Comments on: O Dreaded Day… http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/08/19/o-dreaded-day/ Stories, thoughts & insights on Jesus, college students, and the Bible; Los Angeles, immigration, politics, ethnicity and culture, and also about my daughter Isabel - from a spanglish gringo father living in, learning from, leading & loving life in East L.A. Sat, 19 May 2012 04:39:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Spanglish Gringo http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/08/19/o-dreaded-day/#comment-641 Spanglish Gringo Fri, 25 Aug 2006 18:32:27 +0000 http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/08/19/o-dreaded-day/#comment-641 Bookworm -I think a significant critique of American society is that there is no male initiation or rite of passage to teach young men what it means to become a man. All of the cultural markers are pretty negative - "get laid," "get drunk," be wild & rebellious - or neutral - get your driver's license, register to vote. -As to the critique that quinceneras are a hold-over from a negative shopping of young women, I think their is some validity to that. Especially when all that exists in the common practice of the quincenera is ceremonial & not significant. I'd be curious to know if there is any connection between the symbols & ceremony of a quincenera - which are so similar to a wedding - and the ceremony for a nun - which are also similar to a wedding ceremony. Both seem to represent a certain statement about a young woman's new place in the world. Bookworm

-I think a significant critique of American society is that there is no male initiation or rite of passage to teach young men what it means to become a man. All of the cultural markers are pretty negative - “get laid,” “get drunk,” be wild & rebellious - or neutral - get your driver’s license, register to vote.

-As to the critique that quinceneras are a hold-over from a negative shopping of young women, I think their is some validity to that. Especially when all that exists in the common practice of the quincenera is ceremonial & not significant. I’d be curious to know if there is any connection between the symbols & ceremony of a quincenera - which are so similar to a wedding - and the ceremony for a nun - which are also similar to a wedding ceremony. Both seem to represent a certain statement about a young woman’s new place in the world.

]]> By: chris h. http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/08/19/o-dreaded-day/#comment-639 chris h. Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:57:49 +0000 http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/08/19/o-dreaded-day/#comment-639 Regarding coming of age, or the lack thereof, I wonder if what you have mentioned is a cultural representation of what often seems to be a wider phenomenon. As someone who works at a Grad school I am often surprised at the number of parents of grad students (mostly white) who are doing everything from helping them pick their classes to settling their accounts, often shielding their kids from gaining valuable experience in the real world. I know there are other factors at play here, but the idea of preparing for adulthood is an interesting one, and something that could be relavent from various cultural perspectives. Regarding coming of age, or the lack thereof, I wonder if what you have mentioned is a cultural representation of what often seems to be a wider phenomenon. As someone who works at a Grad school I am often surprised at the number of parents of grad students (mostly white) who are doing everything from helping them pick their classes to settling their accounts, often shielding their kids from gaining valuable experience in the real world. I know there are other factors at play here, but the idea of preparing for adulthood is an interesting one, and something that could be relavent from various cultural perspectives.

]]> By: bookworm brown http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/08/19/o-dreaded-day/#comment-637 bookworm brown Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:45:30 +0000 http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/08/19/o-dreaded-day/#comment-637 This post got me thinking: What's the male equivalent of the quincenera? Although there is nothing here by way of formal celebration, what counts as that rite of passage for boys/young men? Even more, are you aware of any criticisms of quinceneras as perpetuating an old world assumption that requires a public declaration of a young woman's availability? This post got me thinking: What’s the male equivalent of the quincenera? Although there is nothing here by way of formal celebration, what counts as that rite of passage for boys/young men?

Even more, are you aware of any criticisms of quinceneras as perpetuating an old world assumption that requires a public declaration of a young woman’s availability?

]]>