Human Nature

What is it about humans nature to want what someone else has? This question arose as I was thinking about this post and the story behind the sunglasses. It started with a fight. A fight over a fireman's hat. This hat has been in our closet since Jay was four. That is a good two years before Luke was ever born. He has never been the least bit interested in the fireman's hat, that is, until Hank was wearing it. Then it became Luke's quest...his "must have!" He would stop at nothing to get that hat! First, he tried taking it right off of Hank's head. Have you seen Hank? He is a good six inches taller than Luke. He has not one, but two older brothers, that he is constantly fending off. Luke didn't stand a chance. Now this hat, that Hank was starting to lose interest in became his most prized possession! Suddenly an old, beat up, plastic fireman's hat was something of great worth and no other hat would do and there was a real problem in my living room!

Initially, this post was just going to be a funny story about how Luke is in a phase where he only wants what another child has. It occurred to me that this is not just a phase in toddler-hood but true for any age. Well, maybe every stage of life, I don't know, so far in my thirty-something years it has been true for me. And the more I think about it, I really think it is what drives the world.

Kids:"Mom, can I have a DS? Isaac has one."

Teenagers: Oh, boy this is really true for them, I mean really, the pants around the middle of the hiney with the underwear sticking out? Need I say more?

Women: "Oooooh, I love your bag, where did you get it?" (the list is endless here too)

Men: Sees a gang of Harley riders and goes off into a distant stare, dreaming and wondering if it might be possible...

I think the best example of it, for women, is Oprah's Favorite Things! Oh, how I hate that show! (I don't use that word lightly and forgive me for this little tangent). One show, one hour, she goes on and on and makes this big "to do" about all HER (very expensive) favorite things and gives them away to her audience. People scream and cry and lose their minds over a pair of stretchy pants. And all I can think is, "I want those pants. Oprah says they make every hiney look great. I want my hiney to look great too...where can I get a pair?" NOWHERE!!! Every store that ever carried them has sold out in an hour flat and is on back-order for three years! I can't watch that show and quite frankly I can't watch Oprah at all anymore because it makes me sick. Okay, my 37-year-old temper tantrum is over.

As for men, it is the Superbowl. How much does a commercial cost during the Superbowl? Some ridiculous amount. Just to show us what someone else has so we will want one too.

We all do it. It is human nature. Toddlers are just more honest about it.

The problem was resolved with sunglasses. Thankfully, I had two pairs.