Capitalist influences on Valentine's Day

By Harold Lane

Valentine’s Day nowadays has strayed far from its original intention. The day is used by companies to exploit people into spending money.

Valentine’s Day puts unnecessary pressure on people to buy gifts. It no longer relates to the holiday’s traditional roots and it devalues real emotions.

I think that people on Valentine’s Day should not support big industries like the chocolate, and jewelry industry because they put pressure on people to buy on Valentine’s day.

Right after Christmas ends, companies start advertising for Valentine’s Day everywhere they can. Every year, most media you watch will have Valentine’s day ads that encourage you to spend chocolates, jewelry, and flowers.

According to the National Retail Federation last year, people spent $20.7 billion which is an average of $130.97 per person.

The amount people spend each year is slowly increasing and companies keep advertising and putting pressure on people every year.

"Valentine’s Day puts unnecessary pressure on people to buy gifts. It no longer relates to the holiday’s traditional roots and it devalues real emotions".

Nowadays, Valentine’s Day shows no resemblance to the original story of Saint Valentine. The majority of the story is a myth however it doesn't relate to buying expensive gifts.

The original story of Valentine’s day is that St. Valentine was imprisoned for secretly marrying couples under the anti-marriage totalitarian reign of Emperor Claudius.

Valentine supposedly passed a note to his love through the prison bars on the 14th of February on the walk to his execution which said, “from your Valentine”.

This story encourages emotion rather than spending which was clearly never the original intent of Valentine’s day.

Finally, the Valentine’s Day we have today devalues the emotion that you’re supposed to show on Valentine’s Day and mostly year-round.

What’s the point of showing your significant other that you care about them by using emotions when you can just buy them an expensive gift one time a year?

This act which big companies encourage devalues the emotional connection between people.

Some people might say that Valentine’s Day is a good way to show someone you love them, but you should do that all year and not need a specific day to be told to do that.

You should not keep buying things from big companies for Valentine’s Day which will discourage companies to keep up this behavior.

You should also not feel pressured to buy on Valentine’s Day whether you're single or in a relationship.

Finally, you should express emotions all year round and you shouldn’t need a box of chocolates to do so.