中年危機， 似乎是所有35歲以上的盆友繞不過的一個關卡……
有人說， “中年男人”的標配通常有兩種。 要麼啤酒肚滿臉褶子說話油油膩膩，
好像無論哪一種， 都感覺怪怪的……
最近， 一枚在中國工作的歪果仁也寫文章來感慨， 說：貌似在中國的大多數西方人沒有這類危機呢……
Expat men immune to midlife crisis?
The recent tragic death of a man who leaped to his death from the 26th floor of his company's headquarters after being forced to resign has brought the lives of middle-aged men into sharp focus. The pressures of maintaining his income and supporting a family, in this case, proved too much to bear.
It begs the question of how many other 40- and 50-somethings are in the same position. Undoubtedly, the sad circumstances described above are quite common across the nation.
It also brings up the topic of middle-aged foreigners working in China. Are they undergoing a similar midlife crisis?
在中國工作的中年老外們， 也會有這類危機嗎？
I think the answer to this question is yes and no. In the sense that men everywhere become aware of their physical decline and impending mortality in their middle years, then the answer is yes.
我的回答是：有， 但也沒有。 如果“危機”意味著在中年健康狀況會下降， 並且迷之感覺“大限”在一天天逼近， 好吧， 那的確是有的。
The realization that it is all downhill from here leads to a feeling of desperation which can be hard to shake off. If the man in question is in an unfulfilling job with a mediocre salary, then these emotions are compounded.
Even seemingly successful people have killed themselves in their 40s and 50s. Mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression are not to be underestimated, and loved ones need to be on the lookout for warning signs, such as excessive drinking or withdrawal from contact and communication.
However, in my experience, the majority of middle-aged Westerners working in China do not appear to be in this situation.
不過， 在我看來， 大多數在中國工作的西方中年人並沒有這種苦惱呢~
For the most part, moving to China gives them a new lease on life. Many of them have better jobs and higher salaries here. Their social status is also better. At home, they are merely another middle-aged guy, but in China, they get more respect as sought-after commodities in the Chinese market.
Another benefit is their ability to attract young wives and girlfriends. I know a number of older men who have settled down with ladies 20 or 30 years younger than themselves. Clearly, this gives them a new lease on life, both sexually and in terms of their self-image.
So, although these men are as prone to a midlife crisis as anybody else, they have a solution: getting a good job, making money and starting a family in China. In other words, China, on the whole, is very good to them.
所以啊， 雖然這些在中國的外國中年漢子也有類似的中年危機， 但他們有解決的方案啊：找個好工作！掙錢！在中國組建個家庭！這樣就圓滿啦~~從整體上來說， 中國還是很棒的呢！
Their "crisis" thus takes on a unique form, as mentally, they return to their youthful years and behave like a younger version of themselves, cavorting hedonistically toward their twilight years.
Some of them make merry, go out on the town and play the field like a 20-something student. Others derive satisfaction from having kids late in life.
In most cases, they are far from depressed or suicidal. To be honest, in comparison with the employee described above, they are in an enviable position. They are able to forge a new life without the pressures of maintaining a career in the face of fierce competition.
原文：Jeremy Garlick
文案：lanlan
圖：Luo Xuan、網路
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