i was driving back from Guildford to Bournemouth this week and i was listening to an audio cd of a book called 'Blue like Jazz'. The subject was love.
How in our society we commodify (put a price on) love and and place conditions on loving people.
He talked about how we use language to describe things. When you think of love what words do you use to describe it and the relationships you have?? Maybe spend a moment before reading on with what you think of??.....
He describes how we use words such as...i 'value' our relationship, i want to 'invest' in you, you are a 'diamond', you are 'worth' so much to me. i want to 'spend' time with you. This is economic metaphor!! Language that describes a commodity and in relation to value of something...
What can happen is that, when in a relationship, if someone treats us badly or doesn't show they value us, we then think we are 'worth.. less' we feel 'devalued'. He goes on to say..'This is not how things were meant to be. We are not supposed to get our value from each other and what others think of us. We are all of value purely because we are created beautiful by God, in his image.' (What is beautiful is a whole other subject).
Just as this cd finished and i was thinking on these things i drove past a dirty lorry. Scribbled on the back at the top were these words...
'Love for sale, ask the driver for details'
Not only wierd timing, but i thought really sad that someone feels they can buy love or sell themselves. Songs have been written on this ...
Funny also, i told my girlfriend Jodun about this and the next day on the tube, she sat opposite a quirkily dressed chap and on his waistcoat was a little self written cardboard badge that read, 'not for sale' !!!!
Funny times we live in where some try to sell themselves and others try hard not to and others still hold on to their value as more that ecomonic. In a world where the trafficking of people is the biggest growing illegal trade and the yearly profit from it is said to exceed both Apple and Coca Cola's put together!!! What we really think about ourselves and the value of a human life is important, can we put a price on it???
