The Wicked Ingénue

-start soapbox-

Interestingly enough, the United States is the only country that celebrates Valentine’s Day with such deliberateness and fanfare. I think it’s a reflection of typical capitalistic Western ideologies, and it reiterates the fact that the almighty (although currently economically-challenged) dollar influences much of our cultural values and beliefs.

I’m sure the individual(s) who suggested making St. Valentine’s Day a national holiday way back when had good intent, but as time went on and industrialization prospered, said “holiday” became a twenty-four hour orgy of materialistic extravagance, which in turn perpetuated (and continues to perpetuate) unnecessary Valentine’s Day expectations. The way I see it, corporations such as Hallmark, See’s Candy, DeBeers, and the Build-A-Bear Workshop franchise are the ones who truly benefit from the outpouring of “love” on V-Day.

This restricted contentedness also raises another iniquitous aspect of V-Day: the exclusion of singles and/or people who are unhappy with their relationships. Singles are reminded (not only by friends and relatives, but also by a countless number of other mediums) of the lack of love in their life while people whose love lives are falling apart are reminded of the pains that often accompany romantic relationships.

If someone isn’t completely content with their singleness (or the fact that they’re probably going to be single soon), Valentine’s Day can be extremely depressing. For some, it feels like a form of failure. Failure because they have yet to find “that special someone” and/or failure because things went to shit with “that special someone”.

For those who are “lucky” enough to be spending V-Day with “that special someone”, it’s certainly not a heart-shaped cakewalk from that angle, either, because the grossly materialistic aspect of V-Day must be addressed. He or she who meets/exceeds his or her lover’s expectations via spending obscene amounts of money reigns supreme. In stark contrast, he or she who fails to meet expectations faces a potential argument, a sexless night on the sofa, or even being “kicked to the curb”.

Is it just me, or is that the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard?

Even more ridiculous than that, though, is the fact that all these headaches are brought on by a date on the calendar. Let’s say that to ourselves again just so we can revel in its ridiculousness: All these headaches are brought on by a date on the calendar. They should just replace the “St. Valentine’s Day” notification on the national calendar with “Massive Migraine Day”. Or “I’m Officially Broke Because I Outdid Myself Day”. Or “My Partner Is Pissed Because I Couldn’t Get A Reservation At Our Favorite Restaurant Day”.

Am I really as cynical about love as I sound? No. I just don’t believe in setting aside one day a year to celebrate it, and I don’t believe that gifts = proof of love.

-end sopbox-

With that, I leave you with a couple of Shakespeare funnies (which are all in good fun, mind you):