Valentine's Day raises controversy
David Penner
Issue date: 2/10/05 Section: Opinion
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I hate Valentine's Day. No, scratch that, I loathe Valentine's Day.
This is just another shining example of Corporate America perverting a day dedicated to a martyr into the all-mighty dollar.
Honestly, I think my hatred for Valentine's Day probably runs deeper than just a bunch of old guys at Hallmark coming up with catchy little slogans for a day dedicated to "love."
My biggest reason for turning my back on such a "joyous" day is because if you love someone, why do you need a special day to tell them? You don't. If you already love someone, you should do so unconditionally, not just on one day out of the year. What exactly do people do on the other 364 days?
I know some people out there, even people in my office, think that you don't need a significant other to celebrate Valentine's, you can waste the day telling your friends and family that you love them.
Once again, why? It's your family for Pete's sake, you don't have a choice to love them or not, it's programmed in your genetic makeup. You have to love them.
My next reason is that it reminds people who are single that they don't have anyone. Way to go Hallmark! Sometimes I wonder just how many suicides you and every other card company are responsible for on one day of the year.
Now, then I don't have to worry about being single, because I'm not. I do however, remember when I was single and how insignificant I felt on the February 14.
It was terrible. Loving couples would go out to eat, exchange gifts and who knows what else. The whole thing made me mad, and I desperately wanted to be a part of it. Now, that I am, I'm not so sure that I like it.
Let me clear this up before I get my head chewed off. My dislike for Valentine's has nothing to do with my significant other, on the contrary. I don't like this so-called holiday because instead of showing my love everyday of the year, I'm expected to do it on a grander scale for just one day.
Whatever happened to spontaneity? You know, stuff like flowers for no good reason or cooking dinner just because you want to. Valentine's robs people like me of individuality by lumping me into a category with a bunch of schmucks who have none.
At heart, I am a hopeless romantic who thinks that everyone deserves to find someone, but they should be able to do so without having one day forced on them like it is the only time they will ever find love.
This is just another shining example of Corporate America perverting a day dedicated to a martyr into the all-mighty dollar.
Honestly, I think my hatred for Valentine's Day probably runs deeper than just a bunch of old guys at Hallmark coming up with catchy little slogans for a day dedicated to "love."
My biggest reason for turning my back on such a "joyous" day is because if you love someone, why do you need a special day to tell them? You don't. If you already love someone, you should do so unconditionally, not just on one day out of the year. What exactly do people do on the other 364 days?
I know some people out there, even people in my office, think that you don't need a significant other to celebrate Valentine's, you can waste the day telling your friends and family that you love them.
Once again, why? It's your family for Pete's sake, you don't have a choice to love them or not, it's programmed in your genetic makeup. You have to love them.
My next reason is that it reminds people who are single that they don't have anyone. Way to go Hallmark! Sometimes I wonder just how many suicides you and every other card company are responsible for on one day of the year.
Now, then I don't have to worry about being single, because I'm not. I do however, remember when I was single and how insignificant I felt on the February 14.
It was terrible. Loving couples would go out to eat, exchange gifts and who knows what else. The whole thing made me mad, and I desperately wanted to be a part of it. Now, that I am, I'm not so sure that I like it.
Let me clear this up before I get my head chewed off. My dislike for Valentine's has nothing to do with my significant other, on the contrary. I don't like this so-called holiday because instead of showing my love everyday of the year, I'm expected to do it on a grander scale for just one day.
Whatever happened to spontaneity? You know, stuff like flowers for no good reason or cooking dinner just because you want to. Valentine's robs people like me of individuality by lumping me into a category with a bunch of schmucks who have none.
At heart, I am a hopeless romantic who thinks that everyone deserves to find someone, but they should be able to do so without having one day forced on them like it is the only time they will ever find love.