Friday 13 February 2009

~Commercialised Cr*p~

You may think me a cynical old toad (maybe I am), but the current barrage of Valentine's Day bumf is seriusly getting on my tits.

Surely I'm not the only person who finds the whole debacle hurl-inducingly cheesy?

We saw the back of Christmas / New year (which is just as bad), only for it to be replaced by yet another example of over-commercialised bollocks that's designed to make us feel obliged to part with our cash.

You WILL buy an expensive card / bottle of sparkly pink wine / bunch of roses / cuddly toy holding a heart saying 'I love you' / cheesy CD compilation of love songs / over priced restaurant meal....woe betide you if you don't!!

The other 364 days of the year don't matter, you can be a total bastard for those, as long as you make a grand, over-sentimental display of affection on the 14th of February.


TODAY'S MOOD: Cynical, old and toadish.

SOUNDTRACK: Siouxsie and the Banshees - 'Love in a Void'




FOOTNOTE: Do you really find Valentine's Day romantic?

The Unimpressed Groover

18 comments:

  1. Amen brother!!!! I couldn't agree with you more. I even had a spit about it whole crap fest myself a little while ago. Toadish? No. Honest? Yep. Realist? That too. Don't change a thing Mr Grover, there are many of us feeling exactly the same way.

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  2. I don’t call it being cynical, and I don’t mind calling myself a cynic. It’s the people who manipulate others for commercial gain who are being cynical. They see an opportunity to make people feel guilty for not buying their goods – whether it be Christmas presents, flowers or chocolates for Valentine’s Day, or cards for any occasion imaginable, and they go for it.

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  3. Oh dear!

    Don't open your gift!

    You will lose all respect for me!

    *sigh*

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  4. Yep, I'm not buying it either. ( I love that phrase. )

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  5. I've always been rebellious. I hate being told what to do and when to do it. But that is exactly what all holidays do to me; they bring out the rebel inside me.

    Today you must buy gifts, wrap them and put them under a tree. Today you must buy candy, flowers and a card. Today you must color eggs and hide them and buy more candy. Today you must cook a huge meal and invite all your relatives to your home.

    Ugh, it all makes me want to run to the nearest airport and fly off to some tropical paradise and hide in a hotel with awesome room service.

    Now that, would be a holiday.

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  6. Valentine's Day... bah, humbug!

    The problem is not the stuff being offered and advertised, the problem is that people buy into it, making it worthwhile.

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  7. Valentine's isn't for buying things, it's for expressing love and appreciation. Bill writes me either a poem or a letter, even though he tells me he loves me five or six times a day.

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  8. My daughter was born on this day so I have a perpetual gift running around the house year round...Plus I can combine birthday gifts with a Valentines Day theme and actually save a buck and look good in the process.

    Unfortunately I'm f**ked on every other holiday.

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  9. It's one comfort of being broke. My kids no longer take every day on the calendar with something written on it (Groundhog Day, Washington's Birthday, etc.) as a gift giving occasion. I will, however give each a card and a couple of dollars for Valentine's Day. For some reason I can't not do it.

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  10. Yep. In my case, my wife was born on VD, so I only have to endure half of it. I tell her I love her (and I do) every day of the year...so why the hell do I need this day?

    The other irritating factor is, we are pounded for at least two months before the ferking whatever day it is, by the media and stores. It is getting way out of hand.

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  11. You don't have to spend big bucks to do something special on Valentines, if you choose not to you don't have to do anything at all.

    Because it's your personal choice, personally, as my partner loves Valentines, I try to make it special for her because SHE is important, not the day...

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  12. Yes you are a cynical old toad! lol
    I love Valentines Day. I just love all the cheesy cards and the colors :) I always make it a special day for my lover and my kids too. Letting them know how much I love them. I'm a sucker for all that stuff...

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  13. Just so you guys know, the cynic sent me a HUGE card and a lovely, thoughtful gift. Of course, I feel the love all year long. So his once a year point is well stated, but he does give in to it a little.

    Love you, babe!
    (sorry if I blew your old, toadish reputation out of the water) LOL

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  14. Honestly it hasn't bothered me that much. There's only this one aisle in the supermarket that's all hurl-inducingly pink. No force of will or nature can compel me to set foot in there, but as long as the madness is contained, I'm content.

    In fact, I deliberately did not buy any chocolate or candy because I'm waiting for them to be 80% off on Sunday the 15th! :-D

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  15. The whole roses/stuffed toy/restaurant is so contrived - far better to show love and respect throughout the year and to celebrate that love as the mood strikes.

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  16. I don't see how one can bash a holiday that celebrates Love.
    What makes you think one must have an "over-sentimental display of affection on the 14th of February"? Just celebrate love: having love of your friends, love of life...
    I often do think you are a cynical old toad.

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  17. Justfly:

    It doesn't celebrate love nearly as much as it celebrates parting people with their cash.

    I often think the same of you, I have to say.

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