baby hate

I am sick of celebs and others who won't shut up about their babies, pregnancies and children. Many trot them out for photo ops and publicity, and I guess it works. I recall Maggie Gyllenhaal saying that the paparazzi were never interested in her before she became pregnant and gave birth. This baby love is infesting the culture in general, too. with baby blogs multiplying on the web. My own sister-in-law has one, with frequent updates, complete with photos and often very long written passages detailing trips to the zoo, the aquarium, the woods, etc. There was a time when boring dinner guests and others with baby pictures was considered the height of clueless, gauche behaviour, but in the age of the blog, it seems it is not so anymore. It doesn't matter that the blogs are meant for family and friends only. We need to remind breeders that their children are not special, and that the world doesn't care much about them, or revolve around them. Of course, I am largely indifferent to the charms of small children, so my opinion is somewhat biased. I don't hate children, I hate making them the focal point of everything. Some of my fondest childhood memories were just watching adults converse, and interact, often oblivious to my existence. I was acknowledged, but never allowed to dominate everything, except at maybe a birthday party or child-centric event.

suspicious

I feel suspicious when people say something along the lines of "I have such a high-pressure job that when I'm not working I like to just relax and do nothing". I recently met someone who seems to have little intellectual curiosity. Seems like a nice enough guy, but objects to my constant analysis of everything and running commentary. I am not claiming to be an intellectual, BTW. This guy is always repeating that he has such a stressful, demanding job (he is a principal or perhaps vice-principal, of a private school near Montreal), that when he is not working, he just likes to relax, be with friends, and enjoy life. Somehow, this seems like a copout, a way of basically excusing his lack of depth and curiosity. My mother used childrearing as a similar excuse: I remember asking her if she remembered the Jonestown massacre, and other major events from the 70s, and she said no, she was too busy raising children, as if having small children and following current events were mutually exclusive. To me, it would have been more honest of her to say, "no, I follow current events, but only to a degree. Sometimes, my own life and that of those close to me interest me a lot more". In the same vein, I would be happier if my new friend (acquaintance?), said simply, "I am not an intellectual, I am a happy-go-lucky guy who believes that we must do our best to enjoy ourselves and not sweat the small stuff".