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Old 11-01-2018, 02:03 PM   #1
Astromancer
 
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Default Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

Certain holidays make people uncomfortable. Some because of the vigor and vulgarity with which they are celebrated (Christmas, Holi), some because of politics (Thanksgiving, Columbus Day), some are seen as wicked or have sinister origin myths (Halloween), still others for being too commercial (Christmas). Mischief Night and April Fool's Day have annoyed many a moralist and go merrily on.

Given the level of Memetics in the THS setting it becomes obvious that folk tradition would become a battleground.

All the major holidays of actual celebration in the USA of today have enemies who want them gone. New Years is seen as a noisy wasteful celebration of lechery and drunkenness by many moralists. St. Valentine's is seen as disgusting by radical feminists (who call it sexual objectification) and Wahabists who see it as a religious and sexual attack on their culture. St. Patrick's Day in America offends certain groups of Right-wing British Nationalists and smaller groups of left-wing Irish nationalists. Easter is offensive to many non-Christians and certain moralists object to both the candy and the new clothes. The Fourth of July disgusts nationalists of nations other than the USA, weird as that may seem. Labor Day offends both some Libertarians (who remember it's Union origins) and moralistic prudes who dislike parties. Halloween is seen as Satan's holiday by many reactionary religious groups. Some Native Americans and larger numbers of people who take offense for others they don't know, hate Thanksgiving. Many people hate how commercial and lively Christmas is and would gladly see it gone.

For each and every holiday no matter where it is celebrated or why there are haters that would pay memetic engineers to eradicate it. Similarly, every holiday would have its defenders. Can you say "Secret Wars?"

I knew you could.
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Old 11-01-2018, 05:53 PM   #2
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Default Re: Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

You forgot that people who dislike ships and puns hate Arbor Day
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Old 11-01-2018, 06:41 PM   #3
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Default Re: Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

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You forgot that people who dislike ships and puns hate Arbor Day
You got me!
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Old 11-02-2018, 07:20 AM   #4
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Default Re: Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

Feel free to comment on what would be a nasty series of fights. Picture anti-Christmas warriors and the pro-festivity militias. Come on this is a lively source of conflicts and memetic creepiness.
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Old 11-02-2018, 05:04 PM   #5
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Default Re: Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

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The Fourth of July disgusts nationalists of nations other than the USA, weird as that may seem.
Citation? Many countries have an Independence Day, although the US makes more fuss about theirs than many countries.
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Old 11-02-2018, 06:00 PM   #6
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Default Re: Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

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Citation? Many countries have an Independence Day, although the US makes more fuss about theirs than many countries.
I never said it was commonplace. I have read various foreign nationalists, mainly of the Left, but Right-wingers too and others on no conventional political spectrum, who were bitter at American celebrations of the Fourth. Most were probably just general slams at the USA. Which, since the Left is anti-nationalist in much of the world, would explain why they'd do most of the attacking.

The point is that festivals are major memeplexes that re-enforce other memes. In the THS setting there are people who demand total control of the memes. If that means the destruction of other cultures though erasing their festivals they'll do it.
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Last edited by Astromancer; 11-04-2018 at 02:17 PM.
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Old 11-04-2018, 11:21 AM   #7
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Default Re: Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

You could have a look at the history of Japan's National Foundation Day. It used to be their version of Independence Day, with much flag-waving and hearty nationalism, but nowadays it's just the random day off in the month of February that many people cannot even remember the name of.
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Old 11-04-2018, 02:59 PM   #8
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Default Re: Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

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Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post
Feel free to comment on what would be a nasty series of fights. Picture anti-Christmas warriors and the pro-festivity militias. Come on this is a lively source of conflicts and memetic creepiness.
Halloween clashes between the Tricksters wanting it to be a night of pranks, the Treaters that want traditional candy, and the Wassailers wanting a return to old school values of singing and drinking who for some reason got confused thinking it's properly for Halloween rather than around Christmas.
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Old 11-04-2018, 03:25 PM   #9
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Default Re: Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

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Halloween clashes between the Tricksters wanting it to be a night of pranks, the Treaters that want traditional candy, and the Wassailers wanting a return to old school values of singing and drinking who for some reason got confused thinking it's properly for Halloween rather than around Christmas.
Lovely! How do the fundamentalists religious folks and the Wicans and those who want to erase the whole festival fit in?
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Old 11-04-2018, 07:49 PM   #10
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Default Re: Halloween and Other disgraceful Holidays; Memetic Seasonal Warfare.

Anti-Halloween fundamentalists are probably fragmented into sub-groups fighting each major holiday.
Pro-Halloween religious folks probably care only about the anti ones, because why should they care how the public celebrates?
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