The Christmas values ​​are axiological

The Christmas values ​​are axiological

Nildo Viana

Christmas is a Christian feast held on December 25, when we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. However, it is noticeable the change of the meaning of Christmas throughout history. Its origin is linked to a pagan feast that preceded Christianity and was adapted for the values ​​and Christian conceptions becoming over time. After it won a religious significance and pagan symbols, as well as how the festival has changed.

The native Christian was initially from the century, a religious festival. Inspired by the Babylonian mythology, the figure of Santa Claus - inspired by Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, Century 05 - represented the solidarity, as was a person who would present three children from a poor family. Later, Santa Claus has been transformed into an individual who gives gifts to children and ask these gifts through letters. It is no longer solidarity and poor children, but the consumer act to require present (children, the way they are socialized today) and give gifts, even using this to hide the difficulties of affectivity, one offering a satisfaction surrogate who are gifted. Many, even if they are not presented (not just children) think they are unloved (VIANA, 2002).

Religiosity and values ​​end up being replaced by other values ​​and interests. The home is no longer commemorative religious festival to become consumerist worldly party. In capitalist society, where everything is gradually transformed into merchandise, we have the commercialization of Christmas. The commercial christmas meaning replaces his former religious significance. Christmas is transformed into a consumerist party where advertising and market seek to increase overall consumption and this is effected every year, as evidenced by the statistics. Is the widespread exchange of gifts, purchases of Christmas items and Santa becomes the greatest symbol of this festival in place of Jesus Christ. Children are born and socialized in this context and therefore tend to naturalize, even as adults, such consumerism and awareness christmas.

Thus, there is a manipulation feeling and output values ​​in order to increase the consumer market. Some specific sectors earn more with this process and create habits, desires, manufactured for this time, as the "Christmas dinner", toys, decoration, certain foods (panettone, peru, nuts, etc.). This produces a false sense of euphoria and joy for some, dissatisfaction and conflict for others (those who do not have money to consume). Thus, Christmas takes on a predominantly mercantile meaning in contemporary society and there is no point calls for the recovery of his religious sense, because they only have echoes in restricted circles, where the religion is still important and become material for production new merchandise and more consumption (including the Christmas symbols, but also cribs, etc.) (Viana 2002).

 The dominant values ​​of each era dominate the cultural events in general. The Christmas values ​​are just another version of axiological, dominant values. Undoubtedly, the word "values" is widely used, but few define and therefore lack clarity in their use in many cases. We understand that values ​​are what is important and meaningful to individuals and there are authentic values ​​such as freedom and creativity, historical and particularistic values ​​linked to the interests of the ruling class, the axiological values ​​(VIANA, 2007). The Christmas values ​​in its current configuration, are apparently axionômicos (authentic) because preach solidarity and fraternity, making them values. However, on closer examination, in the context of capitalist society, the discourse of solidarity and fraternity only disguises a competitive world in which those who will make more purchases and realize the consumption of the most expensive and desirable goods, and marked by various social conflicts , making these words the manifestation of pseudo-values, because they are subordinate and deleted by the dominant values. The existence of pseudo-values ​​just shows the hypocrisy prevailing in modern society.

The solidarity, or fraternity, is a axionômico value, authentic, because the human being, as a social being, is the psychic need for association with other human beings, not only in the sense of being together but also through a community in which there relations harmonious social. In the Christmas period, many claim to solidarity as a value and some even seek to practice it, is only in the narrow family circle, whether through charity, among other ways. However, this is just one day in the year, fulfilling a role to strengthen the rest of the year marked by competition and conflict. That is, its manifestation occurs within certain relationships that are conflictual, competitive, and only once a year, serving to renew the common practices rather than actually questioning them and it shows that are subordinated to other values, are permanent and dominant, causing sporadic manifestation of this solidarity is enhanced axiology.

Literature, film and other art forms are vehicles Reproduction of these pseudo-values. Of course at the time or their producers, could actually be a manifestation of their values, but this is not the case for most people today. From the classic "Christmas Tales" by Charles Dickens and its various film adaptations to the Frank Capra films, especially "Happiness can not be bought," money and greed are presented as disvalues ​​or as secondary values ​​in front of family, Friends, solidarity.

Overcoming this mercantile, consumerist festivity involves radical social change, in which the world of the commodity is replaced by the world of humans and axiological values ​​are replaced by axionômicos values.

References

DICKENS, Charles. Christmas tale. Rio de Janeiro: Ediouro, 2009.

VIANA, Nildo. The Meaning of Christmas. In Capitalism, Psychoanalysis and Everyday. Goiania: Germinal Editions, 2002.

VIANA, Nildo. Values ​​in Modern Society. Brasilia: Thesaurus, 2007.