“KEEPING up with the Joneses” is an idiom describing the pressure to match neighbours or friends in social standing, wealth and material possessions to avoid appearing inferior.
For some, this chase to keep up appearances can become almost like a competitive sport and nowhere is the glare more intense than during the dreaded school reunions.
This was certainly the assertion by Facebook user Fat Deadpool who claimed that such gatherings are unnecessary, especially when one is at the nascent stage of his or her career.
The digital creator from Bangi observes that these events are merely open invitation for busy bodies to enquire about career, pay, what car one drives and marital status. But it quickly descends into an unhealthy forum to compare social standings.
He went on to claim that these school reunions become meaningful when the participants have past the age of 40. They will then become more inclined to genuinely enquire about a person’s well-being and about their life journeys thus far.
The post has generated 6.7K likes, 390 comments and 1.4K shares at time of publication, denoting that the topic somehow resonates deeply with ordinary Malaysians.
Quite a few Malaysians whole-heartedly agreed that such events are usually organised by old pupils who felt they “have arrived” and were keen to show off their success to their schoolmates.
One commenter simply proclaimed he was too caught up with his own problems to care about anyone else’s burdens, let alone their choice of ride.
Another agreed that there are always one or two nosey parkers at these events who want to dig up everything about the attendees.
Such school reunions could lead to unwanted consequences, warned one commenter. Recounting an incident where ex-lovers reignited their passion at such an event despite each already being married, this commenter explained that it was the innocent parties that got hurt here.
She also explained she politely and respectfully declined her own spouse’s request to accompany him to such a do, perhaps seeing little point in such gatherings.
It was surmised this need to meet up at such reunions was simply the need to look at the less fortunate, to fully appreciate one’s own blessings.
One depressed homemaker lamented that she never attended these school reunions, not because she didn’t want to but because she had no career to boast of.
Claiming she would feel out of place, she also noted those who were active in group chats involving ex-schoolmates were usually those with lots of free time.
However, not everyone had negative experiences with school reunions. One commenter was happy that he remained in his schoolmates’ thoughts and even shared that they chipped in to help with his kid’s medical expenses.
Another perceived reunion as necessary as “friends will not be together forever given one may be greeted by unpleasant news that one’s ex-classmate has passed on tomorrow”.
Though there were some who defended these school reunions as ‘fun catch-up sessions’, many judging from the comments posed felt that these get-togethers were nothing more than glorified show off sessions. – Focus Malaysia
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