Naysayers usually nay-say because they want others to have a life as boring, unfulfilled, mundane, and couch-potato-ish as they have. Misery loves company, after all... Often the strongest source of this is from close quarters. Someone I know has constant criticism from their siblings and in-laws, most of whom have themselves admitted to being relatively unfulfilled in their marriages and jobs, and slobbish and overweight. The underlying reason is always the same: "be like us."
People who do different things are ALWAYS going to be the target of ridicule, because the nature of people is to criticize those who are different. The process goes something like this (this isn't scientific, just how it is laid out in my thinking process):
1) A difference is observed
2) The human mind performs a self-check to evaluate whether the difference is in conflict with its own current beliefs and ways of being
3) If a conflict is discovered, the beliefs of the person are presumed to be threatened and in jeopardy
4) The subconscious auto-pilot reaction is, "I must defend my beliefs which are being threatened."
5) Evidence supporting the existing belief is cited to reaffirm the belief being held, ignoring any evidence to support the opposing side
6) The source of the conflict (in this case, your husband) is ridiculed
So your husband is ridiculed for doing something he enjoys, because of an internal conflict within the minds of others, though your husband did nothing to intentionally initiate the conflict.
It may help to understand the "whys" when ridicule comes from those you love, and realize that it isn't malicious, it's just the nature of the human who has not yet become more directly involved in his or her own thinking process. The best thing you can probably do is to continue to be a supportive wife and dance partner, and make sure that the both of you have fun--that's the end result after all! :-) |
