Do cultural narratives about love and relationships create expectations and behaviors that lead to an idealized, unfulfilled desire for immediate gratification?
Edit "fulfilled" and it's a winner. A few thoughts: How will you connect the cultural anthropology with the individual psychology? Do cultural messages influence a person's behavior? How can such an effect be documented, measured or changed?
This is a great question. I too wonder if our culture represents love/relationships as a quick way to fulfill our desires (for it sure is portrayed that way via movies, television shows, etc.). Is it truly love that we feel? Or do we just love the feeling it brings us? Can't wait to see the results!
I think too, that part of the problem with movies, for example, is that they're 2 hours long. And within in that time frame we meet these characters, they meet each other, and there is love or there isn't. And where there is love, it is often "magical" and such. I have found few movies that realistically portray love. The ones I have found are depressing and a lot longer! However, I think it is because movies are 2 hours, that people get this idea that love just happens, "Boof!" -- You don't really fall in love and have a satisfying and accomplished relationship in two hours. It is a distortion that people are misjudging perhaps.
People aren't really thinking love is going to happen in two hours, but I think that they are expecting results much sooner.
Edit "fulfilled" and it's a winner. A few thoughts: How will you connect the cultural anthropology with the individual psychology? Do cultural messages influence a person's behavior? How can such an effect be documented, measured or changed?
ReplyDeleteThis is a great question. I too wonder if our culture represents love/relationships as a quick way to fulfill our desires (for it sure is portrayed that way via movies, television shows, etc.). Is it truly love that we feel? Or do we just love the feeling it brings us? Can't wait to see the results!
ReplyDeleteI think too, that part of the problem with movies, for example, is that they're 2 hours long. And within in that time frame we meet these characters, they meet each other, and there is love or there isn't. And where there is love, it is often "magical" and such. I have found few movies that realistically portray love. The ones I have found are depressing and a lot longer! However, I think it is because movies are 2 hours, that people get this idea that love just happens, "Boof!" -- You don't really fall in love and have a satisfying and accomplished relationship in two hours. It is a distortion that people are misjudging perhaps.
ReplyDeletePeople aren't really thinking love is going to happen in two hours, but I think that they are expecting results much sooner.
-Trevor