Austinist: Tales Of Mere Existence "THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BOYFRIENDS I HAVE BEEN"

Benj

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:24:02 -0600

On second thought, I was in the bath this evening, and it occurred to me, that it occurred to Freud, that there are no accidents. We are not redefined by our mates, per se. Rather, we select them to help us wear the next shade of our identity, which is a procession, not a static thing. I can prove it: the strongest relationships are when both parties are content with their own selves, and don't feel the panicked tug of change. So it would be unfair, I think, to blame embarrassing phases on a perceived fault of another. That being said, a shitty girlfriend can infect you with her laundry list of personality disorders, until you begin to inhabit them too, as the next host of what is essentially viral in nature: bad girlfriendness and boyfriendness (abuse, passive aggressive behavior, deceit) is passed exactly like an std.

misssteak

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:57:00 -0600

great self-analysis....to be different people to different people well it's slightly unnerving when you look back on it, isn't it? just wait...some fixer-uper girl will be around soon enough to pick up the damaged boy.

Benj

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:22:31 -0600

Ditto. Been there, been that. Are these chronological? They seem to be getting stronger. ...Still, my favorite is sucking on a pickle to see if you're gay. (How'd the airline thing go? Our plane didn't have screens, just the magazine mentioning the contest.)

truecraig

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:09:22 -0600

We all end up living the life of the "never says shit" boyfriend. Until we get tired of ourselves, blame everything on the crappy relationship, and then burn everything down so we can start over again. Where we'll end up living the life of the "never says shit" boyfriend. Until... It's like Relationship Existentialism. Nicely done, Lev.