HaKatan: Perhaps in an ideal world, but we’re not living in one. Seminary is technically not a necessity and therefore they rely on the packaging to sell it.
Lior: Nobody is talking about “valid” reasons. I’m personally talking about reasons stam. Each person decides whether or not they are valid. I know that here in sem so far, as much as I like the seminary itself, I’m growing to love love love Eretz Yisrael even more- even after only a week and a half. For me, let’s say, I’d say that my reason for coming would be more ahavat Eretz Yisrael than “exoticism,” and I’d say that that’s probably true for many/most girls, but then again people also want to try something different than they had before in high school. My friend went to seminary at her high school’s seminary and hated it because she felt like she was still in high school.
Nobody’s saying anything about necessity. They’re talking about supply/demand and free choice.
And I said nothing about seeing other people’s austerity or anything of the sort. In fact, one of the things I dislike about sem is the whole “essen tug” concept as far as Shabbos placement is concerned. It makes me really uncomfortable to ask people to put me up or to be placed, and I have no interest in eating some kollel family’s last piece of chicken. Let them eat it, or not buy it and save it for spending on something more important.
PAA: Wow. Are you stalking me? 🙂 I’d barely remembered writing that, but I still hold that opinion. (I haven’t either ruled out marrying a guy in kollel, anyway; but it’s definitely not a fait accompli.)
It actually reminds me of a pet peeve that I have here in sem. A lot of classes talk about their focus on building skills in learning, which I think is great, because trust me, mine can only get better. Then girls start raising their hands (no bushah!) and asking why they need to build skills, because when will they ever need them after seminary anyway. Sorry? Learning stops only after seminary? No, really, major attitude adjustment needed here.