Further Thoughts on Last Night's Post

Tonight was American Studies (1830s)--as seminar course where you just never know what you'll come across. For some reason, we got on the topic of companionate marriage and how America was different from most of the world at the time because of this. Most places were still strongly attached to marriage for business-connections, bettering the family's class, increasing lands, etc. In America, however, they had this crazy idea of marrying because they actually *liked* the other person--imagine that!

Then it clicked! This crazy idea of choosing our partners because we want them (which is a practice that's only 200-250 years old by estimates) could be a big reason why so much of the world turns a blind eye to affairs or even polygamy. If you are from a history of connections that don't fulfill what you want other than power or money--certainly not someone who sets your passions afire and you want to spend your time with--then no wonder why this would be the norm and we would seem uptight over here for being upset about it. No wonder!

Yeah... it was a dumb leap and should have been more obvious, I know. But for some reason, I keep looking for a reason why this happens in general. The societal views and what makes it okay in some places and not in others. I can't help myself--people say something that is barely, remotely related to the topic and all the sudden I have an epiphany and want to discuss it. Something most people are not receptive to since it is such a hush-hush topic here.

I'm crazy.

I'm also feeling a bit defunkified. The forum shit is still going on. Realizing that some of these people I knew were not presenting themselves as they really are is disheartening. I've lost some people I thought were friends over this nonsense. But I guess they were never really friends in the first place--just shadows of what I hoped they would be and there's no point in chasing something that doesn't exist. Life as a hermit is so much easier.