Main Entry:
pre·ten·tious
Pronunciation:
..pri-ˈten(t)-shəs..
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
French prétentieux, from prétention pretension, from Medieval Latin pretention-, pretentio, from Latin praetendere
Date: 1832
1: characterized by pretension: as a: making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing) pretentious fraud who assumes a love of culture that is alien to him — Richard Watts> b: expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature
I have an irritation plaguing me. It's one of those things, but it's okay. It's a small thing, like a rock in the shoe. Annoying, doesn't seem to go away, and sometimes you just can't quite get it out.
One of the pet peeves of mine, something I really hate, is watching people 'grow up' into something their not.
I'm not saying that people don't grow up. But... I have to say, that generally, one who is not raised around sophistication and culture has a hard time adapting, and a worse time understanding some of the upper class rituals in which the privileged partake. I'm not saying it cannot be learned...but I must say that it is a skill acquired through time and patience.
For instance, there are quite a few people who sit down at a formal dinner and have trouble with utensils. (And I've been one of those people.) If you're using twelve pieces of flatware and you're unsure which fork is used for escargot, but you've got it sitting in front of you, chances are that you haven't grown up with that kind of experience. Having the desire to collect those rare and interesting pieces of cutlery is an acceptable hobby...but giving oneself airs as if you were born with that silver spoon in your mouth, well, that's something you might want to think about.
The idea I am trying to convey is simple enough - don't pretend to be something you're not. Very few people grow up knowing what Belleek is, or understanding the motives of the Unger Brothers. (Personally, I would perfer the works of the Armand Frénay group over that of International, but that's just me, you see. I don't really care for what others love, I have my own visions of what is beautiful.) You can like beautiful things, you can collect them if you're of a mind to be materialistic - just don't think that by pouring money into something that others collectively think is 'elegant' that it makes you some sort of expert or attributes its own sophistication to you - these things are not learned by osmosis.
By strutting around and saying, "LOOK AT MY EXPENSIVE STUFF" makes you no better nor smarter than some pinhead 'celebrity' who rose to fame and fortune overnight and has an 'image consultant' pick out most of his wardrobe, or a 'designer' pick his goddamn furniture. You have money, but you still have no class, you still have no culture.
'Stoopid glue' (super glue) some peacock feathers on a duck and frankly, it is STILL a duck.
(yeah...I posted this from my other blog, because I think it got eaten...)
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