How the world changes. In 1769 what would become the city of San Diego was formed, New Zealand was found and there was a solar eclipse. Also in that year the first edition of Debrett’s Peerage and Baronetage was made. I can understand if most are not familiar with this book, generally royals and other high society in Europe read it and few others as I understand. Essentially it is the book on how a lady is to behave. It would have been the book used in My Fair Lady, and a real princess would have been taught its tenants throughout her life. [If I am misunderstanding I hope my British readers will correct me]
So why should we care? Because of what has changed. In an attempt to gain readers, and to modernize, this book of etiquette now contains information on how to commit adultery, being topless, having a disease-free one-night-stand and how to smoke a cigarette. If this were a movie I’d say they were ‘revisioning’ the storyline and long-term readers know what I think of that. To me it sounds as if this is the high-society version of ‘keeping it real’ or how to be a ‘playette.’ That being the case I can think of nothing sadder.
I’m no prude, and I have no illusion that anyone in high-society is any better than me. Yet having a book, that is a guideline on how to act, advocating base behavior shocks me and leaves me a terrifying image of the future. I don’t care that it’s speaking to how a lady should act. If a book were to be made detailing how a man should do the same exact things, there would be an uproar.
But the fact that it is now acceptable to commit adultery, that “elegance, composure and dignity are all important, whether you are dining with the Queen or cheating on your husband,” is even a concept is despicable. And this view is hardly an isolated one. The African American community is rife with this. The Hip-hop culture is based on this and other similar concepts. We see today the wholesale de-valuation of self-respect and disregard for the opposite sex.
How long before high-society accepts it’s version of a baby-daddy or –mamma. And considering how long it takes for changes to become acceptable in high society, what will the common man and woman be like at the time? What will be the next de-evolution for the Black community and Hip-hop or whatever replaces it. I do mean de-evolution because I can see no positive aspect for being called (or wanting to become) a baby-anything. There is no dignity or elegance in adultery. There is no way to see a pimp as a positive figure worthy of emulation or praise.
The world has changed indeed. Some things are far better. Far too many are not. Some of them get put in books, most are things that just happen. It’s paying attention to the details that makes the difference.
This is what I think, what do you think?
** Something new. I will be trying to add MP3 files of each post. In addition I will try to add retroactive MP3 files of previous posts. Let me know if you enjoy them. And bare with me while I get used to the new format. **
blkentusaoct0506.mp3
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