Okay, I have a boyfriend so you all you single people out there will probably claim that I have zero credibility. But let me let you in on a little secret: I've been single on Valentine's Day before. Would you care to know my track record for not being single on Valentine's Day? This will be my THIRD Valentine's Day in which my Facebook status will let all the world know that I'm "In A Relationship." Third. I'm 24 years old. So trust me, I know how much it can suck being "alone" on Valentine's Day. I've got 21 years of being "alone" to back up my credibility on this topic.
But here's the thing: I was never alone. I had friends and family who loved me. LOVED ME. Imagine that! People who loved me on Valentine's Day, which is what the holiday is allegedly about. Imagine that! So unless you're not only single, but also the Most Hated Person In the World, you're not unloved and lonely on Valentine's Day. You're just too hung up on the idea of dating to let yourself see that. You're the one who decided that getting a Valentine's card from your best friend "just wasn't the same." You're the one that wished that the little teddy bear your mom or dad gave you was from your super cute crush. And you're the one who failed to consider that you're not the only single person out there. Lots of people don't have a Valentines. Lots of people did not cave in to the Hallmark Agenda.
And then there's the people who claim that Valentine's Day is the ultimate display of capitalist greed, that it only exists as a means for Hallmark and the flower companies to make a few extra bucks.
Ok.
But what about diamond engagement rings? As the Wedding/Diamond Ring Industry (does such a thing exist?) would have me believe, the diamond ring is a very traditional aspect of courting. Every little girl grew up dreaming of the day her soul-mate would get down on one knee and offer her a diamond engagement ring in exchange for her hand in marriage, because diamonds are forever, just like your relationship. It's so romantic! It's so sweet!
It's... well, bullshit! In the 1940s, when people were of the opinion that eating was more important than diamonds, DeBeers realized that they needed to convince them otherwise. The campaign to bling out every bride-to-be was launched by using Hollywood actresses to wear diamond rings in public. Then fashion writers were bribed to write about this "trend," thus generating public interest. All of this was capped off when the aforementioned slogan "A Diamond Is Forever" was used to suggest to men that if they just gave up a few months worth of salary, their love would be eternal.
Sound like a certain holiday to you? No, wait, that sounds like every holiday to me. Every holiday is a capitalist scheme to make money. Give me a holiday where you don't see endless advertisements for sales, give me a holiday where you aren't convinced to buy even just a little something to celebrate. Even Martin Luther King Jr has been exploited. Go on, Google "Martin Luther King Sales." Sounds like someone is trying to make a buck or two off of a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Go figure.
Instead of bitching and moaning about what a horrible holiday it is, why not celebrate it in your own way? Why not celebrate love in its many forms? I'm not Christian and yet I still celebrate Christmas. There's nothing stopping you, except perhaps your lack of imagination.
Or why not just ignore it? Why acknowledge it if you hate it so much? Why do you waste your energy, what are you trying to prove? I hate modern pop music, so I avoid listening to the radio. When I was single, instead of feeling resentful of everyone and everything (or just angry while I saw other girls get flowers and chocolate while I just got homework) I just, well, didn't care. Honestly. So what if that girl gets flowers? Millions of girls are getting flowers. And millions of girls aren't getting flowers. Neither you nor the girl receiving the flowers are special or unique in any way whatsoever.
Valentine's Day is not an attack on single people. It is an effort for Hallmark and the flower companies (and the chocolate companies, and the Teddy Bear makers, and so on and so forth) to make more money, I'll give you that. But everything is bastardized at this point in order to milk it for all it's worth. Valentine's Day is no different from Christmas, Halloween or Mother's Day.
But you love getting presents, getting free candy and your mom so those holidays are totally legitimate, right?
But here's the thing: I was never alone. I had friends and family who loved me. LOVED ME. Imagine that! People who loved me on Valentine's Day, which is what the holiday is allegedly about. Imagine that! So unless you're not only single, but also the Most Hated Person In the World, you're not unloved and lonely on Valentine's Day. You're just too hung up on the idea of dating to let yourself see that. You're the one who decided that getting a Valentine's card from your best friend "just wasn't the same." You're the one that wished that the little teddy bear your mom or dad gave you was from your super cute crush. And you're the one who failed to consider that you're not the only single person out there. Lots of people don't have a Valentines. Lots of people did not cave in to the Hallmark Agenda.
And then there's the people who claim that Valentine's Day is the ultimate display of capitalist greed, that it only exists as a means for Hallmark and the flower companies to make a few extra bucks.
Ok.
But what about diamond engagement rings? As the Wedding/Diamond Ring Industry (does such a thing exist?) would have me believe, the diamond ring is a very traditional aspect of courting. Every little girl grew up dreaming of the day her soul-mate would get down on one knee and offer her a diamond engagement ring in exchange for her hand in marriage, because diamonds are forever, just like your relationship. It's so romantic! It's so sweet!
It's... well, bullshit! In the 1940s, when people were of the opinion that eating was more important than diamonds, DeBeers realized that they needed to convince them otherwise. The campaign to bling out every bride-to-be was launched by using Hollywood actresses to wear diamond rings in public. Then fashion writers were bribed to write about this "trend," thus generating public interest. All of this was capped off when the aforementioned slogan "A Diamond Is Forever" was used to suggest to men that if they just gave up a few months worth of salary, their love would be eternal.
Sound like a certain holiday to you? No, wait, that sounds like every holiday to me. Every holiday is a capitalist scheme to make money. Give me a holiday where you don't see endless advertisements for sales, give me a holiday where you aren't convinced to buy even just a little something to celebrate. Even Martin Luther King Jr has been exploited. Go on, Google "Martin Luther King Sales." Sounds like someone is trying to make a buck or two off of a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Go figure.
Instead of bitching and moaning about what a horrible holiday it is, why not celebrate it in your own way? Why not celebrate love in its many forms? I'm not Christian and yet I still celebrate Christmas. There's nothing stopping you, except perhaps your lack of imagination.
Or why not just ignore it? Why acknowledge it if you hate it so much? Why do you waste your energy, what are you trying to prove? I hate modern pop music, so I avoid listening to the radio. When I was single, instead of feeling resentful of everyone and everything (or just angry while I saw other girls get flowers and chocolate while I just got homework) I just, well, didn't care. Honestly. So what if that girl gets flowers? Millions of girls are getting flowers. And millions of girls aren't getting flowers. Neither you nor the girl receiving the flowers are special or unique in any way whatsoever.
Valentine's Day is not an attack on single people. It is an effort for Hallmark and the flower companies (and the chocolate companies, and the Teddy Bear makers, and so on and so forth) to make more money, I'll give you that. But everything is bastardized at this point in order to milk it for all it's worth. Valentine's Day is no different from Christmas, Halloween or Mother's Day.
But you love getting presents, getting free candy and your mom so those holidays are totally legitimate, right?
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