Social Experiment #1
Often I come up with odd and almost non-purposeful theories of society and people or other random aspects of the world, and I have decided to take my mere theories that come to me on bus rides into writing. A few theories I have received include 'Do the toys/games children play the most provide hints to the type of person/career they choose to have?' or 'Is the reason mermaids avoid shark attacks because they dwell in the depths of the ocean and sharks tend to feast near the surface?'
This theory I will however discuss is: do households that display many family photos around the house tend to be unhappier than households who don't?
I came to this idea when I began to wonder why my partner's house held no photos on display. This was strange compared to mine where photographs were literally framed everywhere, from the lounge rooms, hallways, kitchen, dining room and bar. Having photos of your family around the house is a nromal thing for me. Wouldn't my partner's family want to reminisce of the past and experiences their family has shared?
Then again, their house is perhaps the most positive and happy household I have ever come across. Communication is an important thing and discussions in the evening around the kitchen was an actually enjoyable past time. Whereas in my household, dinner was eaten in silence apart from the loud murmurs of the Channel 9 News in the background. Every member in my household also keeps to themselves and has their own room or part of the house they dwell, and diner aside, crossing paths and interacting with each other (apart from yelling or fighting about something) is not common.
Could photographs being displayed throughout the house somehow contribute to this? Probably not, but I found the tendency of this observation quite high. Perhaps it is because the photographs are fake, mostly taken in professional manners or 'family photo' styles and not 'in-the-moment'. The photographs in my house are not showing an experience but are showing people instead. Or perhaps it is because the display of photographs around the house encourages people to constantly look back, not forward, or in the moment? The photographs all display a happy family but then why do I feel we are the furthest thing from it?
My mothers house, where I don't live, also has only a few photographs around the house. There being a number of 5 children in that house means it is often hectic and extremely loud, with yelling and crying in the background but laughing too. Most of the time everyone is happy, the kids play and associate with each other and going there from my house where I live with my nanna and pop, is a much more pleasant experience, although a hectic one at that.
This theory also applied for my best friend's house where she no longer lives. Her house too, displayed many photographs of a family I honestly could not recognise. Her household was very negative, emotionally, mentally and physically abusive (at times). Her house was definitely worse than mine and if I had not been so close to her to witness these sad and negative occasions, I would have mistaken them for the family presented on their walls.
I'll continue to observe and add to this post of any more of my findings. Feel free to comment yours and or to share your own theory.
This theory I will however discuss is: do households that display many family photos around the house tend to be unhappier than households who don't?
I came to this idea when I began to wonder why my partner's house held no photos on display. This was strange compared to mine where photographs were literally framed everywhere, from the lounge rooms, hallways, kitchen, dining room and bar. Having photos of your family around the house is a nromal thing for me. Wouldn't my partner's family want to reminisce of the past and experiences their family has shared?
Then again, their house is perhaps the most positive and happy household I have ever come across. Communication is an important thing and discussions in the evening around the kitchen was an actually enjoyable past time. Whereas in my household, dinner was eaten in silence apart from the loud murmurs of the Channel 9 News in the background. Every member in my household also keeps to themselves and has their own room or part of the house they dwell, and diner aside, crossing paths and interacting with each other (apart from yelling or fighting about something) is not common.
Could photographs being displayed throughout the house somehow contribute to this? Probably not, but I found the tendency of this observation quite high. Perhaps it is because the photographs are fake, mostly taken in professional manners or 'family photo' styles and not 'in-the-moment'. The photographs in my house are not showing an experience but are showing people instead. Or perhaps it is because the display of photographs around the house encourages people to constantly look back, not forward, or in the moment? The photographs all display a happy family but then why do I feel we are the furthest thing from it?
My mothers house, where I don't live, also has only a few photographs around the house. There being a number of 5 children in that house means it is often hectic and extremely loud, with yelling and crying in the background but laughing too. Most of the time everyone is happy, the kids play and associate with each other and going there from my house where I live with my nanna and pop, is a much more pleasant experience, although a hectic one at that.
This theory also applied for my best friend's house where she no longer lives. Her house too, displayed many photographs of a family I honestly could not recognise. Her household was very negative, emotionally, mentally and physically abusive (at times). Her house was definitely worse than mine and if I had not been so close to her to witness these sad and negative occasions, I would have mistaken them for the family presented on their walls.
I'll continue to observe and add to this post of any more of my findings. Feel free to comment yours and or to share your own theory.
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