Spring Break
Questioning opinions of social "norms"
Catherine Felegi
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: Editorial
Remember that time when sex was saved for marriage, when you didn't drink to become inebriated, but just drank to enjoy the taste, when cursing was a big no-no and every good Christian went to church to hear the word of God?
Yea, it seems like the Puritan era, doesn't it?
Now, you are made fun of for being a virgin before marriage. "Guess you couldn't even get laid in college... That's pretty sad." The only good excuse to not drink is that you're enrolled in AA. You don't curse? Wow, what the hell do you say when you're angry? Weirdo... And don't even get me started on those crazy fundamentalist Christians...
I guess the point I am trying to make here is that our ethics are changing drastically. And sadly, they are not always for the better. I do not try to hold myself over those who do drink, have sex, smoke, whatever. What I do think is bad is when people are condemned for not upholding these "social norms."
What if someone does not want to have sex before marriage? Movies like "The Forty-Year-Old Virgin" (though extremely hilarious if I do say so myself) shows that those people are viewed as a pariah, a weirdo, a nerd who just doesn't have it in him to get laid. We are perpetuating a stereotype that negatively depicts values that were once held as righteous.
What about the non-drinkers? I must say, I do not drink and I can not tell you the endless hell I've gotten for not drinking from just about everyone. People don't need to drink to have a good time. But in the minds of others, if you don't drink and get "shit-faced" on weekends, you're missing out.
No cursing? What are you, a Puritan? Some people just like to keep those words out of their vocabulary. But now that they're outed that they don't curse, they are looked at as people who just don't know how to have fun, laugh at a few dirty jokes and curse like a sailor every time something goes wrong. I mean, think of all the anger built up inside, are they going to burst soon and attack everyone?
Don't get me started on those "crazy Christians."
Once people see my cross, I am automatically looked at as the girl who will not do anything that might be remotely wild or in the social norm. I am sorry, I can't have fun, it's against my religion. Usually the way I break people out of this stereotype is to make a joke. Sometimes it works while other times, they just look at me funny and walk away.
Maybe what I am trying to tell people is that they shouldn't have to worry about being a conformist. One does not have to go to every toga party and not remember it the next day. They don't have to think that there is no God in order to fit in. They don't need to get every STD available before college ends. One just simply has to be themselves. Unfortunately, we are starting to lose sight of that and rather quickly.
We need to stand up for the things we believe in, even if it means standing up against the world.
Yea, it seems like the Puritan era, doesn't it?
Now, you are made fun of for being a virgin before marriage. "Guess you couldn't even get laid in college... That's pretty sad." The only good excuse to not drink is that you're enrolled in AA. You don't curse? Wow, what the hell do you say when you're angry? Weirdo... And don't even get me started on those crazy fundamentalist Christians...
I guess the point I am trying to make here is that our ethics are changing drastically. And sadly, they are not always for the better. I do not try to hold myself over those who do drink, have sex, smoke, whatever. What I do think is bad is when people are condemned for not upholding these "social norms."
What if someone does not want to have sex before marriage? Movies like "The Forty-Year-Old Virgin" (though extremely hilarious if I do say so myself) shows that those people are viewed as a pariah, a weirdo, a nerd who just doesn't have it in him to get laid. We are perpetuating a stereotype that negatively depicts values that were once held as righteous.
What about the non-drinkers? I must say, I do not drink and I can not tell you the endless hell I've gotten for not drinking from just about everyone. People don't need to drink to have a good time. But in the minds of others, if you don't drink and get "shit-faced" on weekends, you're missing out.
No cursing? What are you, a Puritan? Some people just like to keep those words out of their vocabulary. But now that they're outed that they don't curse, they are looked at as people who just don't know how to have fun, laugh at a few dirty jokes and curse like a sailor every time something goes wrong. I mean, think of all the anger built up inside, are they going to burst soon and attack everyone?
Don't get me started on those "crazy Christians."
Once people see my cross, I am automatically looked at as the girl who will not do anything that might be remotely wild or in the social norm. I am sorry, I can't have fun, it's against my religion. Usually the way I break people out of this stereotype is to make a joke. Sometimes it works while other times, they just look at me funny and walk away.
Maybe what I am trying to tell people is that they shouldn't have to worry about being a conformist. One does not have to go to every toga party and not remember it the next day. They don't have to think that there is no God in order to fit in. They don't need to get every STD available before college ends. One just simply has to be themselves. Unfortunately, we are starting to lose sight of that and rather quickly.
We need to stand up for the things we believe in, even if it means standing up against the world.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
professional resumes
posted 12/31/09 @ 1:02 AM EST
I agree that people pay too much attention to stereotypes.
Post a Comment