A sign of the times: I can remember reading an article when I was very young, perhaps twelve, and much too young to be reading such things, about a new trend called 'monosexuality', in which people, rather than turning to members of the opposite sex, or the same sex, for love, turned to themselves. I was quite astounded by the piece and reported it to my parents, who gently informed me - after asking where on earth I had seen such a thing (answer: an Esquire magazine in my aunt's house) - that it was satire.
To add another disturbing element to your comment, back in the day (I'm a 90's kid), there were jokes about people getting too emotionally attached to their Tamagotchi...
Now there are droves of men in Japan who have "virtual girlfriends," and men in the west who are preoccupied by er, ones who take on more of a human form. I wish I was joking.
I find this sad, and concerning for a few reasons.
Are you familiar with the "manosphere"? They have an equivalent called MGTOW (Men Go Their Own Way). It's not a very Christian way of living, and neither is women-self marriage.
Your point of training and possibly attracting for marriage is true. All Christians should learn to serve, and some Christians treat it as a form of discipline. I participate in a young adults group, where there are a lot of young singles and I recently came across a perspective that was sad. A lot of singles despair when it comes to whether they will ever meet the person they will marry. This kind of attitude inhibits the ability and the drive to think outside of one's self.
A lot of these people don't see the point in serving. They don't see the point in participating in the community, because as a single friend pointed out to me, people can easily get what they want elsewhere. The question is "what's in it for me?" It's a very sad and self-serving way to live but it's what we have.
Yes, and when a priest suggested I become a volunteer, I was indignant. At the time I couldn't see beyond the imaginary vision of the dreary soup kitchen I had in my mind. (Partly because my religion textbook in high school featured homeless people in a soup kitchen as examples of the Call to the Single life. The Singles were the homeless people. Seriously.) It's up to the Single to figure out how they would most enjoy serving, or are best equipped to serve. Serving other Singles, as they share the Single's worries and loneliness, is a great idea. "What can I do to make us all feel better?" saved me from total self-absorption.
I agree, and serving doesn't stop in marriage, either. It's still good to serve others as a married person, because it sets an example for singles (and other married people). Also, it's a great way to meet people, and forming relationships with others is one of the first steps to moving past self-pity and loneliness.
A sign of the times: I can remember reading an article when I was very young, perhaps twelve, and much too young to be reading such things, about a new trend called 'monosexuality', in which people, rather than turning to members of the opposite sex, or the same sex, for love, turned to themselves. I was quite astounded by the piece and reported it to my parents, who gently informed me - after asking where on earth I had seen such a thing (answer: an Esquire magazine in my aunt's house) - that it was satire.
ReplyDeleteAnd now that satire has become a reality. Golly.
Clio
To add another disturbing element to your comment, back in the day (I'm a 90's kid), there were jokes about people getting too emotionally attached to their Tamagotchi...
DeleteNow there are droves of men in Japan who have "virtual girlfriends," and men in the west who are preoccupied by er, ones who take on more of a human form. I wish I was joking.
I find this sad, and concerning for a few reasons.
ReplyDeleteAre you familiar with the "manosphere"? They have an equivalent called MGTOW (Men Go Their Own Way). It's not a very Christian way of living, and neither is women-self marriage.
Your point of training and possibly attracting for marriage is true. All Christians should learn to serve, and some Christians treat it as a form of discipline. I participate in a young adults group, where there are a lot of young singles and I recently came across a perspective that was sad. A lot of singles despair when it comes to whether they will ever meet the person they will marry. This kind of attitude inhibits the ability and the drive to think outside of one's self.
A lot of these people don't see the point in serving. They don't see the point in participating in the community, because as a single friend pointed out to me, people can easily get what they want elsewhere. The question is "what's in it for me?" It's a very sad and self-serving way to live but it's what we have.
Yes, and when a priest suggested I become a volunteer, I was indignant. At the time I couldn't see beyond the imaginary vision of the dreary soup kitchen I had in my mind. (Partly because my religion textbook in high school featured homeless people in a soup kitchen as examples of the Call to the Single life. The Singles were the homeless people. Seriously.) It's up to the Single to figure out how they would most enjoy serving, or are best equipped to serve. Serving other Singles, as they share the Single's worries and loneliness, is a great idea. "What can I do to make us all feel better?" saved me from total self-absorption.
DeleteI agree, and serving doesn't stop in marriage, either. It's still good to serve others as a married person, because it sets an example for singles (and other married people). Also, it's a great way to meet people, and forming relationships with others is one of the first steps to moving past self-pity and loneliness.
Delete