Write a Proposal to Start a New Social/Cultural Trend

Assignment: Look at a supposedly "normal" (for what really is "normal"?) cultural practice, analyze what is wrong (legitimately or facetiously), and propose a new social/cultural practice.

Example: Single People Need Toasters Too

As a young person whose friends seem to find themselves in the delightful position of saying "I do," I have had the privilege of going shopping for the "I doers" many times. I love the fact that I do not have to go into a store and try to ascertain the couple's sub-cranial preferences as they have let a digital scanner take away all of the guesswork of buying presents (unless of course you are trying to navigate Herberger's very oddly arranged kitchen section). For this I am truly grateful, and I can perceive that the couple is grateful that they are not receiving 500 blenders (although, who wouldn't feel loved receiving this hyperbolic gift with the ability to make copious amounts of milkshakes -- you could make a lot of friends this way!). Part of me feels a need to research when this revolutionary concept of registering for gifts was first put into practice; however, since it is summer and my desire to do research has miraculously taken a place on the back burner and coupled with the fact that it is not of the utmost importance for the rest of this note, I will continue without ascertaining the background of the practice.

When a couple gets married it has been presumed that they are going to be living together in a shelter that does a little more than hold out the elements, and thus their registries often reflect a bias towards the household "genre." But my question to this practice is, "What were they using before they got married and experienced the delight of the wedding registry?" Nothing? Well, of course that is a bit absurd; the reality is they were probably like many single people who have an amalgamation of hand-me downs from family and friends, rummage sale purchases, dumpster dives, and new purchases. The wedding registry simply allows the couple to have the opportunity to blend (with or without the use of 500 blenders, mind you) their lives together with many more new items that the couple can call "theirs" and not "mine" and "yours."

This practice does make good sense for people who get married while in college or right after college; however, what about the people who establish themselves in a career first and don't get married until much later in life and those who never leave the single state? Are those people left to simply build up their household wares by themselves? Single people use toasters too! This is where I find a flaw in our society's system. Here is a potential proposal: Why not make the age of 21 a landmark age for a completely different reason than going to the bar to imbibe in a newly acquired ability to purchase alcohol? What if on your 21st birthday you gained access to register for your new grown-up status gifts? You would not have to register if you choose not to (which would then allow you to register when you got married), and you could register at any time after your 21st birthday (in which case you would eliminate your ability to register if you got married). Imagine the flocks of people rushing to JCPenney's, Herberger's, Scheels', Target, etc, to celebrate their 21st birthday! Our economy doesn't need a stimulus package from the government; all we need is a revolution to wedding registries!

However, I must pause at the end of this note to offer a revelation that just entered my sub-cranial sphere: isn't this all just a tad bit materialistic. Why do we even need registries? Shouldn't we be satisfied with what we have? (Note from the author: I understand that by giving gifts we are setting up the couple for their new life together, and they are ultimately a good thing.) Why do we seek out that which is new and, yes, I will say it, beautiful (as new appliances can be a thing of beauty)? Is it our desire to be surrounded by beauty and newness? If so, are we really just trying to fill a void that only the glory and peace of God can fill? Am I reading too much into this? Anyway, I hope that your successful reading of this rather lengthy (I have always had the curse of wordiness) rant from a mind that sometimes tries to understand things and make improvements to life has given you something to ponder for a few seconds, minutes, hours, or perhaps even days.


Special thanks goes out to Amy for the toaster title. Also, this note was inspired by a post-Wizard of Oz conversation with Amy, Amanda, and Melissa. Thanks also to Elizabeth for her consultation.



Interesting Note: I actually penned this writing four years ago to this day!  I wrote it July 27, 2009.