KUWAIT CITY, Feb 20:OCCASIONS like Valentine’s Day is a commercial gimmick by companies to sell their merchandise, say voters on an online poll Arab Times conducted this week. Close to 40% of the voters held this view.

Speaking to the Arab Times, respondents who agreed with this view said the meaning of ‘Love’ has been hijacked by commercial enterprises to further their business agendas. Most advertisements on Valentine’s Day target the youth, “because they are highly likely to celebrate such occasions. For this reason, Valentine’s Day has come to represent Eros, with emphasis on couples.”

The second largest number of votes went for the view that such celebrations are corrupting young minds. Respondents said that the media is flush with erotic content, which is often passed off as romance, and the youth have muddled ideas about love and sex. “Many youngsters think that love is all about physical relationship, and their festivities culminate in immoral activities.”

However, there were some who held favorable views about Valentine’s Day. About 15% of the voters felt occasions like these draws attention to tender feelings like love in an otherwise dog-eat-dog world.
Many couples who spoke to the Arab Times said Valentine’s Day gave them an excuse to take a break from their tight schedules and give gifts to each other, and rekindle love in their lives. “Often times we don’t realize days are fleeting and that our hearts are getting numb towards each other. Love wanes if we don’t deliberately give ourselves a pause from our hectic days, and try to give our loved ones some time and concern.” They felt that Valentine’s Day serves this purpose well, especially when the idea that this day is dedicated to love plays strongly in your mind.

About 9% of the voters reiterated the same thoughts, saying this day helps in revoking love relationships. Respondents expressed their wish that the import of the day should be broadened to revoke love not only between couples but also between siblings, parents and children, friends, neighbors and colleagues. “Perhaps, we should start giving out cards and gifts to even strangers on the road.”

A small percentage of voters took a negative view saying that it promotes love relationship between unwed partners. When people who supported this view were asked to explain their position, they said that Valentine’s Day is an excuse for the youth to propose to one another, and pretend they are in love without being serious. “This leads to fly-by-the-night relationships that cause a lot of pain and suffering to one of the partners, mostly women.”