Film Noir Buff Style Forum / Fakery and Grubbiness

Gilbert the Filbert · 2013-12-21 07:18:11

In the novels of Jane Austen married couples call each other 'Mr' and 'Mrs' in company. Presumably they didn't do that when they were in the rut: 'Ah! Mr Bennet'...'Ooh! Mrs Bennet'. I can remember decades ago that all the managers and staff of all the great west end shops would call customers 'sir' or 'madam', or as the case may require. Nowadays they're all Tom, Dick, Harry and Tracey, Debbie and Donna and we are too. A friend recently received an e-card for Christmas from one of the universities that he attended. It addressed him as 'Dear Geoffrey', which is his abandoned first given name. He ranted to me about the synthetic familiarity which is abroad in the world and I have to say that he has a point - although I think that the familiarity is real enough and that it is the sincerity which is fake - fake friendliness; stuck-on smiles - all to squeeze money out of us (the university was really after funding from alumni). Every single opportunity for civility, festivity and friendliness is twisted and bent out of shape and exploited to the nth degree for wonga - and that's leaving out of account all the smarmy, greaseball-gumbas, the i-merchants with their warrants to the i-gentry and their advertising and discount entanglements with the trades. It's all rather grubby really, isn't it? Or am I just being an old fuddy-duddy?

Worried Man · 2013-12-21 08:05:10

I'm with you. All of this is only heightened during the holidays. My alma mater has been calling me and bombing my mailboxes, real and electronic, with pleas for money. I've given to them every year since graduation, except for this year. Maybe they should have called me this much when I gave to them in the past, just to say thanks for your contribution. But no. I still support them and plan to give next year, but sheesh...

Life is just a long and often tedious weeding out process. This goes for friends, women, clothes, music, food, beer, liquor, etc. You have to cast aside all the nonsense and the people that only want to benefit from a one-sided relationship. You have to navigate an endless, omnidirectional bombardment of advertising flak and people trying to sell you all kinds of things - religion, companionship, products, services, and on and on and on. It pays to think critically and recognize dubious attempts by others for selfish aggrandizement, and to simultaneously maintain senses of humor, respect, generosity, compassion, and a friendly disposition.