I went to my parents' house after work yesterday morning since that is where I "celebrated" my Thanksgiving. The Macy's Day Parade was on TV. Not just the parade, but all the faggoty performances that are featured leading up to the parade. It's all so formulaic and plastic, and it really turned my stomach to watch. For me, it kind of highlights the worst things American society has become in cultural terms, and what a plastic, corporate shithole New York City (namely Manhattan) is these days. Everything is just so vapid and disgustingly cliche. It really amazes me what entertains people this day and age.
I was at a neighbors, and they had it on for a little and it was pretty shitty. I remember about 8 or so years ago when I lived in NJ we went into manhattan for the parade and i guess just nostalgia at this point but it disnt arenas bad then as it is now
I think these kind of parades are indeed more cultural tradition than like the favourite kind of entertainment for the people on the side or participating in the parade itself. It's more about celebrating something as a community, even though in practice it can seem as kind of a dragged out and old obligatory kind of tradition As long as the majority of the community values these kind of traditional celebrations they will be stay. I have never been big on parades and stuff either (perhaps as a little kid ) but it's not really all those bad things you make of it If you think parades are the ultimate entertainment of your fellow people in this day and age, well... Just saying, other people value cultural traditions that got old more than you.
That parade is a huge waste of air time. I hate parades. All the glitz and perfect glittery floats, just silly. But, I guess it makes some people happy and nostalgic, so who am I to criticize a (relatively) harmless tradition. Doesn't compare to the negative things associated with the mass slaughter of inhumanely reared young turkeys. /crazy vegetarian. It also doesn't compare to the exploitation of underpayed, demoralized workers across the country who have to work on Thanksgiving day/night to prepare for the hoards of Black Friday Shoppers. /rant.
It is probably on tv for the oldies. You would be amazed what people entertain themselves with in the retirement homes. It would probably make me suicidal to live there Parades are pretty much tradition everywhere you know! Sometimes it seems in places where they don't have shit they seem to have more fun with a parade as well. So I guess it's also what other kind of entertainment or means of celebration people are used to... We have no time see some other people we don't know on a decorated wagon perform some trick we already know to death! And even if we would have the time we would spend it to our own selfish liking. No need giving people with a community sense some credit for that if they spend that sense on a stale tradition right?
NBC started it's TV coverage of the NYC parade at 5:30 am. 5:30 am? The floats have gotten archaic, especially the one with the little Disney girl and her evil witch mother, plugging the latest Disney movie. Also old is the Batman balloon floating across New York with his lover Robin on his back hugging him. Upgrades are needed that more accurately depict the modern U.S. culture. A balloon of an unmanned drone shooting missiles at what America has deemed to be its latest enemy. An inflatable of a giant bottle of high fructose corn syrup oozing its contents all down its side onto obese people below. An NSA float, full of cameras pointed at everyone and all sorts of strange wires and antennas picking up everyone's signals. A float of a big skyscraper representing Bank of U.S.A., complete with government agents below pickpocketing citizens and throwing the money up to the bank. The TSA float depicting security agents groping the private areas of other men (in the same spirit of the old Batman balloon when you think about it).
Well not everyone in NYC has this mentality but yeah there care a lot of misguided people here (just the same as many other places I've been-including Southern California where I'm from). I also don't watch parades, definitely sounds like a waste of time and money.
Parades are not so bad. A lot of people really enjoy the tradition of them being there and that they can take their family to see them without it costing a lot of money. No harm in my opinion.
I mean it costs the city a lot of money for cleanup, man power to run the event, and police details etc. Plus its a HUGE nuisance for residents who 1) have to deal with noise in an already very noisy place 2) tons of streets are shut down for a long period of time making it difficult to traverse the city. This is a small island, with 11 million people, there are only so many routes you can take. 3) no offense but tourists. can't stand tourists lol they get in the way...they totally forget that the sidewalks are our super highways. we use them to get to and from work, the store etc but they always tend to walk in lines side by side (thus barricading the sidewalk and keep anyone from passing them), or they stop short where ever they are and forget that someone walking fast (typical new yorker speed) could totally slam into them. Tradition of it is good, though they're veering far far away from tradition by having pelvic thrusting over sexualized drag queens riding on floats etc. :/
It is once a year that those people may be inconvenienced. I am sure they will and can cope. Unless that city is very different than others, money is wasted more often than not. Often on far more ridiculous things than parades. I would imagine that it also generates revenue at a time of year when people would otherwise not bother with being outdoors. Business will make money off of the parade crowds. At least the parade is a family oriented tradition and we all know there are few enough of those. People do not have to attend nor watch if they do not wish to. Those that do I am sure really enjoy it and that alone makes it worthwhile to maintain. Today people are far too quick to want something stopped that they do not enjoy but others do.
I don't like New York. There I was,tootling peacefully along,5-in-a-line across the pavement,when a bad tempered resident barged straight past.I was so upset I nearly dropped my pamphlet! Bloody New York citizens act like they own the place.
Ya I live here, I'm giving you a residents perspective lol. We're outside all the time regardless, Im trying to explain we WALK to get anywhere we need to go. I haven't driven in years. Less than 30% drive in the city and most are residents that live in Staten Island or New Jersey. So New Yorkers, walk places we're always outside and therefore businesses get revenue anyway. In fact, quite a few businesses en route have protested the parade because of the negative impacts the parade has for them.
Lol we do, I pay a lot of taxes just to the city. $2100 a year, just to nyc that does not include federal or state taxes.
Most of the revenue as a result of the parade goes to NBC, and any advertising therein. Any benefits the city receives are indirect and as a resident it's annoying thats all I'm saying.
