Forget global warming, military aggression, and lack of respect in the world, the number one sign that the world really is going to the dogs is that even Valentine’s Day has to be defended.
What is wrong with having a day dedicated to love? To lovers? Yet in today’s emotionless world most people are probably anti valentine than pro valentine.
The arguments against Valentines are familiar.
First of all there is the you-should-love-me-everyday-and-not-wait-for-valentine’s brigade. Hang on; you are anti a day for lovers because you don’t get enough love? Maybe I should lead a campaign to have a Valentine’s day every month eh? Any cartoon that never shows you love and/or affection expect on Valentine’s Day should not be in a relationship with you anyway. Just because you have poor taste in men or women you want the rest of us to suffer? That’s not very fair is it? Ditch the clown and find someone who will treat you right throughout the year and blow your mind on Valentine’s and you’ll cross the floor to my side I tell you.
Next we have the you-should-celebrate-love-everyday-not- just-valentine’s. Yes yes yes blah blah blah! Come on, you should celebrate life everyday but you wouldn’t advocate the banning of birthday celebrations would you. (Well unless you are completely heartless in which case maybe a heart shaped teddy bear will do you some good.) You appreciate life daily but it is cool having one day when you express special gratitude, a day dedicated to you, a birthday. In the same way, you should show love everyday but it is cool to have a day that is dedicated to the celebration of love, to the celebration of lovers, a Valentine’s day if you like.
We also have the whole valentine’s-day-is-like-so-commercial brigade. Yes it is and so is Christmas, Easter, in fact all celebrations have become commercial. But no one really wants Christmas banned. In fact true connoisseurs of love, such as me, are happy with the commercialisation of Valentine’s and this is why: Valentine’s has become predictable. Red Roses, heart shaped box of chocolates, anonymous cards. All this means that if you take the time to think it through, if you put a bit of effort into it, if you design a way to celebrate that breaks the clichés and is centred and focused on your partner in a unique way you have automatically shown that you got game. The more commercial Valentine’s get the more romantic and extraordinary those of us who can actually think for ourselves look! Think outside that heart shaped box and you’ll fall in love with Valentine’s.
There are two sides to the coin, check out Mshairi for the other side!
Pamoja Tuangamize Ukimwi
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8 comments
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February 1, 2005 at 8:56 am
madame butterfly
tehehehe..now how do *i* get to be on your side..
February 1, 2005 at 9:51 am
Mshairi
By advocating for a Valentine’s Day each month, I believe you are agreeing with me that each or more days in the year should celebrate love and not just the one day…
February 1, 2005 at 11:01 am
Mentalacrobatics
@mshairi true … now what to do with all these days dedicated to the celebration of love?
@mdmebutterfly ala si i thought we were all ready playing for the same team …
February 1, 2005 at 4:46 pm
Nyakehu
Mapenzi ya pesa nane- this is the root of the discussion, one day to clebrate when there are 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days 27,540 hours in a year. One day seems cheap for love. Please I would like a red rose everyday, some chocolate and a card reminding us of this wondrous thing called love. Cheapskates one day tsk, tsk
February 2, 2005 at 1:34 am
nd
The problem with valentine (easter, christmas, etc) can only be understood in the context of symbolic interaction, mass consumption, commodification, mcdonaldization, and advertising.
We are living in a world saturated with symbolic gestures and events, which are being used to make us part of the consumerist culture. Buying/consuming defines even the most cherished emotional instinct: love. Celebrating love is reduced to buying and consuming.
I dont want to be mcdonalized. I choose the day and how i want to express love. It can be everyday. It can be once a week. It can be…whatever. It doesnt have to be what the “whole world” decides. I follow my soul when it comes to love. Not the media. Not corporations. Not advertisement. Not trends. Not some unknown hand that picked a date (whether it is based on some old myth…anything). I choose the colors I want to use. Why force red on me?!!! Or her???!
I dont have to wait for 12 months (from february to february) to do express love in a special way, just because “that is what everybody is doing.” To me, that is too mechanical. Too calculated. Love, to me, should be spontaneous.
By the way, Jesus wont mind if christmas is banned! Infact, he will be happy!
February 2, 2005 at 4:24 am
Mentalacrobatics
No one wants love celebrated on only one day in the year and why should you feel compelled to wear red?
I feel that it is pretty cool that we have a day dedicated to love and lovers. That doesn’t mean that you can’t love on any other day.
Like I said you are grateful for life daily that does not stop you celebrating your birthday.
If ya’ll are stuck with people who only show you love on Valentines you are talking to the wrong people!
Admit it, ya’ll are just to embarrassed to walk down in town with a bunch of flowers eh, you chickens afraid of love! Don’t be afraid of love, love love.
Let your hair down, forget the commercialisation and just love the day for lovers!
If your single wink at me nicely and I’ll hook you up with one of ‘em cards!
December 30, 2005 at 12:10 pm
Lamar Cole
A cherished love gets sweeter with time.
January 3, 2006 at 3:03 pm
kenyanmusings
I only stumbled upon this blog because I saw a comment on it. And it is too early to be talking valentines (screw that day!), but to be truthful, you will have to run after me, harpoon my ass, subdue and apprehend me before you catch me with a bunch of maua on vals day. Kwanza in downtown…what am I? a clown? NO WAY. wacha hiyo mapenzi ikae mental! The only time I will carry flowers is on my wedding (and even then I will look for a way out) or on an odd day. Not vals! And by the way, if you want to give me flowers, send to my office, or bring them over and put them in a vase. Carry them for me please. It is enough that I love someone, do they have to ruin me this way? I think 1 rose is sexy. I could carry that. Not those huge ass bunches mpaka I have to struggle to show my face from behind them. LOL, but nice post. Made my day