Valentine’s Day is not for everyone. For some of us, it is like that unexpected rush of water into the ear when we are in the pool, or the bit of corn kernel that is lodged between teeth that the tongue can’t push out. For those of us, there are schools of thought that we can temporarily embrace to ridourselves of the overwhelming gush of “luv” in the air. I have been contemplating on how to make the V (for vendetta?) day more enjoyable, by attacking the sentiments of those who actually celebrate it.
First, we can dismiss it as a consumerist ideology. After two paragraphs of unimportant historical facts, Wikipedia tells us that the actual St Valentine did not imply of any romantic connotations. Alright, I agree, it is a reason to celebrate the existence of your significant other. But earthly cupids (of marketing and retail) increase the anticipation well ahead of the actual celebration. In fact, I have even heard people use the phrases “Valentine’s month”. This is true — February 8 is ‘Propose day’ and the day before is ‘Rose day’. What is it, but an unnecessary addition to an already redundant festival? Indian festivals on the other hand, are at least beneficial to the domestic economy by supporting indigenously produced fruits, vegetables, and (I daresay) fireworks. Valentine’s day is not a retail holiday in just the West — Google trends updated me of the search ‘Valentine’ and ‘roses’ trending over a week ahead of the actual celebrations in India.
I’m running short of arguments, but here’s another school of thought to pursue if you are indeed boycotting the celebrations. Celebrate ‘Self-love day’ to complement and restore balance in the universe.
The order of the day involves withdrawal from societal obligations, and you don’t even need to spend money on artefacts, or put thought into gifts. You don’t need to be polite out of obligation; instead you can be yourself (within the realms of the law). Learn to appreciate that it is of greater importance to invest time in oneself instead of on another human being. While we may not be assured of the results in the latter, we will definitely grow intellectually and physically from the former. The phrase goes “Survival of the fittest”, and not “survival of the fittest person who is friends with the fittest”.
Appreciate yourselves and revel in your alone-ness. If the happy couples make you feel insecure, remember that the feeling is temporary. You are meant for greater things that will potentially get you greater results — than the immediate gratification from taking pictures, looking at moving pictures with human, eating chocolates, looking at glittery jewellery and smelling roses on a capitalist whim. One day, people will “Remember, remember, the 14th of February” because of ‘some of us’.