Incongruous?


How did such a lovely, loving, intelligent, and sensitive woman like Carrie (or Cary?) manage to raise two such beastly, narcissistic, empty-headed, brats?

Also, how did she manage to survive in that hypocritical, judgmental, and shallow environment all those years? This makes no sense, even if she wasn't the target of gossip and had a couple of friends there. I'd have killed someone (or myself) years earlier.

And the doctor seemed to have a clue. How could he enjoy the company of these offensive twits???

reply

[deleted]

1. Parents don't have exclusive control over the development of their kids. The schools, local community, government, peers, culture-at-large, and mass media (television) will, in aggregate, have more influence than mom & dad. Read "Within the Context of No Context" by George W.S. Trow.

2. The same way the rest of us survive in employment situations we've come to hate, because

(a) we'd have to sell our house at a loss (if/when the market is soft)
(b) moving 1000 miles away for a new job (that may have hidden drawbacks that you can't tell just from the interview & facility tour) would piss off our families (they like the local community & schools we're at now)
(c) companies/industries that might want our skills may not want people over ___ years of age
(d) ________________ <other>

3. Maybe the doctor doesn't enjoy them. Maybe he tolerates them, because those twits are also his customers.

Let me guess: You're under 30 years old?

“There are no solutions, only tradeoffs.” – economist Thomas Sowell

reply

I'm not under 30, and I wholeheartedly agree with the OP. Your overly analytical answer is hilarious!

reply

I'm 62, you supercilious clown.

reply

I simply assumed that the kids' behavior was that of many children whose widowed parent is contemplating marriage.

In addition, young adults, especially in college or just having graduated, tend to be know-it-alls who take any opportunity to show off their newly-acquired credentials. The kids were rather typical. There was also the dramatist's need to create conflict.

reply

Why are so many people afraid of stating the obvious: it's bad writing.

reply