In Defence of Halloween in Australia
The holiday of Halloween will take place this Monday all around the world. It is a day which was initially celebrated as part of pagan mythology and adopted later as a Christian event commemorating the departed. In the modern age however it is a secular celebration of the scary, horror and supernatural mythology of contemporary pop culture. Children celebrate it by going trick or treating to neighbourhood houses for candy in spooky costumes while adults mainly celebrate it by holding Halloween costume parties. It is most popular in North America however because of the influence of American culture on the rest of the world including growing globalization and also the fun nature of the festival it has also spread to Australia. I have always loved Halloween and I am glad its popularity is growing in Australia. But nonetheless there is still a number of snotty, wowser kill joys in Australia who hate Halloween and decry the Americanisation of our culture. To counter these sneerers I would like to put forward why Halloween in Australia is a good development.
We in Australia love good time and any excuse for it. Whether it’s Australia Day, ANZAC Day Melbourne Cup Day or the traditional Christmas or Easter festive season. It’s a chance to catch up with friends and family, get away from work, just relax and maybe enjoy a few drinks. What is wrong with having one more of these days? Picking out a scary costume for a party or trick or treating is a fun recreational activity, so is creating a haunted house or telling ghost stories. A big part of life in case people have forgotten is enjoying it, Halloween is simply an extension of that except the theme of the night is the scary and supernatural. If people are able to let off some steam and smile what is the harm in that?
To those who rage about the Americanisation of our culture I simply say so what? Who cares if it is an American import? America is one of the greatest countries in the world with one of the highest standards of living and its companies provide the world with many of the advanced food, medicine and technology we take for granted. Why would be a bad thing to import one of their most successful and celebrated events? If you are so anti American that you cannot stand Halloween then please stop consuming all American media, films, products and anything else that originated there. This anti Americanism mainly stems from the left who hysterically claim that America is the root of all evil. Yet they are the first ones to promote holidays from other parts of the world such as Chinese New Year and Ramadan claiming that celebrating them is part of diversity. Apparently they just don’t want America to be part of that cultural diversity. St Patrick’s Day is beginning to be prominent in Australia as well yet nobody claims our country is being Irishezed?
Halloween is also relevant to us here in Australia, all of us consume and enjoy the supernatural, horror and fantasy media, culture and folklore. Scary books, ghost stories, films, games and haunted places are just as much a part of Australian culture as anywhere else in the world. No one country has a monopoly on the genre of scariness, so it is not unreasonable that we in Australia has have a day to reflect and celebrate this part of not just our culture but our humanity as well. Fear is one of the purist of human emotions that we all experience and Halloween is a chance to reflect on that.
Another claim made by the anti-Halloween crowd is that the holiday encourages consumerism and materialism, that it is pushed by the major corporations to increase their sales. They point to major retailers such as Woolworths and Coles selling Halloween themed candy, costumes and accessory and say we are getting sucked in by their promotions. Well newsflash to those people, has it ever occurred to you that people buy them because they are actually enjoying embracing the holiday? Also they should be reminded at any form of fun or recreation involves spending money or consumerism. Furthermore, the concept of personal responsibility entails that it is not the company’s fault that consumers are purchasing its products. Consumption is a choice. Unless you have invented an endless quantity of recreational activities requiring no spending at all please direct us to it. Plus you must lead a miserable life accusing anyone of buying a movie ticket or going to a concert of engaging in consumerism, which is probably the case for socialists and others on the left.
It is also important to embrace Halloween in Australia because it is under attack in its native home in North America. The social justice warriors have declared war on Halloween costumes accusing them of either being racist, sexist, ableist, body shaming or engaging in cultural appropriation. Not to mention that the helicopter parents want to end trick or treating by spreading hysteria about stranger danger that their children will either consume poisoned candy or be abducted. The anti-Halloween movement is just another example of people who can’t stand others having a good time. So decorate your house this Halloween, embrace the trick or treaters or go to that crazy Halloween costume party. Halloween enriches and improves the great Australian culture we already have. We should reject becoming a nation of cynics and keep up our care free spirit. Happy Halloween everyone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVpZBdhI72c