On the Ideal of Self-Support among the Aged

Several days ago I was eating with a graduate student, Sarula from Inner Mongolia, and a graduate school colleague, Robert Sigley. Sarula said it was her ambition to reach a position in life where, if she became an old woman without children, she would still be able to support herself comfortably. Not being able to resist, I said that, no, her aim should be to reach a position where she could support herself comfortably as an old woman, even if she did have children.