Welcome back to The Sunstone Way, and Happy Halloween!
This Thursday, Oct. 31, is the evening when many American children play make-believe in the quest for candy. Plenty of adults get into the swing of things by donning costumes as well.
All Hallows Eve
As is the case with so many of our holidays, Halloween has its origins in religion. In the Eighth Century, Pope Gregory III designated Nov. 1 as All Saints Day, a festival to celebrate all saints and martyrs of the church. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve – and it was only a slight linguistic jump to get to Halloween.
A couple of centuries later, the church added All Souls Day on Nov. 2. That’s important to Dia de los Muertos, the two-day Day of the Dead celebration. It’s believed that the spirits of children can visit the earthly realm on Nov. 1, and the spirits of adults show up on Nov. 2.
It is not, repeat not, a Mexican version of Halloween, though. A blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion and Spanish culture, it is believed to be the time when the border between the spirit world and the material world dissolves. The “ofrendas,” altars with offerings, are designed to welcome those spirits for their visit.
Community Traditions
Historians say that in the late 1800s there was a move in America to make Halloween more about community and get-togethers than about ghosts and witchcraft. Parties became the most common way to celebrate, often including festive costumes and seasonal foods.
Commercialization took hold between 1920 and 1950, when trick-or-treating was revived and expanded. The idea was that families could avoid childish pranks on their homes by providing treats to the children in the neighborhood.
It worked, at least when it came to the economy. It’s estimated that today the country spends $6 billion a year on candy, costumes and Halloween decorations – second only to Christmas when it comes to commercial holidays. One quarter of all the candy sold annually in the U.S. is bought for Halloween.
Seasonal Tricks
Americans have come up with a creative trick that includes a treat for the Sunday right after Halloween. It is the end of Daylight Saving Time for the year.
Most of the country decides on turning clocks back an hour at 2 a.m. local time that Sunday. We “fall back.” The treat, of course, is an extra hour of sleep. It’s fun to watch how it confuses the household pets, too!
This year, as happens every four years, there’s also a presidential election on the first Tuesday in November. Some people might consider that a trick, but I consider it one of the greatest treats of all for us Americans.
A Democratic Treat
I am well aware that this has been a bruising presidential campaign, with feelings running high. Still, I much prefer that to the alternative – no election at all.
Our 248-year-old experiment in representative democracy has created what I believe to be the greatest government in the world. I know it isn’t perfect. I also know that there’s really nothing else that compares.
That’s largely because we – you and me – have a direct say in how our government works through our vote. Yes, majority rules and that sometimes means things don’t go our way. It also means that when our elected representatives don’t do what we want, we can vote against them in the next election.
Ours is a complex and sometimes contentious government, from the local level to the national scale. But it remains for the people and by the people. To use a bit of jargon, we have buy-in. It is in our best interest to participate in a government watching after our interests.
An Economic Decision
Did you know that a democracy has proven to be the best form of government to foster a growing economy? Multiple studies have shown that to be the case.
A new study by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) economists shows that countries switching to democratic rule experience show a 20 percent increase in GDP over a 25-year period compared to what would have happened had they remained authoritarian states.
Why? Because a government by the people works to do what is best for the people, not for those running the government.
There have been and likely will continue to be leaders out to make the government work for them, not their constituents. But our democratic model provides the tools to ensure that type of leader can be removed, and the American Dream can remain alive.
Do Your Part
There remains a danger to our democratic dream. That’s if people decide to stop participating.
That’s when the government is no longer by the people. That’s why it is so important to vote – to be part of the community. That’s when the American Dream stays alive.
And that’s The Sunstone Way.
Remember, always be a Sunstone!
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone Management, Inc.
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©Sunstone Management, Inc. 2024