Valentine fomo

and how it affects us all

Valentine’s Day is getting increasingly dangerous for everyone, but because our capitalist society is benefitting so much from it, it is everywhere! Big brands doing their advertising, content creators creating challenges and questions about it, small business owners forced to have offers, and everyone wanting to capitalize on “the day of love”. Recently the trend of Galentine’s or self-love is also getting popular but that seems like a consolation prize for those who did not have any particular plans for Valentines with their partner or are single.

Everywhere I turned, I saw flowers and a gift being delivered. Women in red, to the fact that very young girls were in red too. Social media is full of posts and stories. Some posted their gifts, the others doing the “awwww” and others making fun of it - but everyone involved. And it catches up with you too.

My partner and I have been together for five years together and never celebrated this day. Never had the urge to, never thought of it, and never made the effort. But I remember posting about our love and how it became a day of reflection on how our love has grown. Yet, it caught up! Suddenly, I felt terrible that he didn’t wish me Valentine’s or do something special for me. Everyone around me was celebrating, and it left me feeling a certain void. Two days later, I realize how this void was created by the world of capitalism and social media around me and not his love.

This makes me think of a lot of people who are hurting, through heartbreaks - how terrible must they be feeling if I feel like this with such a loving partner? How terrible must people in stagnant or old relationships feel who never thought Valentine’s Day was a thing? How terrible and lonely must single people feel even when they are comfortable in their singleness usually. It is so much in your face, you just can’t escape it.

To anyone who felt even slightly, for a second, low on that day, here is me sending you lots of LOVE!!! Love genuinely from my heart to yours because I hear you, I understand you, I feel you. It is not your fault but it is this world we live around us that makes such events grandeur than they are and gives them much more worth than it usually is. Capitalism isn’t good for our mental health and with all the awareness I claim to have, it caught up with me too!