After the events of September 11, American culture has reacted by re-affirming the solidarity of the nation against foreign threats. If the nation was being forgotten because of an increasingly globalized world, the nation was remembered once again as the events of September 11 unfolded.
Halloween reassessed
People started looking at Halloween in different ways after 9/11. As America and the rest of the world recoiled from the carnage of that day, people began to think that Halloween should take a more somber time, one in which the people who lost their lives would be remembered.
A lot of individuals felt that Halloween should be a time for reflection, a time when we can truly reflect and mourn the loss of our dearly departed. This idea is the very opposite of the trend that was happening due to the commercialization of Halloween.
What was Halloween like before the big companies rolled in?
If we are to believe what the scholars of Halloween are saying, then Halloween was never about candy and other frivolous commodities. It was about genuine human emotion, something that is being confused for other things in our post-modern days.
Originally, Halloween celebrated life. It was the season of looking back and remembering the people who have gone ahead of us. By looking and learning from the past, people would be better able to face the future.
The Future
Continuity is such a strong thematic for Halloween, even if people don’t realize it. Continuity is important because the thematic of death is not a terminal point; what precedes death is also the continuation of the process.
When someone appreciates what death is, that someone would also appreciate the process of life-creation. Life is never unitary. If it were, there would be no need for monuments and tombs. The continuity of life is celebrated by remembering what happens after it. It makes the experience of living richer and more rewarding for those who are intuitive enough to realize it.
Dia de los Muertos
It may sound strange to some when they hear of a festival of mourning, but the idea that death should be taught and remembered is very strong among cultures outside the United States.
In Rio Grande, for instance, the Dia de los Muertos was a time when people gathered and mourned. People actually gathered to remember their loved ones who were no longer with them. This is a lesson all of us can learn, as such reflection can help find the answers when something tragic happens close to home.
After the 9/11 attacks, some Americans chose to look outward to answer their disbelief. This is mainly due to the fact that Corporate America seemed to have forgotten and disassociated itself from such tragic and horrible events.
Can we turn Halloween around? Can we transform it to something more viable and memorable for everyone? In due time perhaps, people would realize that this celebration is deeper and richer than we realized.
It’s possible to change Halloween into something more profound, even if it will take some time. But when the day comes, we can finally enjoy Halloween the way it was truly meant to be enjoyed.
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