(no subject)
It used to be that loyalty was the most important thing. It was rewarded, if not expected. People would work the same job their whole life, stay married, and usually not move from their home area. Now, staying with a job 5 years earns you an achievement, there are shows and cultures based around polygamy, and I’m constantly getting neighbors from all over the country. In the last 10 years we’ve had 7+ houses on the street change occupants. Some more than once.
Don’t argue that polygamy is older than TV and not a new thing, I know that. But it is new to being heard of by your mainstream audience, which is the only thing that ultimately matters.
So why the change? Brand loyalty is now ‘fanboyism’ and frowned upon. Talking up the benefits of a monogamous relationship is almost taboo and ‘offensive’ to the lesser cultures. How has it become a bad thing to like 1 thing; 1 person exclusively? You can’t like/accept everything or it’s like saying you have no opinion whatsoever. Variety is wonderful, but there is a reason people don’t typically order the sampler platter instead of a meal. Dabble in however many things you like, but ultimately make a decision and stick with it.
I wonder how few people that are married today will still be so in 50 years. People that have been married in the last 10, I mean. I’m not calling anyone out either so don’t think I’m locking in on anyone in specific. I personally can attest to there being substantially little loyalty in many marriages, not to appear tacky. I think I’ll move on from that, actually…
I remember growing up bringing in Valentines cards to my friends at school. That’s a no-go these days, forcing you to bring them for the entire class or no one at all to spare feelings. But if I don’t separate my friends from strangers, aren’t I just taking away the ‘special’ness of having friends at all? I don’t go out of my way to give a stranger a present, since statistically they are probably bad. Why else wouldn’t I be friends with them in the first place? Maybe it’s a private school thing but I pretty much had the same classmates every year, barring a few transfers. Public schools seem too overloaded and kids seem shuffled around a lot more. Maybe we have the first real cause for the problem with loyalty right there?
I am a dabbler myself, but it’s largely because of how I view things. I was raised by my grandparents so I expect to be married once and for life, and once I finally find a career that suits me I don’t plan on even looking at alternatives. Call it conservative (another word that carries a stigma these days) or what have you, but I respect and appreciate devotion. I don’t’ want to make a decision that I will regret or have to go back on later, so I put off making decisions at all.
I think it’s largely a cultural thing. The US has a culture around being inattentive, selfish, and overindulgent. It’s apparent even in games. WoW (American made) is based around alts. FFXI/FFXIV (Japanese) are based around your 1 character being able to do everything. You get more attached to one character and identify with them. You don’t just have characters that are tools for whatever raid/instance you need to run. They are also more grindy and ‘harder’ to get results from. Things aren’t handed to you like WoW. XI is actually more work than I’m willing to put into it (hypocritical perhaps) but XIV is the perfect balance of work-accomplishment.
Anyways, this has been my longest-standing complaint about society today. I have ranted, complained, bitched, etc. about these issues for years and if anything, it’s getting worse. To quote the wise Mr. Horse: “No sir, I don’t like it.”
Don’t argue that polygamy is older than TV and not a new thing, I know that. But it is new to being heard of by your mainstream audience, which is the only thing that ultimately matters.
So why the change? Brand loyalty is now ‘fanboyism’ and frowned upon. Talking up the benefits of a monogamous relationship is almost taboo and ‘offensive’ to the lesser cultures. How has it become a bad thing to like 1 thing; 1 person exclusively? You can’t like/accept everything or it’s like saying you have no opinion whatsoever. Variety is wonderful, but there is a reason people don’t typically order the sampler platter instead of a meal. Dabble in however many things you like, but ultimately make a decision and stick with it.
I wonder how few people that are married today will still be so in 50 years. People that have been married in the last 10, I mean. I’m not calling anyone out either so don’t think I’m locking in on anyone in specific. I personally can attest to there being substantially little loyalty in many marriages, not to appear tacky. I think I’ll move on from that, actually…
I remember growing up bringing in Valentines cards to my friends at school. That’s a no-go these days, forcing you to bring them for the entire class or no one at all to spare feelings. But if I don’t separate my friends from strangers, aren’t I just taking away the ‘special’ness of having friends at all? I don’t go out of my way to give a stranger a present, since statistically they are probably bad. Why else wouldn’t I be friends with them in the first place? Maybe it’s a private school thing but I pretty much had the same classmates every year, barring a few transfers. Public schools seem too overloaded and kids seem shuffled around a lot more. Maybe we have the first real cause for the problem with loyalty right there?
I am a dabbler myself, but it’s largely because of how I view things. I was raised by my grandparents so I expect to be married once and for life, and once I finally find a career that suits me I don’t plan on even looking at alternatives. Call it conservative (another word that carries a stigma these days) or what have you, but I respect and appreciate devotion. I don’t’ want to make a decision that I will regret or have to go back on later, so I put off making decisions at all.
I think it’s largely a cultural thing. The US has a culture around being inattentive, selfish, and overindulgent. It’s apparent even in games. WoW (American made) is based around alts. FFXI/FFXIV (Japanese) are based around your 1 character being able to do everything. You get more attached to one character and identify with them. You don’t just have characters that are tools for whatever raid/instance you need to run. They are also more grindy and ‘harder’ to get results from. Things aren’t handed to you like WoW. XI is actually more work than I’m willing to put into it (hypocritical perhaps) but XIV is the perfect balance of work-accomplishment.
Anyways, this has been my longest-standing complaint about society today. I have ranted, complained, bitched, etc. about these issues for years and if anything, it’s getting worse. To quote the wise Mr. Horse: “No sir, I don’t like it.”