Yay! Let's bastardize an entire culture!

[KAPTAINmORGANnWo4life]

I went out today to try Guiness and Irish stew. I didn't wear an Irish flag, and I only wore my Guiness hat tonight at the pub because my parents wear it. Being atheist, I could care less about the religious part of the holiday, i.e. Lent. I still celebrate Christmas, Easter, etc. All you people saying that "Omagodz your not catholix therefor you need to stop celebratin k? stawp plz yer ruinin' my holiday" need to chill out and realize that what you're celebrating isn't exactly part of your religion anyways.

It's a cultural celebration with ties to religion. Plus, why do you need to be so patronizing? Do you have no convictions? No passionate beliefs? If you don't, then you are a truly empty individual. If you do, then you are a hypocrite.

 

[zahr]

It's a cultural celebration with ties to religion. Plus, why do you need to be so patronizing? Do you have no convictions? No passionate beliefs? If you don't, then you are a truly empty individual. If you do, then you are a hypocrite.

And you, sir, are one of those people who's "proud of their culture/nation/whatever."

(That is a bad thing.)

 

[SturmDolch]

It's a cultural celebration with ties to religion. Plus, why do you need to be so patronizing? Do you have no convictions? No passionate beliefs? If you don't, then you are a truly empty individual. If you do, then you are a hypocrite.

Wait, what? I didn't mean to be patronizing. I just really dislike it when people scream at people not of their religion for taking part in their holidays in a secular manner and was hoping to stop the flames before they came. Especially these holidays, which are mainly adapted from ancient pagan traditions to help the ingrates convert to Christianity. Of course, I have no problem if that's the reason you celebrate it, for the religion, but don't get annoyed when I celebrate it because of my traditions.

 

[jasoncyrus]

snip

In all honesty mate you're over reacting a bit. Every holiday has been bastardised from its original purpose. Christmas for example. It's nothing remotely what it was originally about in the pagan relgion before christianity stole it and bastardised it which was then further bastardised by modern culture.

Easter is another one, it didnt start as eggs and chocolate did it? No.

Niether did halloween start as dressing up in costumes and begging for candy, niether did new years start on january first (the roman started that one apparently). So far the only western holiday that basically the same sinc eit began is Guy Fawkes night. Bonfire and fireworks to represent his attempt to blow up parliment.

So yeah...bit pointless griping about one minor holiday thats been relatively recently bastardised when theres others that were fiddled with way before it.

 

[Srkkl]

Haha says the Canadian. However I practice it with the utmost respect and love the Irish, and am counting down the days until I get to go there again.

 

[JWAN]

St. Patrick's day is all about hot chicks wearing very little cloths and getting drunk in your dorm.
Tharefore:
St.Patrick's day = win


GO TO COLLEGE

 

[Aerodyamic]

St. Patrick's day is (was?) a Christian holidy celebrating St. Patrick (who wasn't Irish, but lived as a slave in Ireland for a while) who ended up converting the island to Christianity. Now look at how people celebrate the holiday, and you'll notice that there is nothing in common other than Ireland was involved.

Nothing in common?

I'll leave now, but I find your statement fascinating, and somewhat open to a generalized comment concerning the current practices associated with the observance and stereotypical behaviours attributed to individuals of the ethno-type in question.

 

[GreyWolf257]

I'm participating in Lent. I'm not Catholic, but I like the idea (I'm nondenominational Christian). I also celebrate St. Patrick's Day with joy and dignity (i.e, not getting shit-faced drunk). Also, my family is largely Irish-American. I guess I don't fit into this rant that easily. Yay, I didn't contribute towards pissing someone off today!

Oh, and that video was friggin' funny.

 

[Srkkl]

Honestly I practice it with the utmost respect, I love Irish people and I'm counting down the days until I can visit that wonderful place again. However I do agree with getting respect for people who it seems welcome to make fun of, like gamers.

 

[Mar451]

I'm Irish, and i have to say it really does piss me off that Left 4 Dead 2 can get called racist for having black zombies in New Orleans, but people can go ahead and make the Irish alcoholic abusing short ginger assholes.

That being said, i do love Saint Pattys Day, and i'm an atheist, i love it because i always manage to have fun with my other Irish friends. There is nothing like being Irish on St. Pattys.

And to the OP, that bit about dressing like Uncle Sam and getting drunk and parading down the street does happen, its called the 4th of July

 

[Yokai]

Yeah, I've never payed any attention to this so-called St. Patrick's day. People don't even seem to know any thing about said saint, other than that ridiculous snake myth. My family last lived in Ireland two hundred years ago, but even now I can tell that it's become some sort of pointless display of Irish stereotypes. It went from a highly specific minor holiday to LEPRECHAUNS AND SHAMROCKS LOLOLOL!!!1!!1 What the fuck.

The Irish in particular are on top of the list of people who it's apparently alright to openly mock and marginalize, which is painful on a personal level, seeing as I'm a Canadian, another group in the top-list, with immediate Irish heritage.

I sympathize. The other half of my family is Jewish, and I was rather appalled to find out how it's still socially acceptable to make us out as money-grubbing manipulators.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I didn't know that St. Patrick's day was supposed to be about Lent. Of course I never really cared about St. Patrick's day.

 

[ultrachicken]

Most people don't even link st. patrick's day to the Irish, so I don't see the big problem. Feel free to correct me on that.

 

[One of Many]

Alright look, Saint Patrick's day in America is not a religious holiday, never really was. The Irish used the day to have parades. Why? Well because they were treated like crap in the Colonies (and later in the United States, this would continue until after the American Civil War) and they wanted to make a show of political force (look how many we are) and what goes down better after a long parade, a few pints at the local pub. Plus Irish soldiers in the British Army also celebrated.

Now why would British officer allow their Irish soldiers to celebrate being Irish? Well to keep them in line. The Irish were mistreated, not considered loyal to the crown and both parties were far from home. So to keep the Irish soldiers happy, the officers allowed them to wear green (a hanging offense back home), throw a parade and have a few extra rations of grog/beer/local booze.


So what am I getting at here? Well the modern customs of Saint Patrick's day in America, wearing green, drinking and having parades.

Stop bitching about it.

 

[Kai XIII]

Why don't y'all shut the fuck up and play a video game?

And for those of you who legally can, have a beer.

You people are FAR too uptight about a damn holiday.

 

[Bunnybeater]

*overblown call to arms

Hello. My name is Ryan O'Carolan. I'm Irish. The proper sort - one who's lived in Ireland, not one of the Americans who are 1/16th Irish by blood, wear green and only drink Guinness when they're in Eire.

We have a well-known stereotype of being a bunch of raging alcoholics who are constantly drinking at a pub. It's one that dogs us everywhere we go, it's the first thing anyone talks about when they hear our accent, it's a completely socially accepted generalisation of an entire culture and race.

Here's the dirty little secret, though - it's true. Everybody in Ireland has AT LEAST one serious alcoholic in their immediate family. The people who don't drink are mainly those who hit rock bottom and can't touch the stuff anymore. Now, I lived in a small rural village, so my experience may be distinct from the cities, but it's a well-known fact of life in Ireland. I lived in a one-street village. Maybe five hundred metres long. It had three pubs, all of which had great business.

We drink. A lot. It's an integral part of our culture. Now, what is Saint Paddy's Day in Ireland? It's a massive public festival, with Irish dancers, musicians, singers, parades, legions of people walking down the street with the flags of the counties in hand, and, yes, lots of green and giant hats. Because IT'S FUN. We enjoy fun.

Is the modern St. Paddy's Day an accurate representation of it's origin? Well, it was originally a day of celebration to escape Lent for a spell. Now it's a day of celebration to escape work for a spell. Is that really so terrible a bastardization?

Does it accurately reflect our culture? Well, how much CAN a single day of celebration do that? There's drinking, there's Irish dancing, celebration and jubilation. There are displays of national solidarity, leaving the Troubles out of things. I'm not familiar with things like the fourth of July, or whatever you celebrate as your 'America Day', but isn't it the most basic aspects of your culture boiled down and exaggerated? Lots of red, white, and blue, Uncle Sam, fireworks, flags and pledges of allegiance? I could be wrong, but I'm guessing it's not the most nuanced and culturally accurate of celebrations. But that's not the point.

The point is to celebrate. And Saint Patrick's Day does exactly that. In my books, the wild, drunken, stereotyped debauchery is exactly what the day should be.

I'm Irish, and I love Saint Patrick's Day.



(NB: Any fucker tries to pinch me and I'll smash the bastard's face in)

 

[boholikeu]

Just ignoring the entire history of Saint Patrick's Day, because most people who "celebrate" this holiday are exactly that: Ignorant, be honest, Saint Patrick's Day has become an even greater abomination every year.

And Christmas/Easter should only be celebrated by true-believer Christians.

And Halloween should only be celebrated by Wicca or Pagans.

And Chinese New Year should only be celebrated by ethnically Chinese people.

etc. etc.

I'm in pretty much the same boat as you. In the US, Cinco de Mayo has become similar to St. Patrick's Day in that it is pretty much only celebrated as an excuse to get shit-faced (and maybe eat some Mexican food). Does that offend me? No, of course not. Holidays get bastardized all the time, and oftentimes it's by the very people that created the holiday.

If it really bugs you just try to inform people about the true meaning behind the holiday rather than throwing a wet blanket on everyone's fun.

 

[nick_knack]

The Irish in particular are on top of the list of people who it's apparently alright to openly mock and marginalize, which is painful on a personal level, seeing as I'm a Canadian, another group in the top-list, with immediate Irish heritage.

Dude....Who the fuck cares even? Nobody hates Canada, or the Irish in general, and the "celebrations" are little more than a half baked excuse to dress up and get wasted in public. Its all in good fun.

So stop being such a whiner!

Yeah, I've never payed any attention to this so-called St. Patrick's day. People don't even seem to know any thing about said saint, other than that ridiculous snake myth. My family last lived in Ireland two hundred years ago, but even now I can tell that it's become some sort of pointless display of Irish stereotypes. It went from a highly specific minor holiday to LEPRECHAUNS AND SHAMROCKS LOLOLOL!!!1!!1 What the fuck.

The other half of my family is Jewish, and I was rather appalled to find out how it's still socially acceptable to make us out as money-grubbing manipulators.

I'm rather appalled to find that people still take offense to ridiculous and hilarious stereotypes. Get over it already!

 

[nerdsamwich]

I'm Irish, and i have to say it really does piss me off that Left 4 Dead 2 can get called racist for having black zombies in New Orleans, but people can go ahead and make the Irish alcoholic abusing short ginger assholes.

And to the OP, that bit about dressing like Uncle Sam and getting drunk and parading down the street does happen, its called the 4th of July

And if they didn't have black zombies in New Orleans, they'd be racist for that. The OP's point was that folks are acting douchy in celebration of a national hero, much like if a bunch of idiots got all flag-wavey on MLKII day.
For my contribution:
Ever notice how there are so many saints that the Pope had to thin them out, but we only make national holidays out of two of them? What's so special about Saints Patrick and Valentine? Hell, look at the way we celebrate Valentine's Day: a lot of sexual and/or devil-oriented imagery/innuendo in commemoration of a guy whose claim to fame is passing notes to his girlfriend. I say, let's start inappropriately celebrating more saints. Like archery-themed parties on St. Crispin's day, or dances for St. Vitus. And let's not forget St. Christopher's metal concert (see what I did there?)! I could probaly go on, but I'm done courting lightning bolts for today.

 

[ObsessiveSketch]

snip

In all honesty mate you're over reacting a bit. Every holiday has been bastardised from its original purpose. Christmas for example. It's nothing remotely what it was originally about in the pagan relgion before christianity stole it and bastardised it which was then further bastardised by modern culture.

Easter is another one, it didnt start as eggs and chocolate did it? No.

Niether did halloween start as dressing up in costumes and begging for candy, niether did new years start on january first (the roman started that one apparently). So far the only western holiday that basically the same sinc eit began is Guy Fawkes night. Bonfire and fireworks to represent his attempt to blow up parliment.

So yeah...bit pointless griping about one minor holiday thats been relatively recently bastardised when theres others that were fiddled with way before it.

damn, ninja'd my argument ._.

AHEM, well, yes, as said above,
Christmas isn't about a fat man in a red suit sliding down chimneys to give kids toys.
Easter has nothing to do with a rabbit, its mysteriously chocolate eggs, or its intense interested in the hiding of said eggs.
Valentines Day is a bit closer to this situation: Saints are awesome, they died, let's name a day after 'em! Now it's all about hearts and chocolate, but is still grounded in its original "exchanging of love" message.

After looking at these in retrospect, it seems that the Christian holidays are the ones that change the most...why leave good ol' catholic St. Paddy's day out?

I'm Irish, and i have to say it really does piss me off that Left 4 Dead 2 can get called racist for having black zombies in New Orleans, but people can go ahead and make the Irish alcoholic abusing short ginger assholes.

you're white, buddeh ;P That means stereotyping is fair game. The southern US? buncha hicks, trailer trash and rednecks. Britain? Tea-drinking, crooked-toothed tories. French? Chain-smoking, cafe-lounging cowards. German? Goose-stepping nazies.
None of them are entirely true, and most people aren't ignorant enough to make that kind of sweeping generalization, but if I said Chicago was full of "chicken-eatin, criminal n**gas" then, oh shit, the torches and pitchforks, they are a-comin'.