Who are the Joneses?
Kardashians?
Yikes.
I hope not.
What about the most noted, money-making, successful artists in music, in theater, in a hit film? Are you keeping up with them?
Or are you keeping up with a new star -- an unknown who's now known -- a one-of-kind good-looker, or an odd-looking creep, an off the wall kook -- who's everywhere suddenly?
Hey, maybe your Jones is a "living large" person who has one of those umpteen million-dollar homes? Does living large inspire you, spark a desire in you to keep up with a living larger person?
Or are the Oscars continuing to obsess you -- the visions of almost famous people dressed to the nines, hair and makeup done by experts, bedecked with borrowed jewels? Do you buy clothes, do your makeup, furnish your home,
go on a diet, and exercise based on keeping up with those red carpet walkers? I dare you, yes I challenge you -- to blink-away, and put those red carpet walkers on an inaccessibly high mental shelf, and utterly disregard, dump, discard, all of your current Joneses.
Keeping up with the Joneses is an out-of-date, 20th century motivation that you've inherited from ads, parents, and grandparents. I say that all those media-manufactured famous folks are old-fashioned. You -- yes you are NOW -- you, the guy who is reading this blog, represents the 21st century, and it behooves you to continue keeping up with you and be unadulterated, bravely whatever you are.
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4 comments:
Great points all, Em. I strive to NOT try to keep up with the Joneses. I'm committed to doing what drives my curiosity and passion rather than what it takes to keep up appearances. I drive a beater car, own an old TV, have an outdated kitchen, and wear second-hand clothes - all so I can write a book, take Cantonese lessons, dance, hike, and travel. Still, I wouldn't complain if I wrote a bestseller and found myself wearing new clothes, standing on a new kitchen floor, and trekking to more exotic locales.
I've rarely kept up with the Jones, unless it was something that "I just had to have" regardless of whether I really needed it or not: (examples a Smart phone and a computer tablet). I really love electronics, so half of why I had to "had to have them" was simply because they fascinated me. Do I use them? The Smart phone...not a whole lot more than my very old dumb phone and the tablet...which was hardly the most expensive one out there...yes on rare occasions.)
As for looking like or dressing like a star...hardly...I have always dressed to make myself happy. I have good taste and I am just fine dressing like ME!
This is something to ponder, but I still think I do my own thing so far.
I keep up with whatever seems to be catchy to me in a particuar moment. Even though I have to admit I also enjoy watching KUWTK from time to time.
Best wishes to you, Emily,
Aquileana :)
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