Our rites of passage and stress - North America versus other places

I wouldn't consider what has been listed to be rites of passages for the entirety modern North American. If we look historically, and still in some areas of the south, those events in the lives of the youth might have been eventful and memorable as the highlights of their lives, but I don't think that applies to the majority of the rest of modern North American.

In my opinion, the weight on this events in ones life have severely lessened because recent generations have stressed the idea of life after childhood. In the past, 99% of the American, Canadian, European, and the other groups of the first world were pressured to school, find a sweetheart in high school or very soon after, get a stationary job, and settle down quickly. The lifestyle they lived at twenty much more reasonables the lifestyle the modern world doesn't commonly live until forty.

With being pressured to settle down and follow a very traditionally robotic day to day lifestyle, the events of their teens and high school years often were remembered as much more excited and eventful than anything that would come later. Proms, sports, clubs, fraternities, all of these things were the most eventful parts of their lives because nothing else would really happen after.

Teenagers these days have begun to care less about high school sports, especially not if it requires them to exercise school spirit. Lol. Many only use prom as a way to plan after-parties. Clubs are often forgotten and reunions are becoming less and less frequent. Traditionally these things might have been rites of passage, but the don't seem to hold much ground in the recent and coming years.

 

I didn't go to prom. My parents were going to make me go but make me pay for it, so I just didn't go because, well, what they were trying to do doesn't make any damn sense.

I do think it's stressful, though, to have to be divided based on gender. I personally hate weddings. Why? Because the men and women each have their own rituals. However, I think the thing that creates the most stress is not rites of passage, but societal expectations.

Based on one's assigned sex, one is expected to be a certain way. This can also put a lot of stress on trans folks while they're transitioning, from what I've gathered. Personally, I am extremely lucky to have a husband who is supportive of who I am instead of expecting me to be a certain way based on my assigned sex. He didn't fall in love with me because of my biological sex. He fell in love with me because of who I am, and I am so incredibly lucky to have him.

My family, however, is a very different story.

 

Well I'd say australia is the opposite end of the spectrum..

tall poppy syndrome is the norm here... If anyone tries to shine they get attacked for being too self-centred. Slowly that is changing a little, but yeah.. mediocrity. apathy and not standing out from the masses are encouraged

 

We don't have nearly so much as that here. We're starting to have proms and the like, which I hate. But nothing like as much as in the US.

 

What's the point of a rite of passage? Is it proof of something? If so, what?

Who's going to care whether you attended a dance-party or not?

 

These things really are optionnal in France, we actually don't have prom or graduation.

 

It's the same where I live.

 

In Germany as well.. Sure, you have one prom when you graduate from High School, but it's not such a big thing... And sports, clubs and everything are mostly optional, not depending from school..