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Can someone explain me USA obsession with prom and similar school rituals? (lemm.ee)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

70 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I just don't get it... Why is that important, especially for kids now, that feel like they need to do a YouTube video asking for a date or doing some meme stuff. Some teens even hire the hottest celebrity or ask them to appear in their prom? This is so bizarre for me, all that just for a frivolous night.

In my country prom was a thing but nowhere near as theatrical, I didn't went to either my prom trip or the party. Also skipped half of my middle school trips.

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[–] retrospectology 9 points 4 months ago (3 children)

It's sort of a first step into adulthood and just a way of marking a coming of age threshold as people head out into the wider world.

Most proms aren't that crazy, I think the real thing you're noticing is more the distorting effecf social media can have on any cultural tradition or practice. You're seeing people who would go overboard about anything they thought might get them attention. Kind of like people who have insane weddings, the majority of people still have totally normal weddings for the most part.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

Yeah it's important to remember that social media has a distorting effect and shouldn't be confused for reality. The things you see on social media have passed a certain filter. Namely that the person sharing it believed it ought to be shared. This alone means that viewing the world through social media will hide a lot of the mundanity and normality that actually is out there all around us.

[–] TubularTittyFrog 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

most proms are held in a the gym with a shitty dj and shitty catered food. but you're not gonna see that portrayed in media. parents drop them off, there are no limos.

[–] Today 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Here they are big, catered events in a rented venue with expensive tickets, limos, etc. Friends daughter has several ~$500 dresses. I don't understand how or why.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

It goes to show the socioeconomic differences. The more affluent kids at my school went all out. There was expensive outfits, limos, and after parties at other venues. For others it was just mom dropping them off at the vanilla school hosted event and that's it.

[–] Today 1 points 4 months ago

There are also post-prom parties so there's often no curfew which leads to the hotel room/ sleepover situation.