The Holidays are upon us. I don’t really care for them.

When I was a kid. I used to like them a lot. There was a magic about it, my parents have always tried to keep that magic, I am envious of them for that.

It has become apparent to me in recent years, with all the trials and tribulations that I have gone through, that I am not in the same boat. I’m sure I could watch a movie or some network tv show about Christmas that is tailored to try to get some sort of emotion out of me, but it is hard when I know that that movie or television show is not really meant to do that, but for me to buy something.

Don’t get me wrong, the economy needs you guys to go out and spend money. But I just feel like this season is turning sour for all the wrong reasons. Businesses don’t care about us, they care about their bottom line. And the majority of people are only concerned with what they want and not what they need. I’m not talking about those people who bitch and moan about the vacuum they got over the flat screen they wanted (but I sort of am too) but I am also talking about the need of human kindness.

We need that more than ever. More suicides happen this time than any other year, and your worried about your flat screen TV or new electronic Nook you want as a gift. You go to the malls and literally fight traffic and people for the biggest deal. And then on Christmas, you give these gifts out and secretly judge others on what they give you. Do things change? No. Is the world a better place? No.

I used to have really high hopes for people. Now I see I live in a world where they complain what is on cable and how their favorite sports team is doing…. and people wonder why I like punk rock so much or will spend so much time trying to buck the system. Why I would rather spend my time making music, or writing sad dark stories about people in awful situations. It is a reflection of what is around me. The more I learn about others, the more turned off I am. I’ve worked retail, and seen both sides of the customer (having been one as well) I’ve seen the perfectly nice housewife turn into a psychotic when it comes time to shop for others. I’ve seen parents so afraid if their child will reject them for not giving the right gift.

How do we change that? How do we change the reasons for what we do? I have. I choose not to participate in this celebration of human greed, cruelty and menace. It is a shame no one else does. People talk about doing good. No one can walk the walk. So I say… Scrooge was right in a sense. Only this time, I am Scrooge.  But I am not the greedy evil man. Everyone else is.

Chew on that.