I think it's definitely progress that I didn't really get mad when I saw yet another "Holidays are awful if you're not dating/married/surrounded by family, but keep a stiff upper lip" article. I mean, I guess it's progress that I'm not totally disgusted with it. I admit that there are people out there who aren't alone by choice, and maybe this article will really help them out. See? Progress. Maturity.
I did laugh though, when all the banner ads were for dating services. Um . . . I laughed a lot.
For all those who wish they could be with their various loved ones over the holidays and can't for whatever reason, I'm praying for you.
One thing I did like about the article was the "Don't be manipulated" point about the romantic world advertisers have created being largely fictional. I was thinking lately about why I've purposefully avoided romance novels: I don't mind a little escapism (OK, I don't mind a *lot*), but if the whole point of a story is "he woos her and they get together" it's just not going to do me much good. I'm already married, and while I certainly do enjoy romantic themes in books, I benefit more from stories that don't reduce love to exciting first six months of a relationship.
ReplyDeleteIt's true. :) A book I'm reading right now talks about how a lot of that "romantic" manipulation is consumerism, businesses trying to generate demand for a product by showing the product as being sexy. :) It's an interesting idea to think about.
ReplyDeleteHooray for escapism! I agree, though. I want a story about people, not just about romance. If the whole story is made of gratuitous plot advancement, it's not a very good or interesting story to me. :)