In a New York Times story headlined “See You Next Year” publishedonline on March 21, Basirico talks about travelers who developfriendships during vacations – and how those friendships are based onannual trips to the same resorts or locales.
“It’s almost like having an affair,” said Laurence Basirico, aprofessor of sociology at Elon University who has done research oninterpersonal relationships at family reunions. Part of the appeal ofthese connections, Mr. Basirico says, is their limited scope. “It’s acase of ‘since I only see you once a year, I get to demonstrate onlythose parts of my identity that I want you to see.’ ”
Basirico was also quoted in a March 24 story headlined “Family values redux” in the National Post in Canada. The National Post article looked at the phenomena of “black sheep” in families.
Laurence Basirico, the author of The Family Reunion Survival Guide(2003), offers a different spin. In some families, he says, siblingsactually vie for the position of black sheep. “A negative identity isbetter than no identity. If you draw attention to yourself by beingbad, it makes you the centre of attention.”
To read both stories, click on the links below.