Topic: Rites of Passage, Self, Others
Source: Joe Rogan’s Netflix special, along with a
discussion between my friends and I surrounding the ideas portrayed via this
particular comedians stand up section dealing with rites of passage and how we
see our selves as individuals before and after the various American rites. The
main point of the aforementioned set of jokes and pod casts surrounds the idea
of finding your one true self and how the rites of passage in modern America
have been degraded dramatically from past ages.
Relation: This
directly relates to the sections of Chapter Six of Robbins as they deal with “The
Importance of Self” on page 133 and the three phases of rites of passage on
page 139.
Description: While
it has been awhile since this discussion had occurred (Winterbreak 2010), it
left a dramatic impression on my friends and I that still affects us to this
day. My friends and I realized that the shock comedian responsible for the
commentary on Fear Factor and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (From now on mentioned as UFC; I spelled it out this time but I still argue if people
say NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL, etc, without first stating the organizations full name
then the same can be applied to the UFC) had more intelligent things to
say about society than most people who make a living on television. This first
dawned upon us as he described that people (referring to American citizens)
today no longer have any “real” rites of passage at least not ones that are
taken seriously. He then jokes about how many people get their license when
they turn 16 and realize their parents won’t get them a car. The next big rite
of passage is at 18 when we are given the right to put your vote in the
presidential election however even the Federal Register FAQ can only say that
this vote has “has a great deal of significance.” The last step to adulthood is drinking
beverages limited those to only people over the age of 21 however this is the
easiest of the previous rules to circumnavigate and in turn nullifies it really
as a step. To summarize his punch line “you end up being 25 at the grocery
store buying frozen food when the 18 year old running the till calls you SIR
when he hands you your change”. He
continues to explain that the real reality is that while others see you as
being an adult you really know that you’re just a 25 year old “man-child” whose
just living life to get by.
This is where he analyzes himself
and in turn others, referencing how as children we always assume the grownups
have this profound wisdom and control of everything in life. The unfortunate reality is once you get to the
other side of these rites of passage that all the adults went through, the realization
sets in that they have no better a handle better than anyone else did as these
rites of passage are ultimately meaningless in our nation. Lastly he goes on to
explain that some individuals choose to distinguish themselves even more by
forcing themselves through more rites such as college or military educations.
Again these become pessimistic punch lines focusing on the cold facts that both
colleges and military paths of life leave you indebted, scarred and possibly
stuck without a self identity.
Commentary & Analysis:
The rites of passage in modern America
prove to barely count under the “Three Phases” mentioned on Robbins page 139 and
in turn creates the self image of “man-child” amongst at least the male
community. The people involved in the discussion were all male so in turn this
analysis is based on a male perspective of the current rites of passage in American
culture. If we look at the use of a car at the age of 16 we can see the
separation from the parental unit but in modern society many do not get to
experience this first rite of passage. In turn without it a start of separation
from the parental unit never occurs and many late high school students still
depend upon their parents for transportation. Without this first step it makes
the next phases of becoming adult seem even more meaningless from the
perspective of someone attempting to go through the motions of the legal rights
of passage. You can view the stage transitioning into adulthood as getting your
first true adult right, which is the one to vote, declare yourself and
independent on taxes and join the military. Voting seems unimportant and an
ineffective way to become a participating member of the adult community as many
don’t vote and the current Electoral College system seems to provide little
incentive to vote on a presidential scale. The incentive of transitioning into
adulthood by separating your self via the tax code also seemed quite illogical
to those of us discussing these matters as many times staying as a dependent
yields less work and more tax breaks for 18 year olds. The last thing our
society allows for at 18 is to join the ranks of one of the military branches
which in reality molds those without direction and gives them direction in turn
eliminating much of the self image they had before. Lastly we have the phase of
incorporation in which a youth finishes the final rite of passage and gains the
ability to purchase intoxicants restricted only to those of 21 years or older.
This last part is almost a slap in the face as alcohol has again and again
proven to be more of a bane to society than an aid and is easily available to
any sociable underage person.
While discussing how Joe Rogan
jokes upon these matters, my friends and I looked at what really changes with
this system. At 16, if you are lucky enough to get your own car or share a
family car this is the economical switch from depending upon your parents’
money for gas. Then at 18 there is another variety of economical opportunities that
occur at this stage that let your new more adult form pour money back into the
system and even choose to separate yourself on taxes from your parental unit.
The last and final phase fully incorporates you into the adult world as you are
now entirely independent monetarily as you can now purchase alcohol on your
own. At this point many citizens have made the transformation to adulthood but
the rites of passage are no longer about moving forwards as a human but only
about moving forwards as an economic entity. In turn these rites of passage do
not allow an individual to test themselves and find who they are but rather
prepare us as citizens to become yet another group of consumers.
Citations:
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html#whyelectoralcollege
Wow. I have little to write except he makes a compelling argument and I mostly agree. I think if lacking the opportunity to feel a transition in life, or a rite of passage, you might be able to create your own. An example would be to travel alone, or the multiple ways in which you can physically challenge your body e.g. triathlon. But I agree that our tradition rites of passage have been coopted to prepare us now as consumers. I was lucky and got an old VW bug for my first car and when I got my license 16yrs ago gas was much cheaper but I did rely on my mom for insurance. So I understand that if I were to do this today as a 16yr old it might be a much different experience.
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