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Holidays Are a Contrast Filter
They only augment what you already feel.
It’s like this: the happy become happier, the social ones more sociable, and the sad and lonely even more so. When the holidays arrive, everyone experiences a heightened version of their lives. Christmas acts as a contrast filter in Photoshop, exaggerating existing differences and emotions.
While it’s touted as a time of joy and celebration, that’s merely an advertisement for those to whom it rings true. It’s a catchy slogan used to sell chocolate, cakes, and a plethora of other shit that fill the space beneath the Christmas tree.
For the less vocal group of individuals facing challenges (i.e. fuckups), the holiday season can be detrimental. Countless broken families won’t gather, individuals battling depression and other mental conditions face heightened struggles, and masses of people, alienated by the prevailing social media and capitalist consumption culture, grapple with overwhelming loneliness and depression.
On ordinary days, these challenges may be somewhat bearable. You can go to work, engage in “projects,” or find distractions to create an illusion of a “normal life.” However, when the holidays arrive, these activities cease, “normal” people retreat to their warm nests, leaving you alone with your misery, whatever form it takes.
