Comments on: Eugenides on valentines: “cheapening and commodification” http://www.wordyard.com/2008/02/14/eugenides-valentines/ Technology, politics, culture Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:59:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Ducky Sherwood http://www.wordyard.com/2008/02/14/eugenides-valentines/#comment-2045 Ducky Sherwood Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:36:51 +0000 http://www.wordyard.com/2008/02/14/eugenides-valentines/#comment-2045 My reaction to Valentine's Day is kind of, "Why should that day be any different? Why shouldn't *every* day be filled with trying to make my beloved happy?" I don't achieve it every day, of course, but I do try regularly. If I see something that I think he would like, or think of something to do, why should I save it for some later date? What's wrong with today? Example: I commissioned someone to knit him a hat with the intention of giving it to him on Valentine's Day. (This *was* a romantic gift, trust me on that.) The hat was done a week early, so I gave it to him last week. My reaction to Valentine’s Day is kind of, “Why should that day be any different? Why shouldn’t *every* day be filled with trying to make my beloved happy?”

I don’t achieve it every day, of course, but I do try regularly. If I see something that I think he would like, or think of something to do, why should I save it for some later date? What’s wrong with today?

Example: I commissioned someone to knit him a hat with the intention of giving it to him on Valentine’s Day. (This *was* a romantic gift, trust me on that.) The hat was done a week early, so I gave it to him last week.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.wordyard.com/2008/02/14/eugenides-valentines/#comment-2041 Anonymous Fri, 15 Feb 2008 03:49:31 +0000 http://www.wordyard.com/2008/02/14/eugenides-valentines/#comment-2041 My, aren't you special? My, aren’t you special?

]]> By: Carlos http://www.wordyard.com/2008/02/14/eugenides-valentines/#comment-2040 Carlos Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:03:17 +0000 http://www.wordyard.com/2008/02/14/eugenides-valentines/#comment-2040 My take on Valentine's Day, and other highly commercialized occasions, is that they are what you make them. You can choose to buy into the commercialism, or you can choose to buy into the underlying idea. So Valentine's Day can be about chocolate and flowers, or it can be about taking the opportunity to remind yourselves why you enjoy each other's company, or it can be a mixture of both. In the end, the central question is are you doing what you do out of obligation or out of real emotion. If it's the former then, yes, it is cheapening. My take on Valentine’s Day, and other highly commercialized occasions, is that they are what you make them. You can choose to buy into the commercialism, or you can choose to buy into the underlying idea.

So Valentine’s Day can be about chocolate and flowers, or it can be about taking the opportunity to remind yourselves why you enjoy each other’s company, or it can be a mixture of both.

In the end, the central question is are you doing what you do out of obligation or out of real emotion. If it’s the former then, yes, it is cheapening.

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