halloween capitalist?

[dakewlguy]

Communist ideologist recently declared halloween to be capitalist bullshit. Should it be banned once capitalism falls?


CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- President Hugo Chavez urged Venezuelan parents not to dress their children in costumes for Halloween, calling it a U.S. custom that has no place in the South American country's cultural traditions.

Speaking during his weekly radio and television show Sunday, Chavez called Halloween a "gringa," or North American, custom.

"Families go and begin to disguise their children as witches," Chavez said. "That is contrary to our ways."

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas...z.halloween.ap/ (http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/10/30/chavez.halloween.ap/)

[Red Leader]

I think the core idea of all celebrations in north america have become capitalized. Every store has a sale for every event or thing. 'Buy more stuff', thats what these holidays are telling kids. It just so happens that halloween is the only one that has entirely lost its moral value (if it had any in the first place) to capitalism. Its sad how a good thought or idea like kindness or giving for holidays like christmas are now used to make money. Like that scene in the movie Miracle on 34th street where the head of Macy department stores embraces the idea of telling costumers other stores to shop at. "We'll be known as the helpful store, the store with a heart, the store that puts customer service before profit...... and consequently make more profit then ever before!"
So yeah, i think every holiday out there is pretty much bullshit schemes for rich busnisses to make more money. Good thoughts and principles should be practiced year round, not during a few days a year.

[Luís Henrique]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23 2005, 08:09 PM
Communist ideologist recently declared halloween to be capitalist bullshit. Should it be banned once capitalism falls?


CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- President Hugo Chavez urged Venezuelan parents not to dress their children in costumes for Halloween, calling it a U.S. custom that has no place in the South American country's cultural traditions.

Speaking during his weekly radio and television show Sunday, Chavez called Halloween a "gringa," or North American, custom.

"Families go and begin to disguise their children as witches," Chavez said. "That is contrary to our ways."

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas...z.halloween.ap/ (http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/10/30/chavez.halloween.ap/)
Chávez isn't a communist, much less a communist ideologue.

And he did not call Halloween "capitalist bullshit", he called it a North American tradition that has nothing to do with Venezolan culture. About which he is, of very course, right.

And, no, Halloween won't be "banned", not even in Venezuela. Where do you take these ideas from?

Luís Henrique

[dakewlguy]

I don't really see how dressing up and basically mocking traditional supernatural ideas is inherantly capitalist, or serving any western agendas. Also I find it funny he says it goes against traditional values. Isn't that the argument conservatives use here against gay marriage, abortion, single parents, etc?

[Jimmie Higgins]

Chavez is a populist, not a socialist or communist.

I love haloween, so after a hypothetical revolution, I would make a motion at my worker's council to have haloween be a holiday. If I got voted down by my coworkers, oh well at least there's still probably be 3 or four months more vaccation time than I currently have and I'd still have pleantly of time to go trick or treating with my kids because the workday would most likly be much shorther in a worker run society.

[LSD]

I don't really see how dressing up and basically mocking traditional supernatural ideas is inherantly capitalist

No one said it was.


or serving any western agendas.

No one said that either.

Please try and improve your reading comprehension, it would make these discussions run far smoother. :)

[drain.you]

Like already mentioned, capitalism has moved in on most holidays, from halloween, easter and the most noticable one, chirstmas. I was only just thinking yesterday morning that these holidays have little relevance to my life and lifestyle and I feel that most of them have slipped away from their original values anyway.
Should Halloween and such holidays be banned once capitalism falls? No. Its part of people's belief systems and culture, we can't ban it, that would be, in my opinion, morally wrong. The only thing that will affect these holidays is that the people who make the halloween masks and easter eggs and such will be paid fairly.

[Luís Henrique]

serving any western agendas

Venezuela is part of the West.


Also I find it funny he says it goes against traditional values. Isn't that the argument conservatives use here against gay marriage, abortion, single parents, etc?

Clue: contrary to what Bush would you have believing in, Chávez is not a socialist. So, if he uses Conservative rhetoric, what is the problem? Only Americans have the right to be conservative? Chávez is forbidden to oppose what he feels is foreign disruptive influence in his country's culture? Venezuela cannot have its own traditional values, different from the American ones?

Luís Henrique

[Publius]

I think the core idea of all celebrations in north america have become capitalized. Every store has a sale for every event or thing. 'Buy more stuff', thats what these holidays are telling kids. It just so happens that halloween is the only one that has entirely lost its moral value (if it had any in the first place) to capitalism. Its sad how a good thought or idea like kindness or giving for holidays like christmas are now used to make money. Like that scene in the movie Miracle on 34th street where the head of Macy department stores embraces the idea of telling costumers other stores to shop at. "We'll be known as the helpful store, the store with a heart, the store that puts customer service before profit...... and consequently make more profit then ever before!"
So yeah, i think every holiday out there is pretty much bullshit schemes for rich busnisses to make more money. Good thoughts and principles should be practiced year round, not during a few days a year.

Holidays are, to a point, wastes of time; aggrandizement, so say I on this Thanksgiving: Giving thanks for murdering some Indians.

Fuck all Hallows Eve, fuck the Pagan ritual that is 'Christmas' (But send me your gifts), fuck them all.

Name me one holiday that isn't a total waste of time or isn't totally stupid; I implore you.

But God forbid people have fun! I think Halloween is stupid, but it does provide an oppurtunity to dress up and get drunk; what's wrong with that?

Not progressive enough for you?

And yes, people should be good all year.

[Red Leader]

No. Its part of people's belief systems and culture, we can't ban it, that would be, in my opinion, morally wrong. The only thing that will affect these holidays is that the people who make the halloween masks and easter eggs and such will be paid fairly

What if the actual belief is immoral though? A holiday that celebrates buying in to capitalism and the exploitation of workers is in my opinion worth at least supressing. Think of the whole santa thing like this: big head of corporation making millions of little workers slave all year long to produce goods that they dont see, just for rich kids to get presents from a person that is often mistaken for a diety by young children. I think it is sick how kids minds are twisted into believing that crap. And also, all the real workers in asia that make the masks and the eggs and the like are obviously being exploited so that a big company can make a profit every season. There wouldn't be any way around that other to make all the the holidays less of a marketing gimmic (which it is now) and more of an actuall celebration

[Jimmie Higgins]

I don't see what the hubub is about holidays. Sure holidays are commercialized in capitalist society, what isn't? We should not talk about limiting holidays, but, instead, how we can make sure workers get at least as many days off work as Bush every year.

More holidays, not less!

[black magick hustla]

i think halloween could be wonderful if celebrated in the fun way.

people can have strong outbursts of creativity by creating cool constumes, socializing, and overall passing a good time. we all know that capitalist nuts try to draw the boundaries of "imagination" in current halloween holidays.

however, i think halloween would be much more fun in communist areas. :lol:

[Hegemonicretribution]

Ideologically, theoretically, philosohically and good old personally I stand against pretty much all holiday celebrations. I hate them for what they were, and what they have become, I do however still really enjoy them.

Fuck the "spirit" of Christmas, fuck Christmas. Giving gifts and getting drunk is not something that should be limitted to one day, or enforced on a certain day either. I just like the excuse to really party on. New Years esecially.