Time. It dictates life. It is used interchangeably as a synonym for life and even though it is a highly valued concept, it is still hard to see how large of an effect it has on people’s lives in general. Often when one experiences the premature death of someone they know, they often say they wish they had “more time.” “‘Time’ to complete more tasks in their life. ‘Time’ to make a larger impact. ‘Time’ to enrich their existence.”
The New Year is a direction manifestation of society’s fascination with the idea of having “more time.” Its celebration is an important part of global culture as it represents the positive aspects of life that people easily ignore do to the business of life.
The New Year is a unique divisor and marker we have in society that can help one establish goals, acknowledge the past, and yearn for the future. Reverberations of celebration occur in every area of the world and most celebrators have similar perspectives on what the New Year means. There are very few other occasions in which a majority of humanity will count down the seconds until the beginning of a holiday and the ultimate ending of it. But overall, New Year’s is a holiday that fosters positivity and excitement in global communities.
When we think of the “New Year,” we think of new political rotations, new advancements in technology, new developments in the media and entertainment. New life, new opportunity, ad infinitum. It is generally an exciting time. Everyone is granted their very own clean slate and has the chance to fill their life with brightness and ambition. If anything other than that it represents progression, steps taken forward towards advanced ages and modern life. A New Year is another record of history, another unit of what will be accomplished in the world in a mere 365 days.
Most importantly, the New Year can pose as a prime opportunity for reflection, acknowledgment of our past and acknowledging the fact that we survived, we made it through a fairly tumultuous year. We experienced multitude of the American celebrity deaths such as Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, David Bowie, Prince Alan Rickman, George Michael, many of whom were icons for the LGBT+ community. They may have accomplished their more notable work during our parents time, but their legacies still carry on into our lives, and the lives of future generations.
Assessing the most outstanding social events in a particular year makes me evaluate what society deems as valuable. What makes a person iconic? What makes them worthy of carrying and upholding a legacy? Is it their work, how effective they are in reaching their audience, how widespread their fame is? Celebrity or not, what does one have to do in life to be honored or remembered subsequent to death? With the privilege of living fortunate lives, we are tasked with making the best of the time we are given on earth whether it be to fulfill personal goals or goals in relation to other people. Shared experiences are often the most potent. The more people we reach the more beneficial our lives become.
The 2016 United States Presidential could easily be viewed as the most notable publicized event for Americans this year. From the moment President Elect Donald Trump’s successful campaign ended, the United States government was already evolving, adapting to a new president and in a way, a new nation. It has been said by many that this election will be “one for the books” and it should be. It will most likely be an election that will be remembered by many and highly scrutinized considering the scope of our nation’s history. Trump’s campaign and election is one of the many events public telling on how much things can change in a year politically, economically, and fiscally.
I haven’t been as conscious of the cultural importance of the New Year until now. Even though the holiday has been shrouded by American consumerism, it will still continue to have major philosophical aspects.
It means more than just another a slight increase of a yearly digit or growing older. It is a catalyst for society to fulfill the aspirations we constantly dwell on, but need the motivation to complete.
