Wednesday, September 17, 2008

It's just a bumper sticker

Do you remember talking about treating our family members as extension of ourselves?

When we feel insecure and jealous in front of a person who is better than us in something, we bring out our parents, children, spouses and siblings who would compare favorable. That one?

In such instances, many of us are more optimistic about our family members than about ourselves. Take, for example, parents flaunting the achievements of their children. They can be much more brazen than about themselves.

I've had enough of those "My Child was the Best Student of the Year" stickers.

Same here. They seem to be unaware that it is not quite like showing off your Olympic Gold Medal to the audience. In that case, the winner and the audience are not in competition. The medal won by the athlete is also for the audience from the athlete's country. However...

The parents with stickers on their cars drive around in the area close to their house, precisely where they are very likely to be seen by their competitors.

What are their thoughts about other parents' or children's feelings, especially for those who would never win such an honor, although every parent thinks her/his children are the best?

It's beyond me...

The parents with stickers must be happy already by the fact that their child was chosen. Advertising it cannot make them happier by a big margin, unless their happiness is dependent on others' jealousy and sense of failure.

I suppose they enjoy the act of peeling off the protective paper, placing the stickers on their cars, and seeing them.

It is much easier for the winners not to be so open about their victory than for the losers to deal with their disappointment in themselves. Curtailing display of victory is a negligible price to pay, if we think how much it would make the whole community a better place to live.

In other words, placing those stickers on your car is a selfish act.

To the hilt. Talking about achieving through our close ones, non-working spouses can sometimes be more ambitious than their spouses regarding their careers. Some time ago, I attended a seminar and sat behind the spouse of the speaker. When he finished talking and took the seat next to his wife, she showered him with praises in a loud voice while others focused on the next talk.

Was she the only one saying, "Oh, it was wonderful, honey."

I didn't know that you were there!

I wasn't, but by looking at your face, I can pretty much tell how bad it was.

And she ostensibly stroke his back...

Who knows, maybe he suggested that they break up the night before and she was trying to persuade him that they shouldn't?

I always welcome wacky explanations, however unconvincing they may be.

Getting back to stickers, what about political ones?

People who agree with the message may feel good when they see it, but nothing beyond that. Others who do not agree with it may become agitated, but the stickers do not come with detailed reason as to why the car owner supports the political stance or does not give anyone an opportunity to voice disagreement.

It doesn't serve any purpose.

It's worse, in my opinion. It just upsets people on the other side.


Some of us like to provoke, and sometimes provocation is the only way to induce people to think a bit further.


Reasons are easily taken over by emotions. I see little good in provoking, unless there is enough trust. Sadly, more people put on stickers than go to political debates or meetings, which are more
effective, but also more time and energy consuming.

You know, driving cars makes you act strange.

Just like the Internet. We have found ways to say to others what we cannot say to their face.