Does Spending On Halloween Make You More Patriotic?
In the weeks that followed the September 11 attacks in 2001, Americans began to question whether continuing to spend heavily during the Halloween season (and other “spending” seasons) was the right thing to do, especially when there seemed to be so much to do to keep the country safe.
While Halloween 2001 was still a fun occasion, questions were being asked as to whether the “pointless consumerism” was the right thing to uphold.
Halloween and Patriotism
How is patriotism viewed in the United States? In such a large country with a trillion dollar economy, spending is tantamount to patriotism. When you spend your hard-earned money, you keep the economy going. When you spend money, you keep the small and large businesses operating.
In effect, the whole system is maintained because people are letting go of their money. When a season like Halloween is not suddenly questioned, the commercial establishment recoils out of fear. If no one wants to spend, what would happen to the businesses?
Defenders of spending seasons such as Halloween are quick to point out that consumerism actually helps keep the country afloat. And by keeping the country afloat, you’re actually doing your patriotic duty to defend the United States.
No one really knows whether this idea is a fact, but it makes some sense.
“Sorry, I don’t buy that.”
But some people obviously aren’t amused with the American spending mentality. Kevin Horrigan of the newspaper Post-Dispatch says:
“Take the dough you’d spend on Halloween candy and send it to the Red Cross. How about $1.9 billion instead?”
This view is apparently shared by many. Halloween does seem to cheapen everything it comes in contact with. But Halloween’s supporters claim that NOT celebrating Halloween is much worse, as it makes the country more vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
As a direct consequence, leaving the country defenseless may make the sacrifices of 9/11’s victims meaningless.
Economic Value
There’s no doubt that Halloween is a definite draw for people who’d like to cash in on consumer patterns. After all, Halloween means retail. The season profits from the droves of people going to malls and shops to buy Halloween-related merchandise, such as candy, costumes, and booze.
What happens when the Halloween industry suddenly disappears? The economy may slow down as a whole.
Think of the American economy as a large machine that runs on several main cogs. These main cogs represent the biggest companies in the country. These companies are the ones that make the most money, and the economy depends on their success to thrive. This is why the government lends bailouts to the largest companies — they keep the machine oiled and running, even at a slowed pace.
If the big companies do badly, then its employees and dependent small businesses suffer. It’s a downward spiral that the government would like to check as early as possible. By pumping these companies with money, the government keeps the economy from breaking down completely.
Today, people have returned to the former habits of spending during Halloween, largely because the memory of 9/11 has toned down a bit. Let’s hope this keeps up.
Tags: Halloween