From Rockwell to Facebook, The Phenomenon of the Perfect American Family

Posted by Daily Post from Bluxome Street on December 28, 2014 in Life | Leave a comment

This morning I found myself reading the New York Times on “Facebook’s Last Taboo: The Unhappy Marriage.” It got me thinking. The concept of the perfect American marriage or perfect self isn’t a new phenomenon.

The idealized life has been a mainstay of American life since the lumberjacks a century ago or portraits of Norman Rockwell. We aspired to have what the Jones’ have. Be more. Have more. Don’t let a crisis of masculinity, identity, be seen by others.

Maybe we recognize that this is a long-standing reality of American life. We stop attributing this insecurity to a new entrant in our culture scene – Facebook – and decide to embrace ourselves as we are.

Forgive, forget, especially when it comes to yourself. And who cares if others don’t like your imperfections. Fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke.