Renn said.
"We're going to go all out and try to contact as many
people as possible and convince them to bring in their
books during finals week," he said.
"If someone uses the services, we can't guarantee that
their books will be sold, but we'll do everything we can to
let people know that they can get a good deal with us."
According to Renn, Iowa University has a successful
year-round book exchange.
Although ASUN's exchange isi't of that caliber, Renn
says business has been increasing throughout the eight
years the group has sponsored UNL's exchange.
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"In the public parks in Munich, nudity is not allowed
legally. But nobody seemed to mind, so no one has been
prosecuted for walking around the parks naked,H he said.
Open society
Leinfellner said these traits are a demonstration of how
open European society is. Not all areas in Europe are as
liberal, he said. East Germany is puritanic, but "not so
rigid as it used to be," he added.
He described European openness as healthy. "More
people talk about social problems in Europe," he said.
"In Europe the men and women talk 100 percent more
about sex. They also talk more about marriage; that's
something that's missing here."
Leinfellner said he approves of couples living together
before marriage, provided it is done in the hope of firming
a relationship before actual marriage.
He said unmarried couples living together actually
practice a form of "trial marriage" which can lead to the
legal version if the couple is compatible.
"My general idea of a 'trial marriage' is where you
talk to your partner," he said. "You have to be open
minded to your partner to avoid unnecessary suffering.
You should maximize your pleasure, but not at the
expense of your partner," he said.
Leinfellner said communication about social problems
is the best way to become informed about them. He said
he encourages his students to share their views and experi
ences in his class.
"If students talk about what's going on, they'll know
how to handle things better," he said.
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