Sound Off: Is Valentine’s Day an authentic show of love or overly commercialized?

Sound Off is a weekly round-table debate between members of the The Tower student newspaper. Each week, the student reporters will share their thoughts and opinions on issues involved the campus and their lives.

Dario Rodriguez, reporter

Love isn’t something you can fake, hide, or buy. It is the feeling that makes life meaningful. Valentine’s Day is a special day because it is the celebration of love to one another. When love is in the air it’s impossible to not breathe it in. But nowadays when “love” is on your phone or pushed in your face, it is possible to look away. Valentine’s Day has been overly commercialized in the modern world. It has gone from an authentic celebratory day of true love to a mandatory call to action. For those who have experienced love, you know that it’s not a mandatory action. It’s a choice from one beating heart to another.

Bryson McMichael, reporter

Between stores, social media and tv channels, Valentines Day has become way too over commercialized. Valentine’s Day is a holiday about love for someone or something else, and I feel it is almost being forced onto people whether they are in relationships or not. It’s a holiday where genuine love is the centerpiece and I feel that over the years that the major point of Valentines Day has been washed out by influences on social media and even stores. Because of this many feel pressured to WOW someone on Valentine’s Day instead of showing genuine love. That’s one of the many reasons I believe this holiday and many others have become way too over-commercialized.

Gabriel Martinez, reporter

I believe Valentine’s Day can be both an authentic depiction of love for one another, and it can be over commercialized. I believe this is true because for gift givers, Valentine’s Day isn’t an issue and is a great opportunity to show their partner love. On the other hand, some people feel pressured to buy gifts for their partner. People may feel pressured to buy gifts because just about every store has a limited time discount regarding Valentine’s Day. The same goes for other holidays when retail stores see a holiday as an opportunity to discount items and gain themselves money and customers. Ultimately, it all comes down to whether a person wants to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their partner.

Nora Hystad, reporter

Valentine's Day's commercialization is proof of the widespread influence of consumer culture of the expressions of love. The holiday originally was a simple celebration of affection and love, which now has become a new profit in the market. Businesses eagerly make use of expectations, promoting the concept that over-the-top gifts equate to deeper love. The floral, sweets, and greeting card industries take this as an opportunity, bombarding consumers with the idea that material displays of affection are essential. Therefore, the essence of authentic love is often overshadowed by the pressure to participate in the commercial display. Valentine's Day's commercialization reflects a broader trend where sentiment explodes, emphasizing the economic aspects over the heartfelt gestures that once defined this day of love.

Jesus Sarmiento, reporter

I believe Valentine’s Day has become over commercialized because of the commercials you see on tv or on your phone. Every time you go to a store there’s always a section where it’s just for Valentine’s Day. Companies are pressuring you to buy something for a loved one, In the social media platform it’s even worse. People send their videos of showing their gifts to their loved ones, which also gives the people a reason to now give someone a gift even though they don’t hold anything special to them. The same goes for the actors and athletes. These Valentine’s days don’t feel special because you see everyone bring in the same present, like a rose or a necklace. It feels like it’s something mandatory that people must do.

Bryan Jimenez, reporter

The origin of Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love. Throughout time, it has become overly commercialized. Many stores such as Walmart and Target start stocking items related to Valentine’s Day as soon as New Year’s. For example, Dollar Store decorates their entire store in celebration of Valentine’s Day. According to ABC news, it states that about 36 million heart-shaped boxes, 180 million cards, 198 million roses, and 58 million pounds of chocolate are sold annually. This creates a lot of pollution in terms of garbage, which is detrimental to the environment. It is estimated that about $25.8 billion will be wasted this year on Valentine’s Day. For these reasons, Valentine’s Day is considered overly commercialized rather than the day of love or the celebration of love. In short, Valentine’s day is a waste.

Stephany Media, reporter

Valentine’s Day has become overly commercialized, as there is as an expectation of the reciprocation of a gift. The authenticity of love should be celebrated all year, as opposed to being boiled down to a single day. Social media has ruined the appeal of Valentine’s Day, as it filled with women receiving these large gifts. This creates animosity or hostility to those who may not be able to serenate their significant others in that same way. Furthermore, schools and businesses alike capitalize on the want for Valentine’s Day to amass more wealth. Considering that, as of 2023 it is expected that around 52 percent of consumers will spend $192.80 annually on Valentines (AmadorValleyToday). This money could be better utilized by sporadically purchasing flowers for your significant other throughout the year.

Isaiah White, reporter

Valentine’s Day is just another excuse to get your significant other presents and things for no reason. If you truly love someone, you wouldn’t have to buy them nice things. Valentine’s Day is a pointless over-commercialized holiday. People do too much and that is the truth. Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a one-day thing, but you have couples out there extending the holiday to two weeks. Though it’s a day to celebrate the one you love — that’s not a terrible thing — I just don’t really think it’s something that should be called a holiday. It should be more like a celebration and people should show their love in different ways rather than getting them gifts.