You are on a rigid schedule. Whether you know it or not. You are being timed and graded on your accomplishment of certain tasks. All of this is being closely monitored. Whether or not you accomplish these tasks decides a number of important things in your life: who you associate with, the approval of your friends and family, how you can spend your spare time, how much money you have, and possibly, where you live. The bad part is.......you, probably, have never been informed , as to, just what these tasks are and to when and how you should accomplish them. In fact, you have never really been informed that this rigid schedule of tasks actually exists. And it must be IMPORTANT, because everyone you come into contact with inquires on your progress. It also seems that they HAVE been informed of what these tasks are, AND when you should have accomplished them. .
To illustrate what I mean, I will walk you through an "examination". Our two conversants, we will call the evaluator (E) and the victim (v.) They have just met in the last few minutes. The victim is a man in his mid-to-late 20's.

E: "Are you married?"

Now, if the victim says yes he gets a look of approval. But we will follow that trail later.

V: "No."

(Mild look of concern from the evaluator)

E: "Are you seeing anyone?"

If the victim says no, the look he receives is one of disbelief. If he say.....

V: "Yes."

Then comes the question...

E: "Is it serious?"

If the victim says no, the look of mild concern (which has stayed on the evaluator's face) becomes one of deep concern. If the victim says yes,...

V: "Yes, actually it is."

The look of mild concern becomes a smile, indicating the victim is, indeed, at least, trying to keep with the schedule.


Now, if the victim had said he was married.........it goes like this....

E: "Oh (look of approval), how long?"

If the victim says anything over five years, he gets a look of alarm from the evaluator. If he says anything under two years, he gets a smirk. If he says anything in between,...

E: "Have any kids?"

If he says no, once again, the look of deep concern (this, also, is the same for those married over five years). If he says anything more than two, once again, the look of deep concern. If he says between one and two......

E: "Oh really! How old are they?"

If the oldest is more than 4, he get the look of concern again. If the only child is still on the way, same look of concern. Anything in between...

E: "That's great! Do you have pictures?"

If the victim doesn't have pictures, the look of concern returns. If the victim has pictures, they are "ooohed" and "aaaahed" over for a polite amount of time.


And that is an evaluation.....at least at one stage of life. The scary thing is....it never ends. Up to age eighteen or twenty-two, you know what the landmarks are....go to elementary school, go to junior high, or middle school (depending on what your town has to offer), go to high school, go to college, get a job (the last two, not necessarily in that order). But from then... Society has this rigid timetable you are SUPPOSED to live up to. Nobody tells you what it is. Society doesn't care if you want to live up to it.

IT IS YOUR JOB TO BE EMPLOYED, SUCCESSFULLY, MARRIED, HAVE KIDS, AND GET THEM OUT OF YOUR HOUSE, PREFERABLY, INTO A GOOD SCHOOL, AND YOURSELF RETIRED. All ON A RIGID, TIMED, AND GRADED SCHEDULE. IF YOU DECIDE TO DO ANY OF THIS EARLY , OR LATER, THAN SOCIETY SAYS YOU SHOULD, IT WILL DEAL WITH YOU VERY HARSHLY.