Tuesday, July 12, 2005

The Passion Cliché

Take a moment and think about how many stories you’ve read and movies and TV shows you’ve watched where antipathy between two characters disguises a deep passion. I’m now wondering, after reading yet another Katie Fforde book (Stately Pursuits), whether I’m so conditioned to think this way that, upon meeting some horrible, boorish, attractive man, I might register extreme dislike and then assume I’m in love.

Is this a cliché because it’s an easy story telling device, or is it based on something true? Should I start haunting Republican events or some such unlikely place and look for an offensive lout? Maybe I should seek out local Rush Limbaugh fans? Is that where real passion (because, let’s face it, my marriage to a gay man—while filled with love—was noticeably lacking in passion) lies?

6 comments:

BabelBabe said...

Hmmm. The one guy I can think of woho fits this criteria - we expressed our passion for each other by being completely juvenile and insulting the shit out of each other before eventually embarking on a passionate affair that lasted off and on for years - also turned out to be gay. There may be no easy answer.

But the thing is, the guy doe sneed to be somewhat attractive in personality, even if parts of it are grating. You could not possibly work up any sort fo passion for a true Limbaugh-ite, no matter how physically attractive...could you?

BabelBabe said...

And if the answer to that is yes, you need to stop readng Katie Fforde books IMMEDIATELY. Or an intervention will be performed.

Mojavi said...

how in the world did you find out your husband was gay???

Gina said...

He told me (just after our 8th wedding anniversary), and then he moved out. Big drama. Big issues. Oy.

Gina said...

Oh, and Val? Don't worry--if I become passionate about an a$$hole, I'll make sure he isn't political. :-)

BabelBabe said...

you just want to keep reading Katie Fforde : )