Taken from my blog
Once upon a time, during elementary school, I loved Valentines Day. That was the day you got cards from your friends and teacher, and were allowed to gorge on chocolate during class. You got to tease your friend who got a card from (gasp!) a boy; or blush if you got one yourself. Crafts were made, usually involving red and pink construction paper and glitter. But, alas, that is not how it is for me today.
Commercialism. Hypocrisy. False sentiments of sincerity. Some say I'm far too young to be this jaded and cynical, but who can deny valid points? Valentine's Day has become nothing more than a ploy to sell jewellery, candy, flowers, jewellery, cards and jewellery. Slogans stating the longevity of diamonds are everywhere, and the implied message is that if you love someone, you should spend ridiculous amounts of money on items that millions of other people are buying for their significant others.
What's more, it's become a competition, which is something should never have happened. Perhaps I'm still suffering from the immediate after-effects of high school, but I know that the 14th is often used as a symbol of status for girls. Who can get the most roses? Whose boyfriend did what? Who got the best gifts? Many of these couples don't even stay together for long, but instead want to be able to say that they exchanged trite symbols of affection.
Some of you might think that I'm bitter. Truth be told, I am, a bit. Being single on Couples Day isn't exactly fun, though I do plan on doing my own thing. However, anyone who thinks that I'm a) against love b) against relationships and/or c) against men, is sorely mistaken. Hell, I'm all for them. Love keeps families from killing each other, relationships provide companionship, and we kinda need men to reproduce. If Valentine's Day was an honest celebration of the Saint and Love, then I'd still be all for it - but it isn't, and now I'm not.
Sincerity is what it all comes down to, really. A small gesture of honest and true love is better than any huge show of affected affection. Giving gifts of love when the sentiment isn't there is not only idiotic, it's one of the worst kinds of lies.
Valentine's Day sucks.
