About 180 million cards are exchanged on Valentine’s Day and the average revenue generated is a whopping $13.19 billion
The much-enthralling Valentine’s festivity finally came to an end. Youth were seen engrossed in the Valentine-mania, much more than love. A whole new range of ecstasies offered by the bigshot cardporations (read corporations) is truly fascinating. Flowers begin to shower all around; soothing music plays all day and delightful fragrance is felt every moment. Does the world really turn so beautiful every February?
Love is a holistic notion which encompasses all human feelings like affection, compassion, respect and commitment. It is such a spectacular emotion that you tend to sacrifice everything for someone unconditionally. It is an instinctive behaviour without which mankind would not have flourished. But confining love to one day makes no sense. As long as we don’t realise the true concept of love, we would keep reading reports about frequent cases of rape, domestic violence, divorce, conflicts between siblings, rivalries and other inhuman acts.
As a growing teenager, I had always wondered, “Why is love so much in the air?” It is because, “It’s business in the air!” The consumerist nature of the season is quite appalling. About 180 million cards are exchanged on Valentine’s Day and the average revenue generated by the industry is a whopping $13.19 billion. Can you just imagine, $13.19 billion on a single day in a world where 1.7 billion people live in absolute poverty!
Businesses desperately look forward to the Valentine season, much more than us. It’s their second biggest day of the year after New Year celebrations. As if making business on February 14 alone was not enough, they added preceding celebrations such as Rose Day, Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Hug Day, Kiss Day, and what not?
Does this really teach us love and compassion? Or, are we falling prey to the commercial interests of the multinationals?
(The writer’s email:arifuddin.mohammed@yahoo.in)
Keywords: Valentine’s Day, greeting cards
A really nice article Mohammed. Well written and concise in thoughts.
really a true observation. love is a big business now. true love or what
is loving some one or what is the feeling of being loved all are now
question. it used to be a great feeling earlier and people never
required to have such special day to express their love. now a card is
required to express that. a message is required to post our feeling. one
proposal cost mare than a rupee now. Thousand of hearts are adding to
it and the money so collected is again being used to shape the industry
of love..
We all understand that whether it is Velntine's day of Christmas,
high street shops will bombard you with commercials inducing you to
buy their worthless wares. They have to make money to survive. It is
up to you to buy them or to express your good wishes by doing a bit
of thinking and adding a personal touch to what you give during such
occasions to those you love.
Long back on my wife's birthday my son painted a small picture. It
still has a pride of place in my living room.
True telling all this info to your spouse/children and they think I am
being a miser and don't know how to celebrate life. We as consumers
need to keep our common sense around us but unfortunately, most of us
get carried away by all the marketing hoopla ....and end up being
lighter in our pockets but making the purveyors of such goods/services
rich.
Unfortunately, the younger generation seems to be very easily swayed
and think of nothing squandering money this way. They are being very
naive in thinking that they are making a good impression. Sure they
are - but only on the big corporations.
Imagining what would have happened had this showcase of love been for
the who need it actually
Thanks for the data and surely the world will never realise what true
love is..
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