Reply to Are upper middle class family gatherings now just luxury travel pissing contests?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think people are misinterpreting OP's complaint. I don't see OP saying that any discussion of travel should be avoided, but specifically that "pissing contests" over travel are annoying and unpleasant. To me this is a distinct thing. I love hearing about others' travels or whatever they've been up to that they are excited about (could be a recent trip to Japan or some new plantings in their garden or a new hobby or whatever). But I don't enjoy when family member or friends engage in pissing contests over anything but especially something like travel where this can easily devolve into who traveled the most or the furthest or went to the most impressive/rare place.

My family doesn't do this with travel but recently got into this pattern with charitable activity. Now I of course am very supportive of all their charitable activity! But some recent family gatherings have become weirdly competitive with people talking about their charitable activity in a competitive way and explicitly trying to top one another and impress one another with how much they are giving or volunteering. It's really weird!

My response to conversations like this is to not participate and look for ways to change the subject or exit the convo. It's the competitive vibe and one-upsmanship that is the problem, not the actual subject of conversation which is essentially neutral.[/quote]

I’m a travel enthusiast. I don’t think it is a pissing contest when people share travel plans or stories. Maybe it sounds like this to a third party who isn’t engaging. I’m very passionate about travel and get excited talking about it.

We recently went to a Taylor swift concert. My daughter loves Taylor swift. I remember telling my daughter not to brag. She was so excited before and after the concert. She doesn’t know or care how much tickets cost. Her friends may have been also excited to go to Disney or their grandparents house in Michigan to spend with their cousins.[/quote]

I’m confused. Why would someone brag about attending a Taylor Swift concert?[/quote]

All of her friends like Taylor swift. Not everyone can drop 10k for a concert.[/quote]

In this area? I’m surprised. [/quote]

You obviously are not a TS fan or you would know that she didn’t come to DC. You had to travel to see her. Tickets have been sold out. You had to be lucky to get in a virtual queue to buy tickets. Most people pay thousands of dollars on the secondary market and pay peak travel prices and hotel. Have you not heard of the Taylor swift effect? She raises the economy wherever she goes.[/quote]

I was in Europe for the summer and heard that getting tickets was no big deal. But I can’t imagine putting in the effort that you did to see an entertainer. And if I did, I can’t imagine having to caution my child not to brag about it. Rather, I think I would explain that we shouldn’t talk about it for fear of potential embarrassment for our unhinged obsession with an overrated entertainer. [/quote]

You do realize she is currently the most popular artist in the world.

You must not have a tween/teen daughter. I took my elementary daughter and she will remember this concert for the rest of her life.

We were also in Europe and Asia this summer if that is your flex.[/quote]

Not sure what “flex” means. Are you the tween? It’s [b]sad you think a concert is a highlight of your daughter’s life[/b]. Aim higher PP. And let me guess? You visited Iceland, Portugal and Japan this year, just like every other wannabe in the DMV. What a cliche, the OP is right![/quote]

Imagine that, people do treat concerts and performances as the highlight of their lives. I saw Aretha Franklin perform live less than a year before her death. That's not a highlight? And what are you highlights, watching Commanders?  :roll: [/quote]

What are the Commanders?[/quote]
DC-based football team. They suck. [/quote]

Well there’s in the playoffs this year so[/quote]

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