> I was addressing the question regarding the compulsion to rebrand
I'm not sure "rebrand" is the right word; "Friendsgiving" is a deviation from the well-established norm of spending Thanksgiving with family, so giving it a separate, derivative name doesn't seem inappropriate. I myself am in the middle of organizing a separate celebration with friends, on Saturday, and I'm also calling it something that ends in "-sgiving", because we're doing it in the general spirit of (obviously not-historic) Thanksgiving, but it doesn't fit the cultural standard (on Thursday, with family).
> I have seen innumerable 20+ year staff members tell the classic pilgrim and indian story to many foreigners questions of 'what is thanksgiving'
If I were asked that, I think I would give the same answer. Though I would also tell someone what Christmas was about, if asked, without feeling the need to explain how I don't believe it or for what reasons.
I also don't think I'd add the "disclaimer" about how messed up the whole original Thanksgiving stuff was unless someone pressed me for it or inquired further, though if I think about it, I'm not sure why; it almost seems like a separate question to me. Interesting.
I suppose this is why I used the descriptor 'value assertion'
How does a native American reservation celebrate the third Thursday?
My deliberate disdain for some cultural artifacts are mainly to be inclusive to those who are potentially marginalized by the status quo,
Full inclusion is a highest value of mine that I try to assert in in my actions and thoughts
Christmas, like all religious activities, is exclusive to everyone who believes outside a community's line, and as such is abhorrent to me, and i state the same to anyone who asks my understanding of it
It feels a scientific approach: your world is flat unless you choose to extend your sight beyond the horizon; and I'm always on the lookout for horizons I have yet to extend
I'm not sure "rebrand" is the right word; "Friendsgiving" is a deviation from the well-established norm of spending Thanksgiving with family, so giving it a separate, derivative name doesn't seem inappropriate. I myself am in the middle of organizing a separate celebration with friends, on Saturday, and I'm also calling it something that ends in "-sgiving", because we're doing it in the general spirit of (obviously not-historic) Thanksgiving, but it doesn't fit the cultural standard (on Thursday, with family).
> I have seen innumerable 20+ year staff members tell the classic pilgrim and indian story to many foreigners questions of 'what is thanksgiving'
If I were asked that, I think I would give the same answer. Though I would also tell someone what Christmas was about, if asked, without feeling the need to explain how I don't believe it or for what reasons.
I also don't think I'd add the "disclaimer" about how messed up the whole original Thanksgiving stuff was unless someone pressed me for it or inquired further, though if I think about it, I'm not sure why; it almost seems like a separate question to me. Interesting.
What do you think?