I really dislike holidays, including both the secular ones (like the big one tomorrow) and the "holy" ones: the Sunday-Go-to-Meetin' Days, the Sabbaths—of, if you speak with a Cockney accent, the Allah Days. About the only good thing to be said for them is that they excuse us from going to the office. Everything else about them is a downer. Like tomorrow, you're supposed to set off fire crackers or sparklers or "fireworks," and if you don't set them off yourself, try to get away from those who do. Or try to avoid the ghastly "fireworks stands" that spring up wherever fools with money to burn can be expected to see them.
Philosophically, my main objection to "holy days" is that if any day is holy, then they all are, and to single particular days out to make a big to-do about being extra good or whatever is, in reverse, to single all the other days out to slough off and be mediocre, or worse. Essentially the same objection applies to Mother's Day and Father's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day...and the Fourth of July. If parents (or children) deserve to be honored, they deserve to be honored everyday, not just on one "special" day of the year. If our Nation or our Founding Fathers or the Declaration of Our Independence is worth celebrating, then isn't it worth celebrating (genuinely, in our minds and hearts) everyday?
To teach our children to celebrate Independence Day on one day of the year, and to do so with dangerous toys that make loud noises and go flash, sends a corrupting message: it's not really that important, it's just an excuse to over-eat watermelons and hot dogs and act more rowdily and foolishly than usual.
Yep, I agree. I do understand, though, why, throughout the millennia, people worldwide have set aside days to celebrate something specific: For a once yearly reminder of what's important…what to do (or not to do), how to be, how to treat others, and/or why their country or religion or culture has or honors certain traditions. Truest folly occurs, as you so clearly point out, when they're hypocrites in daily life, despite these annual reminder rituals, festivities, celebrations. Definitely my own thoughts too, especially about purportedly "religious" people who then act badly, do/say bad stuff, or otherwise treat people, animals, things, and/or circumstances in ways that contradict what the holiday or holy day represents.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't mention Birthdays. Do you feel the same about them?
ReplyDeleteSteve in Germany
I don't think I feel quite that way about birthdays (or wedding anniversaries), which are more personal. I think it's the corporate, group-think holidays that get my goat.
ReplyDeleteEvery year around Christmas, I have similar feelings about holidays. From a strictly consequentialist point of view, any excuse for people to be nice to their moms, or dads, or veterans, or whatever the holiday may be, is not a bad thing. That being said, it seems obvious that people shouldn't need some arbitrary date to be nice to one another or celebrate others' lives or accomplishments. It's just one more thing in life that exists in that nice gray area.
ReplyDeleteRight, holidays turn out okay for lots of folks, but you may have forgotten that the murder rate goes up statistically significantly around a couple of the big family holidays, in particular the one you mention. People get together even though they have serious issues with one another simply because the holiday says they are supposed to.
ReplyDeleteIt's that "supposed to" that was implicit in my reply to Steve in Germany in which I referred to "group think."
In our tiny local paper, which reports hardly anything, I have so far read about six fatalities from fireworks explosions this weekend in North Carolina. We're supposed to blow up firecrackers on July 4, don't you know?
Steve, birthdays and wedding anniversaries aren't generally considered holidays, by the way, although a person might take his birthday off "as a holiday" or a married couple might occasionally "take a holiday" on their wedding anniversary.
ReplyDeleteNot that your question implied that you thought them holidays in the context of my essay; you were just asking, perhaps because, as I recall, you don't like to remember your birthday (or have it remembered by anyone else)? Are your reasons for that at all similar to any of mine for disliking holidays? I didn't get the impression that you oppose birthdays because they are a sort of mortality countdown, although many people of my acquaintance dislike birthdays for that reason.
It's not a matter of not wanting to remember my birthday, I just don't get excited about it. I do wish other folks a happy birthday and don't expect the same in return. If someone does wish me a happy birthday, it doesn't bother me anymore than if they don't. Does that make sense? Everyone can enjoy, or not, what they like, or don't, and I say, good on them.
ReplyDeleteSteve in Germany
Ah, Steve, it's more like you're just indifferent to your own birthday! That's actually very close, it seems to me, to my attitude toward "holidays"; I'm generally indifferent to them. But I of course don't ordinarily join you in rewarding those who take them seriously by wishing good on them on that account. I guess I get more pleasure thinking up and expressing reasons why they should reconsider. Not to their face, of course. When my neighbors reported that they had had watermelon and enjoyed a fireworks display on Saturday, I expressed gladness for them. And, when asked if we'd done anything special for the Fourth, I said, no, nothing special. To me, like your birthday to you, it was just another glorious day.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, why do you select the "Anonymous" option for commenting rather than the "Name/URL" option? It is not required to give an URL and, if you identified yourself there as "Steve in Germany," the comment would be identified up=front as from Steve in Germany rather than from Anonymous.
Just now read your blog and do not disagree. However, when I was working for a living I did enjoy the occasional respite and picnic socializing regardless of the excuse. The real reason there is a father/mother's day is of course that we honor them on this day with a gift—strictly commercial.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Jim, the proximate reason why any particular holiday was proposed (and legislated) may bear little relation to the reason that people generally understand when they do what they are "supposed" to do on that day.
ReplyDeleteJust a habit I guess. How's this.
ReplyDeleteI guess I get more pleasure thinking up and expressing reasons why they should reconsider.
ReplyDeleteDoes that come with age? Lighten up. Life is short enough and we all can use a few more smiles as we move along. Oh, almost forgot. You don't see much in smiling. Good on you anyway.
"Steve" worked, but I miss "in Germany," which is very distinctive!
ReplyDeleteHa, I thought I was being light in making the joke about "getting more pleasure"!
But seriously, I think in my case that, yes, I have become more cynical, or curmudgeonly, as age has brought me to a better understanding of how self-deluded humans tend to be.
I don't know whether or not it "comes with age" generally. It certainly doesn't seem to have come in your case; you appear to be the same democratic, live-and-let-live person you were as a teenager.
Superior, never. Trip you up, never. I just want to enjoy what time I have left, may it be longer than shorter, with good memories and times. I take pleasure in watching the squirrels visit our balcony and patio. Stop by and take a look, if you will. It sort of like watching flowers and plants mature and bloom. Very relaxing.
ReplyDeleteAh, you were too quick for me! (I refer to the original concluding paragraph of my previous comment, which I thought better of and deleted.)
ReplyDeleteBut I overlooked your comment about my "not seeing much in smiling," which I think is a reference to my essay about being asked to smile for a photograph—or rather, about not always doing what one is prompted to do, namely smile for a camera. I smile whenever I want to, which is often, but not always when I am supposed to.
It's getting late in Germany and time to shut down. I do believe this is the longest conversation we have had since we worked together. Good talking to you tonight and as you fondly use to say, good on you.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think you're right about this interchange's having been one the longest we've had in a couple of years (or however long it has been since you stopped writing for attempted publication).
ReplyDeleteI think it was good to talk with you too. Dear Steve in Germany, good on you as well!
Fondly yours.