​NEW YEAR, SAME YOU

You see it everywhere.  “NEW YEAR, NEW YOU!”  As if, come January 1st, you are going to be a completely different person. How many ways can we decide that this statement is a bunch of marketing BS?

1. The word “new” creates a resounding image of youth that our society already seems obsessed with.  The idea that this “new you” will somehow look/feel/present as someone much younger is deeply intertwined in this.  If it wasn’t, the expression would be “another year, another you.”
2. Which brings up a good “multiple personality” type point.  Why does the new year mean that you have to change who you are?  If you drastically change who you are every single year, wouldn’t that be a little weird?  How often in a lifetime does a person need to completely re-invent themself?  Won’t their friends get confused?  (“I loved the world traveler version of Nancy but this supplement pushing salesperson she became on Jan 1 is super annoying.”) Sometimes we only need self-discovery in limited amounts.

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