Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Look at me....Look at what I can afford...I'm cool...I'm trendy....I 'm in with the in crowd....I have all of the props and symbols that spell success in society. I'm a first class person and I am willing to pay to be up front....Fuss over me...GIve me the royal treatment and I wlll throw you a few bones for your service...Can't you see how nice I am? I donate more to charities than anyone else I know....So don't call me selfish or arrogant....
Just like a yuppie bragging about his latest acquisition or experience, venting about yuppies is also an attempt to fulfill the human need for validation. We're just using different tools to get attention.
Keep quiet...Don't say anything...Stuff your feelings....Pretend that everything is fine...Keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself....If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all...These kinds of attitudes and proclimations are the mark of a dysfunctional system....where people fear speaking out and settle for the status quo. None of this is healthy...at least not to me.
It's not just about yuppies...It's about challenging society and our existing beliefs and normal way of life at every point along the way. It's about reinventing ourselves and thinking outside the "box." It's about embracing brand new ideas...instead of pushing them away because they don't conform with our "existing norms."
Status seeking is a normal human behavior. It can be used for both positive and negative ends.
Here's a positive example: a sixteen-year-old boy who has been an uninspired student all his life develops a crush on his Spanish teacher. In an effort to impress his teacher, he uncovers a natural talent for language that turns his academic life around.
Obviously, people who brag are annoying, but I think we all need to come to grips with our similar needs for recognition and validation. Here at C-D, we all have reputation points, and I suspect we all get a little thrill when we see that notification that another poster values what we wrote. I know I do, and I'm not always proud of it, especially if what I posted was inflammatory (Don't those posts always get the most points?). On the other hand, if I truly meant to help somebody and succeeded, I think I have good reason to be satisfied...proud even.
My point is that those some call yuppies are seeking status within a particular community, but they are no more prone to wanting recognition than anybody else.
Last edited by formercalifornian; 02-05-2010 at 10:37 AM..
Keep quiet...Don't say anything...Stuff your feelings....Pretend that everything is fine...Keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself....If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all...These kinds of attitudes and proclimations are the mark of a dysfunctional system....where people fear speaking out and settle for the status quo. None of this is healthy...at least not to me.
But these suggestions can be used for negative ends, too. If the recent spate of political wives and celebrities writing tell-all books is an example of a functional system, then I think we need to reevaluate. Western culture undervalues privacy.
Last edited by formercalifornian; 02-05-2010 at 10:36 AM..
When people feel obligated to follow trends and fads...they are not really free. They are limited when it comes to their choices. Certain brands have high status and other brands don't....Some sections of town and some housing developments have high status...and others don't. It's this way with everything....and people who want to look "in" and prosperous have limited choices. Nobody in my world cares if I drive a BMW or not....Nobody cares if I wear trendy and designer clothes or not...Nobody cares if I wear my hair in the latest style or not. I don't feel pressured to upgrade my appliances every few years.....or paint my walls a new color to be in fashion....I am free to do whatever I want because I am not a follower.
formercalifornian...My goodness...you are certainly giving me a run for my money but I enjoy your posts and the mental stimulation. Thanks. Why is it so important to you to defend yuppies and prove me wrong? Just curious....I'll think about my deeper motives and write about it later today...I better stop and take care of some other things in my life for now. More later and thanks.
formercalifornian...My goodness...you are certainly giving me a run for my money but I enjoy your posts and the mental stimulation. Thanks. Why is it so important to you to defend yuppies and prove me wrong? Just curious....I'll think about my deeper motives and write about it later today...I better stop and take care of some other things in my life for now. More later and thanks.
It's possible that you're misunderstanding my point. I find the behaviors you describe annoying, too, so I'm not trying to defend them, per say. What I am saying is that status seeking is a human trait, and the vast majority of us, regardless of resources, want validation for our choices. It's the primary driver of socialization.
Children learn and practice good table manners because they want to impress their parents...their grandparents...their girlfriend's parents...you get the idea! My brother turned around his entire academic career because he had a crush on his teacher. I used to work as a musician, and I worked very hard at my craft mostly because, frankly, I enjoyed the applause.
Even in voluntary simplicity circles, there is a certain amount of one-upsmanship, as in, "I bought nothing new this week. How about you?"
As for wanting to prove you wrong, that isn't my primary goal, at least I don't think so. I was simply trying to present the situation from a different angle. This is the Great Debate forum after all. It wouldn't be any fun if we all just repeated each other.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
