Comments on: Sowing One's Wild Oats

Sowing One's Wild Oats

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 17:53:00 -0800

Sowing One's Wild Oats And Postponing Last Straws: Some things never change the world over and the gist of this amusing language lesson (be sure to listen to the sountrack too) seems familiar and even easy to guess. However, different cultures allow for different rates of growing up - and out of things. Regarding the sowing of wild oats, is the West really the most lenient and generous, in terms of age-limits? What part does religion play? In other words, what's the maximum you can get away with nowadays? At a pinch, I'd say Southern European Catholic countries will extend a woman's visa till she's 35 and a man's till he's 40 but certain *cough* other cultures seem to be even more favourable towards eternal adolescence.

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 18:07:56 -0800

I hasten to add that what's hilarious about the soundtrack is the American announcer's spectacularly off-centre pronunciation and solemnity.

By: zztzed

zztzed — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 18:49:06 -0800

Indeed, I think the bits with the American announcer are about the funniest things I've heard all week. But I have no idea what you mean by "spectacularly off-center pronunciation".

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 19:23:36 -0800

zztzed: I'm foreign but it seems to me the guy has all his stresses placed haphazardly, trying to make his delivery sound regal or definitive, very "language lesson". Perhaps it's because I can't place his accent. It's this pseudo-dignified diction, while reading the ridiculous sentences (oh, that pompous that-does-it! toothbrush...), which had me in stitches. I imagine this layabout American brother-in-law of the woman who set up the website, dragged off the street with perhaps a touch of a hangover, sitting down at the microphone with a perplexed WTF? glare when confronting his pages, lazily reading through what was required of him with what he took to be the American equivalent of one of those pompous BBC accents.

By: JanetLand

JanetLand — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 19:54:30 -0800

I don't understand the age limit question. [is over 35, quickly propositions Miguel]

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:21:17 -0800

[is over 45, quickly proffers Champagne and whisks JanetLand away, before second thoughts set in] Funnily enough, I was looking for food links for oats, because of a current fish and fish-for-breakfast obsession that involves frying in wild oats, when I serendipitously came across this language site. I read one of the silly phrases (about 24 being old enough to put an end to one's sowing of wild oats) and this started me a-thinkin' that different cultures have different age limits for being young, wild and free. Traditionally, many cultures (as translated, for instance, by the age of consent or the minimum age for marriage) either negate this "wild oats" phase ("Get married, already!") or severely curtail it. Others are more permissive and biased towards experience, so that, in Western societies, the acceptable age for "settling down" (whatever that means) has been creeping up. I think the prevailing, modern idea is that it's intelligent to get certain youthful impulses and experiences "out of your system" (so that you're not suddenly curious and hungry for variety in the middle of an important relationship) - but that the cut-off age varies a lot from culture to culture. From a macho, Latin viewpoint (such as the one I live in) it means that you're allowed 35/40 years (the limit is unfair towards women) to sow your wild oats; find out that you can't see what all the fuss was about and then settle down with someone you truly like sharing life with; knowing that variety and experience are a load of bunk. Fun, but ultimately repetitive. Finally, all this relates to how childhood and adolescence are becoming shorter and shorter (helped by quicker onset of puberty and the information age) and the fact that there seems to be a cultural trend towards compensating for this shortcoming by delaying marriage and long-term commitments, whilst playing up their ultimate value. Well, that was brief! ;)

By: amberglow

amberglow — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:31:46 -0800

it's very "listen...and repeat" (all old instructional records/tapes had that tone) And miguel, ask our pres about that sowing wild oats thing. Apparently it was only recently he stopped...but then again, aren't we all kidults? (at least on the inside?)

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:41:49 -0800

Hey, good point, amberglow! What is the cut-off age for those who voted for George W. Bush for the booze-suckin', coke-sniffin', wild-drivin' phase? It's wild oats applied to presidential politics.

By: Asparagirl

Asparagirl — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:45:22 -0800

Well, he reportedly went sober after a wild 40th birthday bash (Laura threatened to leave him), so it seems he just squeaks under your age-cutoff limit.

By: amberglow

amberglow — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:51:45 -0800

there are serious doubts about that 40th bday claim.

By: kindall

kindall — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 22:10:35 -0800

all this relates to how childhood and adolescence are becoming shorter and shorter Whaaa? No, they're becoming longer and longer. It is now acceptable in America to never grow up at all.

By: mcsweetie

mcsweetie — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 22:16:33 -0800

!!! sex over 30? EW!

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 22:26:37 -0800

*chuckles that mcsweetie actually believes there's sex worthy of that name under 30, the poor sod. Suggests waiting.* :)

By: namespan

namespan — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 22:35:16 -0800

Miguel: Which is, unfortunately, the only choice practicing single Mormons have, so I'm comforted by your statement.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 23:08:59 -0800

It is now acceptable in America to never grow up at all. Well, being childish is certainly popular, but I'm not sure that's exactly the same thing.... Me, the older I get, the more I think settling down is a scam that I want no part of, so give me the oats and I shall sow them.

By: moonbiter

moonbiter — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 23:18:16 -0800

Youth is wasted on the young.

By: mcsweetie

mcsweetie — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 14:10:39 -0800

*chuckles that mcsweetie actually believes there's sex worthy of that name under 30, the poor sod. Suggests waiting.* :) WHATEVER.

By: wendell

wendell — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 20:37:39 -0800

It is now acceptable in America to never grow up at all. Don't forget that old standby "the second childhood". I tried growing up. Didn't work for me. I'm just starting to eschew responsibility and enjoy life. *chuckles that mcsweetie actually believes there's sex worthy of that name under 30, the poor sod.* You mean there's sex under 30? Boy, was I misinformed.

By: wendell

wendell — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 20:39:28 -0800

"??,??????????????????,???????,??????,?????????,?????" Can't argue with that.