(Untitled)

[magicmaster321]

It isn't very often that I see something that makes me think that the modern world has become inhospitable to traditional ways of life. Today was one of those days. In the wake of one of my friends back home getting very happily married, two of my best friends from the bay area have ended their relationship. That is to say that one of them has

Comments

[noldolante]

Please tell me you're not talking about John and Chelsea...

[magicmaster321]

I know...it was like a shot in the gut for me. I know it sounds weird, but I looked at their relationship as something to aspire to. This has been bothering me all day, and I'm not even a part of it...what's wrong with me?

[carndum]

Everyone Back Then was just as fucked up as we are now. Hell, a "traditional relationship" could refer to an arranged marriage. Even though the now is completely FUBAR, don't pull a Livy and think that those in the past were moral paragons.

[magicmaster321]

The difference is that back then people worked though it. Now if people hit a bump in a relationship then tend to abandon ship, not to say that this was the case because I don't know the details, but it seems like the value placed in relationships has decreased. I'm not really sure quite what I'm trying to say...and as a result I know I will probably stick my foot so far in my mouth that I'm going to end up choking to death on it, but I'm really disappointed. At least in my experience the bond that occurs during a long term relationship never really goes away. You may forget about it, you may get angry with the person, or anything else can make you lose perspective on that bond, but when all is said and done its still there. In that regard I guess its kinda like conjoined twins. Together they might not be able to live the way most individuals do, but apart they're incomplete at best, and at worst both wither and die. Then again, maybe I put too much value in the connections between people

[damien_thryn]

Nah, not at all. Can never value relationships too much. Part of the problem may be the selfishness modern society worships. Read some of these advice columnists some time, talking about relationships. These days, its all about yourself and what you want, what you can get.

Everyone Back Then (following Joseph's lead) probably were just as bad as we are as people, but basic survival needs overshadowed their innate selfishness. You sort of learn to get along with someone when your mutual reliance keeps you alive year to year. When people don't need each other, they are free to be selfish.

[noldolante]

You know, I think modern society has come to define a virtuous a lot of survival behaviors that became tradition because they were required, and then stayed traditional after they weren't because that was what people were used to.

I do not, however, disagree that people were forced to act more as a community back when life was rougher...and that it was probably good for them as people to depend on each other.

Sometimes the bar just needs to be raised in order to inspire us to work harder.

[mariarosita]

I can't believe that, I thought they would be together forever. So sorry, that is really sad.