Stop trying to make Halloween a thing.
I get that Americans love it, but it is pretty silly to have it spread throughout the world just because it gets seen in movies. Because pretty much, that is what drives it so it can be commercialised globally.
Why does everything have to be commercialised?
I think it a good indicator of how we are driven by monetary incentives, when so much tradition ends up being a consumer product. It can be argued that the attraction to the tradition provides a market, but I think that a lot of the traditions are actually kept alive because they have been commercialised. Take Christmas for example, which is alive and well despite nowhere near as many people going to church or caring about religion. The tradition survives because there is money to be made from it. Religion survives because there is money to be made too, I assume.
Similarly, the traditional industries that should be replaced like fossil fuel, are kept alive and well because there is money to be made. If there were no money to be made from it, it would disappear. Same for cigarettes and elicit drugs. If there is money to be made, someone will make it.
Demand drives supply.
No matter the harm.
In recent years, we have all been encouraged to commercialise ourselves, to sell ourselves as if that is a desirable outcome for our species. The problem with selling is it requires marketing and product positioning, to give the appearance of value, even if it is not actually present. The perspectives can be skewed in numerous ways to fool the buyer, whether they are paying for a product directly, or with clicks, shares and follows. The purchase is made on impression, not proof.
Don't sell yourself, prove yourself.
Imagine if you had a chance to view the reality of the person for the top paid influencers. How many would live up to their marketing? How many would be able to prove their value? I think that for many of them, even their looks aren't close to what they sell of themselves and if we were actually to get to know them, they are unlikely to be very attractive as people - no matter how good they look. To be at the level of self-absorption required, I don't think many people would want to actually have one as a partner. The idea of one, yes - but not the reality.
We demand the fantasy, which means fantasy gets paid.
It is a pity we don't demand the things that would make us healthier, happier, and the world more peaceful. If we did, most of the current commercial offering would change, as would all of the types of roles available. The average person would have a far more meaningful job by default, and the influencers would be those who can prove valuable.
Quite a different world.
But not the one we live in.
Taraz
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Everything is for sale.
I fucking HATE plastic Halloween.
But what I did love, unexpectedly, was all the kids in costume going up the street last night as we were doing the front garden. Haven't lived in suburban streets for twenty odd years (and even then we're on the coast, in a relatively quiet area) so I hadn't seen the vibe at all.
There was a local facebook group where you put up your address if you had treats for the kiddies. Two on our street so we saw B1 and B2, a kid in a cardboard tank, one in a fat suit, various crazy costumes - it was hilarious. I felt bad I didnt have lollies out for a sec, then realised I hate giving kids lollies. But it was cute, and they were having fun, and walking the streets with parents (mostly) in tow. Not on video games. Making memories. Cup weekend here as well so town is busy (which I didn't realise as I got home after 9 am post surf before it got busy and then cycled to shop for wine).
I kinda suprised myself by being not grumpy about it.
But my inner self thought CUNTS when I saw some fake cobwebs on the bushes out the front of one place.
I completely understand your distaste for the ‘plastic’ side of things. I’m originally from Venezuela, where Halloween was adopted purely as an imported consumerist phenomenon: an excuse for a superficial party, mindless drinking and buying plastic rubbish with no cultural roots.
I used to roll my eyes at this time of year. But since I moved to Ontario, Canada, my perspective has completely changed.
Experiencing it here has made me understand the true essence of Halloween: *it’s one of the few remaining modern traditions that genuinely fosters a sense of community. In its origins (linked to the autumn harvest and its Celtic roots), it’s not about synthetic cobwebs; it’s about neighbours stepping out onto their front porches, opening their doors to strangers and creating collective magic for the neighbourhood children.
It’s an intergenerational ritual of trust, creativity (like that cardboard tank you wore) and getting children away from their screens to walk together through cold, dark streets.
What you experienced — despite the annoying corporate clutter — was the genuine heartbeat of the tradition coming to the fore. And that part really is something special. Blessings.
The rule should be that only kids with handmade costumes get prizes. A few store-bought additions like some ears or something, but the majority creative. I dislike all the costumes bought complete from the stores.
100%
The uncomfortable part of this equation is that commercialisation works so well because it demands so little of us. True tradition and genuine personal worth require discipline, community and accountability. A commercialised festival requires nothing more than a transaction, and a personal brand requires nothing more than aesthetics.
We often blame corporations and influencers for selling us superficial products and illusions, but what’s on offer merely reflects our collective apathy. If imported spectacles like Halloween so easily erase local culture, it’s probably because there was already a cultural void waiting to be filled. It’s simply much more comfortable to consume a ready-made fantasy than to build something meaningful from scratch.
This. Voids.
???
"Collective apathy" sums up the last fifty years of society I think.
And that also means that the culture people are fighting to maintain, is pathetic. convenience destroys all.
I get it, Valentines day and Halloween are some of the most commercialized holidays, Christmas is not far behind.
You don't have to buy crap to celebrate these though, you can make these into your own style holidays and it is great to have an excuse to celebrate something with your loved ones, Halloween is the least suitable holidays for that but you can still have fun and children love it.
Absolutely. I wouldn't mind it nearly as much if people made their costumes. I love a good costume party, but people should make their stuff or build it out of random pieces. The store-bought costumes suck. :D
I think one of the most important points in your post is how people are turning themselves into products to promote and sell. On social media, people often focus more on creating an attractive image of themselves than showing who they really are. I think staying authentic in this environment is becoming harder every day.
I think so too. And while the influencers are fools, the biggest fools are those who consume and fill up their lives with that crap.
This post made me reflect on how much influence advertising has on our choices. Sometimes we (including me 😩🤣) buy things because of trends rather than actual need.
If the trend doesn't make you better, don't buy it.
Yeah, actually, I just buy those I truly need, except for super few ones. Hahaha, sorry!
It only just made you think? Gotta start somewhere I guess!
Haha, yeah! Because my mind is busy with other personal things and issues... Huhu!
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I think the important thing is recognizing when fear is being used to control people rather than help them understand the world. Hope you had fun ;)
This makes me think about how easily people's interests can be shaped by repeated exposure. Something unfamiliar can gradually become normal simply because we keep seeing it in films, advertisements, and on social media. Eventually, businesses find a way to turn that interest into profit
Perhaps the real question is whether we have become too comfortable allowing profitability to determine what deserves our attention. If something makes money, we seem willing to overlook almost everything else.
I wonder whether we can ever separate traditions from commercial interests completely. Even activities that begin with genuine cultural or religious meaning can eventually attract businesses looking to make money from them.
!PIMP
I do think we're losing depth when we trade values for revenue
It seems more popular among teenagers and young adults down my way as being just another excuse for a party (I think some people these days don't realise you can just throw costume/dressup parties whenever). I know some of the kids from work do go trick or treating but they're still a vast minority because most people just don't want to provide candy or have these damn kids on their lawn and most parents don't want to do it for reasons from "because it's American" to the fretful paranoia of knowing beyond any shadow of a doubt that every stranger is absolutely a paedophile.
That commercialisation aspect of Christmas put me right off it for years and years and years. I tried really hard to come back round to focusing on the fun parts of Christmas (the family gatherings and Christmas lunches and dinners, I actually like buying Christmas presents but immediately abjectly loathed it with every fibre of my being when suddenly it felt like it was an obligation that you had to and that everyone had to "have something to open on the day") and now that there is less of an obsession with "something to open on the day" from the side of the family that was causing the problems I'm enjoying it again.
My wife actually hates Halloween. She always has. I don't think we have ever handed out candy in the 18 years we have been together.