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Conference quark::human_relations-v1

Title:What's all this fuss about 'sax and violins'?
Notice:Archived V1 - Current conference is QUARK::HUMAN_RELATIONS
Moderator:ELESYS::JASNIEWSKI
Created:Fri May 09 1986
Last Modified:Wed Jun 26 1996
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1327
Total number of notes:28298

1041.0. "Is this why you chose him/her?" by IAMOK::GRAY (Follow the hawk, when it circles, ...) Thu Jul 19 1990 13:42

       In the Boston Sunday Globe, Parade Magazine section, there is a
       column titled "Ask Marilyn".  (Marilyn vos Savant is listed in the
       Guinness Book of World Records Hall of Fame for "Highest IQ")
       One of the questions from this past Sunday follows:


        Reader's Question:
	       In terms of human relationships we hear that
	       "opposites attract" and "like attracts like".
	       Which do you think is the more successful
	       pairing?

        Marilyn's Answer:
	       I think that the lower our self-esteem, the
	       more we want someone different from ourselves;
	       the higher our self-esteem, the more we want
	       someone "like" ourselves.  And couples with
	       greater self-respect are surely going to be
	       happier.


       This started me wondering.  For those people who have had what
       they consider long term relationships, does Marilyn's answer
       mirror your experience?


       Richard
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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1041.1Gee...I don't really think so...SUPER::REGNELLSmile!--Payback is a MOTHER!Thu Jul 19 1990 20:1934
    
    Let's see...20 years...I guess that qualifies.
    
    Not really.
    
    Each of our self-esteems [e-gad what grammar!] have grown over the
    years...as has the relationship.
    
    We were certainly not very self-esteemed when we first got married. On the
    other hand...we are both what I would say was self-confident and
    self-esteemed at this point in our lives.
    
    Are we opposites? Hmmmm...in some things. [Well, he's a boy and I'm a
    girl...] Probably not in what I would call 'major-life-style-area' type
    things, though.
    
    I would venture the opinion that M's answer is what one would call
    'good hind-sight'. That relationships that have been successfull turn
    our to have people in them that have full compliments of self-esteem
    and, indeed, after several plus years together folks do tend to become
    alike in many of at least the obvious ways.
    
    But, in my opinion, I think she is describing a symptom of good
    relationships and not a cause.
    
    If I had to say the single thing that was important at the *beginning*
    that helped us get to 20 years down the line and still having fun...is
    not *self-esteem* but respect for the differences of the other partner,
    and a mutual agreement not to try to change them.
    
    Just my thoughts....
    
    Melinda
    
1041.2..and I'm asking MarilynBTOVT::BOATENG_KAhem!Gabh mo Leithsceal,Muinteoir!Thu Jul 19 1990 23:4319
    Re. 0 >> Marilyn..
    
    This Marilyn from what I've read, has been married three times.
       (Currently *still married to husband #3 )
    
    Why did her first two marriages fail ?  Could someone ask her to explain.
    
    Was it lack of the "necessities" to determine what a potential mate 
    could become ?  Why was she unable to use her talents to visualize what
    could become of her relationships/marriages ?
    
    It's my understanding that even though she went to college (sometime ago) 
    she does not have a college degree. [As of last time I read about her.]
    
    Why did she drop out of college several times ? 
    Could that affect her self-esteem when she is hanging with all these
    professionals in her husband's world? Since she does not possess a 
    professional degree and her husband does, is not an example of two
    people on the extreme ends of a pole ?
1041.3YUPPY::DAVIESAGrail seekerFri Jul 20 1990 12:3524
    
    Good topic!
    
    .0 immediately rang true for me.
    
    However.....
    In my experience people with low self-esteem will be attracted to
    people who they *believe* are as different from themselves as possible.
    
    I believe that it's difficult for your own profound perception of
    others to be operating fully when you've got low SE... 
    So, low SE people often, unwittingly, pick a partner whose SE *is* as 
    low as their own.
    They just can't see it.
    Both partners have SE "holes" - just in different places.
    
    When two low SE people team up for a long period they will change
    as individuals over time. If one's SE grows faster than the other
    then that individual will try and make their partner "catch up"
    - when this can't be done the relationship may well split, IMO.
    
    'gail