Every year it seems like more and more people dread this holiday. Single people don't like being reminded of their singleness, and people in relationships secretly don't like having to buy another unneeded present for their significant other and being forced to perform for a day. So this makes me ask the question, "How does Valentine's Day still exist?". Having started out as a day where naked men encourage fertility by whipping the behinds of women, and then transforming into a holiday to remember a martyr of the Christian faith, it doesn't even resemble either of those today.
The only answer is that jewelers, candy makers, Hallmark, and Charlie Brown keep reminding everyone about the day. This way, to use Pavlov's terminology, people become conditioned to buying presents or else they will receive a negative stimulus. Perhaps it's easier for husbands and boyfriends to only express their love one day instead of all 365. To be honest I don't really know, but as long as Valentine's day is as commercialized as it is people will be reminded to celebrate the day. Of course there will always be that girl who gains affirmation from getting presents that she doesn't really need, and makes her boyfriend/husband take part in the holiday. Therefore, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it is here to stay for a while.
I completely agree with you! I hate this holiday, but accept it is here to stay forever. It's made for couples and they appreciate the holiday I suppose. However, it has been completely capitalized on and the love has been lost which is supposed to be present on this day. Now its just filled inside of gifts.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be a common take no the subject: Valentine's day is here today because of greedy corporations and credulous girlfriends.
ReplyDeleteBut I wonder if that is really fair, even though I certainly at time share the sentiment. Aren't most people, now, properly skeptical of the Holiday? Who doesn't realize that it is too commercial and has been corrupted?
Maybe Valentine's day exists because of laziness: "perhaps it is easier for husbands and boyfriends to only express their love one day instead of all 365." Maybe it is more a testament to our laziness: we are too busy to worry about stupid things like love other days of the year, so let's just set out one day that can do the work of 364 days! It's efficient! And we need not be "duped" by corporations for the ruse to function--indeed, our knowledge of the corruption of the holiday by business actually helps keep the holiday in place!