I don't understand why people celebrate birthdays

[Lotus49]

There was a birthday card at work, everyone should be courteous & sign. For some reason, I felt like being my usual, smartassedly realistic self and I wrote: "Congratulations, the Earth has completed yet another revolution around the Sun since the moment of your birth. Have a phenomenally fun, fantastic day." In fact I usually write something like that on birthday cards; something relating to 'astronomical coincidences'.

I mean think about it, what's the point? It's going to happen anyway, regardless, and it means nothing. What if it took the Earth 478 days to revolve around the Sun? Or, what if we colonized Mars, and you were born & lived there... would you celebrate your birthday there little more than half as often?

"Whooptie-do! The 3rd celestial object from the star has circled around again!! Time for me to eat CAKE and icecream!!" "Where's my presents!?"

You're going to have to run this whole thing by me, again.

You guys go crazy everytime it happens here on CFC. How do you explain your actions?

 

[CCA]

people Arent Rational Social Constructs Prevail @!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nivi]

Celebrations are fun, duh.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Any excuse to have a party. Or get presents. Or eat cake. Or get plastered.

 

[brennan]

Who needs an excuse?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The people who are not giving me presents every day.

 

[scherbchen]

I don't celebrate mine anymore, but I let others enjoy theirs.

 

[Bill3000]

Because it's one damn day out of the year in which someone feels special out of his normally plain and meager life.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

If it were up to me, I wouldn't bother celebrating them either. But as CCA said, humans are not inherently rational creatures, so we do arbitrary stuff like that. It is no use asking why.

 

[Brighteye]

It's a fun social institution that serves as a useful reason to get in touch with and/or meet all your friends, and usually have a celebration.

Parties are good social lubricant, and it just so happens that birthdays come at a reasonable interval for lubricating social relations. When young we need more, but everyone goes to everyone else's party, so you get more. When old, you need less, and people tend to start having big parties only every 5 or 10 years.

 

[Angst]

I celebrate everything as much as possible.

 

[joycem10]

Welcome to Earth Mr. Spock.

 

[Lotus49]

Welcome to Earth Mr. Spock.

Actually I am named after one of the main characters in Star Trek. But it's understandable, since it was by my own choice - back when my name was changed when I was a little kid (I was a big fan at the time, but yes... I was thinking ahead, no regrets). How many people do you know chose their own name?

P.S. no it's not Spock

P.P.S. I don't get the whole 'New Year's Day' BIG DEAL, either. Yeehaw, the date changes - let's go act like drunken @sses.

 

[Perfection]

Fun doesn't have to be rational.

 

[bathsheba666]

There was a birthday card at work, everyone should be courteous & sign. For some reason, I felt like being my usual, smartassedly realistic self and I wrote: "Congratulations, the Earth has completed yet another revolution around the Sun since the moment of your birth. Have a phenomenally fun, fantastic day." In fact I usually write something like that on birthday cards; something relating to 'astronomical coincidences'.

I mean think about it, what's the point? It's going to happen anyway, regardless, and it means nothing. What if it took the Earth 478 days to revolve around the Sun? Or, what if we colonized Mars, and you were born & lived there... would you celebrate your birthday there little more than half as often?

"Whooptie-do! The 3rd celestial object from the star has circled around again!! Time for me to eat CAKE and icecream!!" "Where's my presents!?"

You're going to have to run this whole thing by me, again.

You guys go crazy everytime it happens here on CFC. How do you explain your actions?

If you feel that natural rhythms in the universe should go unremarked, then why do you get up every morning?

 

[sourboy]

The more revolutions we make, the closer to the end we are. That's cause to celebrate, no?

 

[Slaughter]

Because it's fun. And go to party!

 

[EdCase]

Actually I am named after one of the main characters in Star Trek. But it's understandable, since it was by my own choice - back when my name was changed when I was a little kid (I was a big fan at the time, but yes... I was thinking ahead, no regrets). How many people do you know chose their own name?

P.S. no it's not Spock

P.P.S. I don't get the whole 'New Year's Day' BIG DEAL, either. Yeehaw, the date changes - let's go act like drunken @sses.

Birthday Party -- $1000

New Years Party -- $5000

Being alive to celebrate another one -- Priceless

 

[Harald]

Lotus49: I'm with you, I have never understood why Birthdays and New Years eve are considered "special" other than as an excuse to party.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

If it were up to me, I wouldn't bother celebrating them either. But as CCA said, humans are not inherently rational creatures, so we do arbitrary stuff like that. It is no use asking why.

I suppose it's lost quite a bit of meaning nowadays. However, I'd assume that back in the Middle Ages, completing another year was something to be celebrated. As death was incredibly common.