The culture is struggling. Out with the old, in with the whatever. The postmodern respect for anything of any quality--as close as the covetous arts and social sciences can get to Heisenberg--have left us with a poor line of judgement. It has been suggested that one of the outcomes might be a resurgence of accumulation and financial success.
Funerals are the same but weddings are not. Expense, themes, productions may all validate the idea that the end of postmodernism leaves us nothing but the market. So weddings have become a flag planted in a bride's territory, the fulfillment--or destruction--of the plans of in-laws. Power struggles within and between families is the norm as each wants his plans realized. Weddings have themes; the wedding is not enough.
A modest proposal: Every young woman, lovely or not, heterosexual or not, nubile or not gets her own day, her own party at the age of twenty-five. Like a bat mitzvah, the young woman gets a day of social importance devoted only to her--no groom but male guests if she wants--the way she would plan a special day only for her. She can plan a day with a Wizard of Oz theme, Alice in Wonderland, a breakfast, a brunch, a nighttime party. A day where she is the cynosure, where her happiness and that of her family, is not just paramount, it is the only thing.
The impact would be terrific. No in-laws to please, no groom hanging around glumly, no compromises. She and her family could plan her great day from childhood. They could save for it, she could collect china outside of community property rules, she likely would delay marriage (with all the social benefits that brings) until she had her event because the event would now be primary.
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