Santa Should be Banned

[The Alma Mater]

Originally, Christmas was the celebration of the passing of the winter solstice. Elements like Santa (albeit in a different form) originate from back then.Jesus was a later addition.

"Christ" mas. Lel

Yes, THAT was a later addition. Originally people called it solstice, yule, saturnalia etc.
We kept most of the elements - like the tree, santa,singing, dinner and gifts - and added Jesus to it because christians like to steal other religions parties

[Settrah]

Why are there 42 pages of conversation...on this?

This is a pressing issue. The Santa Claus method is a widespread and deleterious social practice.

If you consider this a pressing issue, above all other actual pressing issues happening right now (like increasing gun crimes, ISIS issues such as child sex trafficking or religious executions, depletion of natural resources, the gross consumption of chocolate faster than the rate or production), then I'm very concerned for you.

Why? Why is this so pressing?

[The Alma Mater]

This is a pressing issue. The Santa Claus method is a widespread and deleterious social practice.

If you consider this a pressing issue, above all other actual pressing issues happening right now (like increasing gun crimes, ISIS issues such as child sex trafficking or religious executions, depletion of natural resources, the gross consumption of chocolate faster than the rate or production), then I'm very concerned for you.

Why? Why is this so pressing?

Is there a reason people should not be able to think of more than one thing at a time ? I see no problem with caring both about Daesh and children being lied to

[Carena]

Surely you aren't serious...

[Settrah]

If you consider this a pressing issue, above all other actual pressing issues happening right now (like increasing gun crimes, ISIS issues such as child sex trafficking or religious executions, depletion of natural resources, the gross consumption of chocolate faster than the rate or production), then I'm very concerned for you.

Why? Why is this so pressing?

Is there a reason people should not be able to think of more than one thing at a time ? I see no problem with caring both about Daesh and children being lied to

Children are lied to by parents all the time. Where babies come from, where pets go after they die, why grandparents never visit anymore. What's so necessary about Santa as a fictional character needing to be a scapegoat that makes it a 'pressing issue'?

[The Alma Mater]

Is there a reason people should not be able to think of more than one thing at a time ? I see no problem with caring both about Daesh and children being lied to

Children are lied to by parents all the time. Where babies come from, where pets go after they die, why grandparents never visit anymore. What's so necessary about Santa as a fictional character needing to be a scapegoat that makes it a 'pressing issue'?

I have no idea - it just considered the implication that humans cannot care about several things at once insulting

[Settrah]

Children are lied to by parents all the time. Where babies come from, where pets go after they die, why grandparents never visit anymore. What's so necessary about Santa as a fictional character needing to be a scapegoat that makes it a 'pressing issue'?

I have no idea - it just considered the implication that humans cannot care about several things at once insulting

Your post just now indicated that you felt people being lied to about where their presents come from, needed the same amount of attention as the horrors of ISIS. I find that insulting.

Whether you feel that or not, there are people in this thread that act like it is. And I'm genuily trying to understand why Santa is a huge problem for these people.

I mean now if people want to say something like "the consumerist culture of the west alienates consumers from the rest of the worlds' developing nations, who are suffering at the hands of religious imperialism and theocracy, where children in the Middle East aren't spoilt like us and don't get any presents, which makes us ignorant and selfish as a culture" then at least it would be an answer. But apparently it's not about consumerism. So hell knows.

Something about Sinterklaas really rubs people the wrong way it seems.

[The Alma Mater]

I have no idea - it just considered the implication that humans cannot care about several things at once insulting

Your post just now indicated that you felt people being lied to about where their presents come from, needed the same amount of attention as the horrors of ISIS. I find that insulting.

Why ?

[Infected Mushroom]

If you consider this a pressing issue, above all other actual pressing issues happening right now (like increasing gun crimes, ISIS issues such as child sex trafficking or religious executions, depletion of natural resources, the gross consumption of chocolate faster than the rate or production), then I'm very concerned for you.

Why? Why is this so pressing?

Is there a reason people should not be able to think of more than one thing at a time ? I see no problem with caring both about Daesh and children being lied to

Indeed

[Settrah]

Your post just now indicated that you felt people being lied to about where their presents come from, needed the same amount of attention as the horrors of ISIS. I find that insulting.

Why ?

You're joking, right?

[Infected Mushroom]

Why ?

You're joking, right?

To be fair you are making a bit of a leap of logic

[Settrah]

You're joking, right?

To be fair you are making a bit of a leap of logic

I wasn't the one that put them on the same level.

[Republic of Canador]

Fuck it let's just ban any sense of bewilderment and imagination in children. Why not?

[Infected Mushroom]

To be fair you are making a bit of a leap of logic

I wasn't the one that put them on the same level.

Did they though?

[Infected Mushroom]

Fuck it let's just ban any sense of bewilderment and imagination in children. Why not?

Why?

[Gim]

Fuck it let's just ban any sense of bewilderment and imagination in children. Why not?

Why?

I think he's being sarcastic.

[Settrah]

I wasn't the one that put them on the same level.

Did they though?

Yes. Suggesting both need to pressing issues simultaneously kind of gives that indication.

[The Alma Mater]

Why ?

You're joking, right?

While I personally care more about Daesh, I can imagine people caring more about Santa. For instance, Santa directly influences hundreds of millions of kids. Daesh is a group of a mere 50.000 men whose deeds influence thousands. Hundreds of millions > thousands.

Did they though?

Yes. Suggesting both need to pressing issues simultaneously kind of gives that indication.

Oh please, that is like saying people should not be giving pressing attention to gun control laws and their own wedding at the same time;because they are not on the same level.
Humans are vastly more complex and able than you imply.

[Republic of Canador]

Fuck it let's just ban any sense of bewilderment and imagination in children. Why not?

Why?

I was being facetious.

[Settrah]

You're joking, right?

While I personally care more about Daesh, I can imagine people caring more about Santa. For instance, Santa directly influences hundreds of millions of kids. Daesh is a group of a mere 50.000 men whose deeds influence thousands. Hundreds of millions > thousands.

Influenced kids to look forward to presents and festive celebrations for 1 day a year. What a heartless monster. Stop him.

[USS Monitor]

I...just...uh...this thread should not be taken seriously...the war with terrorists...the war on drugs...anything else you can focus your attention on, and you decide to ban Santa? the jolly old gift-giver?...just please, stop...everyone has told you that this is a horrible idea, and has given multiple reasons on why Santa shouldn't be banned.

There have also been multiple and very persuasive reasons for why Santa should be banned or at least discouraged.

Did anyone mention yet how I became a killing machine because I wanted Santa to bring me coal? That is the only reason why monitors are violent, because Santa would not bring us coal if we played nicely with the other ships.

[Utopia Corporation]

The cultural custom of Santa Claus is unethical and counterproductive to the greater good. It is not only wrong to teach children to believe in the existence of a fictional character, it sets up an unhealthy mindset lacking in skepticism. But more concerningly, an immoral and criminal character is being glorified as a benevolent figure of goodness. A character who spies on people without their knowledge or consent (stalking), a character who breaks into people's houses (breaking and entering).

Some may handwave this criminal behaviour away by saying Santa gives gifts. But it's a cruel lie. A cruel lie that normalizes the act of parents lying to their own children. Surely it would be more healthy for children to be aware of having recieved gifts from their parents than to be told it came from a stalker with a habit of breaking into people's houses at night. This cultural custom skews the moral compass of children by teaching them to be good for the sake of a reward, normalizes lying, promotes an unhealthy mindset detached from fact-checking, and glorifies an individual who would be despised if anyone else were to partake in those criminal actions like stalking and breaking and entering.

We can celebrate the holidays without Santa in it. The cultural practice of Santa Claus should be done away with, perhaps going so far as a ban if that's what it takes. Thoughts?

You have to be trolling

[Settrah]

Yes. Suggesting both need to pressing issues simultaneously kind of gives that indication.

Oh please, that is like saying people should not be giving pressing attention to gun control laws and their own wedding at the same time;because they are not on the same level.
Humans are vastly more complex and able than you imply.

I doubt people give a shit about gun control laws in the political system, on the happiest day of their life.

You took thinking about 1 pressing social issue and 1 positive life event, to make a comparison about how it's normal to care equally about about 2 pressing social issues simultaneously.

Either that, or you must really hate weddings too.

[The Alma Mater]

While I personally care more about Daesh, I can imagine people caring more about Santa. For instance, Santa directly influences hundreds of millions of kids. Daesh is a group of a mere 50.000 men whose deeds influence thousands. Hundreds of millions > thousands.

Influenced kids to look forward to presents and festive celebrations for 1 day a year. What a heartless monster. Stop him.

"But he takes away from believing in Jesus, putting their immortal soul in danger"
"He teaches that you should do good to receive a reward, not to do good for goodness sake"
"He teaches that 24/7 surveillance is not creepy at all"

etc. If you want to care, you can find reasons The first one has actually been used to ban christmas several times throughout history btw.

[Settrah]

Influenced kids to look forward to presents and festive celebrations for 1 day a year. What a heartless monster. Stop him.

"But he takes away from believing in Jesus, putting their immortal soul in danger"
"He teaches that you should do good to receive a reward, not to do good for goodness sake"
"He teaches that 24/7 surveillance is not creepy at all"

etc. If you want to care, you can find reasons The first one has actually been used to ban christmas several times throughout history btw.

The intention is not about banning the whole of Christmas, but about banning Santa as a character specifically.

The first reason is highly unlikely to apply to modern culture. Because Christmas isn't all that religious anymore.

The second reason is a fundemental explanation as to why people do anything, it's the reason people go to work. It's a core part of functioning in a capitalist society.

The third reason just seems forced.

Either way, these bans obviously didn't stick.

So... you want to ban Santa because he alienates workers from their moral obligation to their peers, and holds back true altruism and antagonises grassroot socialism? Is that it? Is that the reason? I mean I'm just trying to piece it together.