This morning I woke up to the internet telling me that it was National Boyfriend Day. I scoffed at the idea, then set about doing a little research, to do a piece about such a silly holiday. Or so I hoped. It turns out that there is no reputable evidence anywhere for the existence of this holiday: no news articles, nothing on wikipedia (and if it’s not even on wikipedia you know something’s up), no nothing. Which nation is it that declared this holiday? How do you celebrate it? Is it for one’s own boyfriends, or everyone’s boyfriends? Current or previous?
The only thing I can find out about it is that someone on twitter started talking about it, and then everyone on twitter started talking about it. The fire caught on Google+, but hasn’t (that I’ve seen) made it to facebook yet. Most of the talk is along the lines of “‘National Boyfriend Day’?! Really?” But people are talking about it.
Is this what it’s come down to, internet? Inventing stupid stuff because you can’t think of anything better to do? (Answer: “Yes, of course, that’s what the internet is for. That, and a zillion pictures of cats.”)
If you want to celebrate something today, there is not a deficiency. Every day, people are born and people die, and occasionally some of those people are interesting or important in some way. Every day, scientific discoveries are made, investigations are launched, and something new is studied.
In 1582, the Gregorian Calendar was implemented. In 1927, the sculpting of Mount Rushmore began. In 1957, the space race began with the launching of Sputnik 1.
It’s Cinnamon Roll Day in Sweden. A Day of Peace and Reconciliation is celebrated in Mozambique to commemorate the end of a sixteen year civil war. And it’s World Animal Day, internet.
There’s much more to celebrate today than you think. Just look up the day on wikipedia. You don’t need to make something random up. Instead, have a cinnamon roll. Think about world peace. And make with the cat pictures. This is the internet, after all.
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