Santa Claus Ain’t Comin to Town
Posted Under: Musings
I’m not a hum-bug. If anything, I appreciate the excuse to celebrate, the socially acceptable day to forget the mountain of bullshit bearing down on you like an avalanche. It’s been a hard year. My wife understands doesn’t bother me as much for drinking. I think she understands why I feel the greater need to at this time of year. At least I hope she understands. Maybe no one can ever understand. I’ll give it a shot.
The solstice has passed, sure, but it’s still going to be cold and fucking dark for a long time before the flowers come return. In the cycle of seasons, Winter represents death. Nothing grows in the Winter besides mold and Chia pets. The weather limits travel and leisure activities. Millions of people suffer seasonal depression, myself included.
Leading up to the holiday, all the business reports talked about the “need” for a big shopping season. The working-class suffers the most from the recession but the commercials beg the shit out of you to spend like there’s no tomorrow. The projections for this season are bleak but it will still account for the vast majority of retail sales for the whole year. This means more speed-up and longer shifts at the worlds sweat shops. No matter how many Christmas songs I hear or how many chipper shopper jabber on about the Christmas spirit, I always think about the kids that work 40 hours at a time to make our treasured toys and Nike shoes. What do the sweat shops kids get for Christmas besides a kick in the ribs? I doubt Jesus would approve.
Hasn’t the spender’s mentality contributed to this credit crisis? Our culture tells us “If you want something, then, by golly, go get it!” Yes, go get it on credit, wrap it and forget. It’s the American way. It’s patriotic to spend all the expendable cash possible, otherwise people will lose their jobs. So, spend all your money or the economy will suffer ’cause if the fat cats can’t eat foi gras, it’s the soup line for you, buddy. Nothing says love like spending two months pay on a piece of clear carbon wrenched from the bloody hands of a ten-year-old soldier. According to a certain jeweler, that’s how every kiss begins.
For the jolly good times of a few, hoards of people toil their lives away, beginning at childhood and ending the day they try to organize. If approximately 90% of retail sales occurring during the Christmas shopping season, it means an intensified production drive for the slaves of this world. Mention this to most people and they roll their eyes and say “Well, at least they have a job,” or “Then they should quit!” Then how are you going to get your super savings, your 50% discounts, you merry, merry Christmas? A truly egalitarian society of associated producers? Ho! Ho! Ho!
Every night, the coal trains roar through Pittsburgh, leaving a black dust on the houses next to the tracks. I know a lot of people try to do good things…they smile at strangers, give blood, return lost wallets without taking any of the cash. But a lot of these same people participate in the Christmas spirit of shopping like it’s Armageddon without the slightest thought of the cost to humanity and the planet. Maybe next year everyone should get at least one lump of coal for Christmas. We should hold it close to our faces and stare, concentrating only on the blackness. That’s what Christmas means to the toilers who make your presents. Seriously, it’s dark in these sweatshops. Think about that ,then open the presents.
That being said, I wish everyone a better 2009. I’ll write again after the start of the New Year.
Cheers!
D. Senter
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