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forsythOkay. One of the time-tested plots of things is two people fighting over the affections of a third. That's all well and good, classic, completely understandable. Except. The thing I don't get about it. Okay. So the thing is. You lure this person away from whoever they're currently with, for whatever justification (they're a jerk, they don't deserve them, etc, etc), whatever, right? Hurray for the hero, and the jerk gets his comeuppance, right? (substitute appropriate gender terms as available, but I'm a guy, and it's slightly more common to see men fighting over women, so)
For example. Spiderman 2. MJ runs off from the wedding because she realizes she loves Spidey. AWWWW. So kyoote!
Except, here's the thing. If the person could be lured away from someone else, wouldn't that kind of be a sign they can be lured away from YOU, too? You're basically betting you can be more awesome than every other person they meet ever, or that somehow, this time's different, even after you've proved their loyalty has limits. Maybe it's just me, but that sounds stupid and self-defeating.
Now, it may make perfect sense from an evolutionary perspective (after all, sometimes only one time's necessary for genes to get passed on), and maybe you'd only have to be awesomer than the world for long enough for all the pheremonic and other sorts of semi-instinctive pair bonding things to kick in, and I guess that could work, but still. And yes, I know humans are more complicated than I'm going into here, but it still doesn't make sense. Steal someone away from who they used to be with, then you have no cause to be surprised when they get stolen by someone else.
Actually, that might make a good plot point for something. Character A steals character B's affections from character C, then character A is shocked, SHOCKED! when character D steals character C's affections. And character C goes "Well, dude, that you could steal me away really shoulda bee a clue."
I dunno, maybe I'm just cynical tonight.
For example. Spiderman 2. MJ runs off from the wedding because she realizes she loves Spidey. AWWWW. So kyoote!
Except, here's the thing. If the person could be lured away from someone else, wouldn't that kind of be a sign they can be lured away from YOU, too? You're basically betting you can be more awesome than every other person they meet ever, or that somehow, this time's different, even after you've proved their loyalty has limits. Maybe it's just me, but that sounds stupid and self-defeating.
Now, it may make perfect sense from an evolutionary perspective (after all, sometimes only one time's necessary for genes to get passed on), and maybe you'd only have to be awesomer than the world for long enough for all the pheremonic and other sorts of semi-instinctive pair bonding things to kick in, and I guess that could work, but still. And yes, I know humans are more complicated than I'm going into here, but it still doesn't make sense. Steal someone away from who they used to be with, then you have no cause to be surprised when they get stolen by someone else.
Actually, that might make a good plot point for something. Character A steals character B's affections from character C, then character A is shocked, SHOCKED! when character D steals character C's affections. And character C goes "Well, dude, that you could steal me away really shoulda bee a clue."
I dunno, maybe I'm just cynical tonight.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-06 11:37 am (UTC)On the other hand there are also people who are inconstant in relationships. Badly so. Our culture has underlined that 'love' is vastly more important than 'duty', thus justifying twits who fall in and out of love in breaking hearts right and left as they play quick-change partners looking for someone they won't get bored with.
So, eh. It can mean nothing, or it can mean something.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-06 11:38 am (UTC)