Yes, yesterday (July 15th) was my birthday. I know what you thinking:
didn't we celebrate your birthday like last month or two months ago?
Yes, we did. See, I was running a social experiment. I told (via twitter, facebook and word of mouth) everybody that it was my birthday on two other days:
- 15th of May
- and 15th of June (I do consider myself a Gemini)
Why would I do such a thing? Well two reasons:
- How social are these social networks? When the same people, still, wish you happy birthday on two wrong dates (separated by a month)?
- Secondly, I never celebrate my birthday.
The second is probably more important:
I am not a being to be celebrated. I am not important.
I am of the hope that, I will lurk in the background of existence, causing ripples, but never be the tsunami.
Alas, in the past 20 years or so, I am always with my mother, grandma and/or sister. These are truly, the only women (most likely the only people) that understand what it was for me to be born, I'd rather celebrate them on my birthday.
Alas, I am 33 years old.
40, be knocking.
Hmmm,,,,
I asked myself something similar a month or so back.
I noticed that almost all people on facebook would wish one a happy birthday just 'cos it shows that this-and-that wrote on your wall to say happy birthday (plus, there's the notifier).
It felt a bit superficial, and then I asked I, What exactly is a "genuine" birthday wish? Because almost all of our loved ones too has some sort of a remainder to our born day. Be it an old school calender, or one on their phone etc.
Is a birthday wish only valuable if the person wishing one a happy birthday was reminded by their own memory?
*By the way, I changed my birth month to January just a day before my birthday which is in May. It seemed that only a handful knew, plus, I had a cleaner 'wall'.
But that's an interesting experiment.
And, I too don't really celebrate b/day's for I think one doesn't earn to be, say, 21 years old - all one had to do is not kill themselves. I celebrate the privilege of having a heartbeat every single morning, why wait for 1 months?
Mokhonoana
Jul 2010
Er,,, 1 months = 12 months.
Mokhonoana
Jul 2010
True.
Something is to be said, by "birthday wishes" and those "come join me for my birthday celebration", what is being celebrated?
Alas,,,
nkoane
Jul 2010
hmmm very interesting...
Jul 2010
to answer you in terms of what is being celebrated...
people who assume and those who really know your birthday celebrate you for being part of their lives directly and indirectly... we as beings love to embrace and honour our existence on this earth on which you for example want to cause ripples
that's my 2 cents
Jul 2010
I hear, that. I, still, do not agree with it.
Alas, I do not enjoy celebrating my birthday: I am at best uncomfortable and I feel awkward, and I refuse to subject myself to that.
More-so, the experiment was to throw the cat amounts the pigeons: what exactly is to "wish" or "celebrate" somebodies birthday: does it have meaning or does it not?
When in most cases it's a passing gesture: like somebody saying to "Hello, howzit" and by time you about respond they have walked on.
I am not disputing the existence and justification (as you have penned it down); I am questioning: if it STILL has meaning.
For, which I doubt, unless those who are very close to you (in my case: grandma, mother and sister).
nkoane
Jul 2010
I guess I'm fooled by this philosophical point of view that I haz .
But, does "...May you see many more [years or birthdays] to come" really add days to days left of the life of he whose birthday it is?
Or do we merely say that 'cos everybody is saying it, or 'cos it is expected of the wisher?
And how valuable is the 101th "Happy birthday" if 100 people just wished u the same wish a hour or so back? Doesn't abundance dilute value?
*Oh, well, maybe I just had too much coffee.
Mokhonoana
Jul 2010
LOL!
I hear you though!
nkoane
Jul 2010