Secondly, according to Wikipedia, Valentine's Day was inadvertently invented by Chaucer, put into overdrive by France's poem-induced "High Court of Love" and then exploited by greeting card sellers in the mid-1800s and later the flower and confectionery industries. While the former two facts are little- known, most people in the U.S. are aware that VD is a purely capitalist invention. So how are we all still guilted into playing along?
Thirdly, why is it in the U.S. that women's liberation suddenly fails on 2/14? How did men get stuck making the romantic gestures, while women only need gussy up and put out? Ladies, it's time to nut up and give men some competition in the romance department.
Fourthly, how is contrived, forced romance a good thing? Growing up I remember a place called "Sybaris" which catered to weekend romantic getaways (esp. around VD). I swear that back in the day there were commercials showing off heart-shaped beds and hot tubs for two. It sounded so contrived to me, as if people couldn't do the work of romance so farmed the labor out to Sybaris. I suppose that in the day of 10-hour workdays and 3-hour commutes it's good to have some help.
Lastly, although I say this at the risk of my crabby cred, I personally espouse random acts of love interspersed throughout the year. I'm not talking about grand gestures. I'm talking holding hands while walking around, or renting the movie you saw on your first date, or take a note from the High Court of Love and write a silly poem.
And for the record, I also espouse random acts of cake frequently interspersed throughout the year.
BTW, I know that this is a Thesaurus example, but I couldn't resist the idea that "allergy" is a near antonym to "love":
1love
noun \ˈləv\Definition of LOVE
1 a feeling of strong or constant regard for and dedication to someone <her love for her children was truly selfless>
Related Words appetite, fancy, favor, like, liking, partiality,preference, relish, taste; craving, crush, desire, infatuation,longing, lust, yearning; ardor, eagerness, enthusiasm, fervor,zeal; appreciation, esteem, estimation, regard, respect;adoration, adulation, deification, idolatry, idolization,worship; allegiance, faithfulness, fealty, fidelity, loyalty,steadfastness
Near Antonyms allergy, animosity, antagonism, antipathy,aversion, disfavor, dislike, enmity, hostility; abhorrence,disgust, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion; misanthropy
Antonyms abomination, hate, hatred, loathing, rancor
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/love
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/love
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