This Agony Ass is different from the others because instead of messages from social networks, it tackles a custom that has become grotesque. World Day.

Agony Ass: World Day

Let’s start with a bang: what’s the difference between an ass and World Day? None! For every person, there is one.

Speaking seriously: World or International Days are events matching to a specific date, usually organized by the United Nations or other more or less famous entities to raise awareness about social causes or professions.

Their origin comes from long time ago, but now they are more known because they guide social networks trends: the more posts discussing them, the more companies can profit from people who cleanse their conscience believing they are being activists on the day’s theme, with a simple story published.

I am Spartacus!

Quote comes from “Spartacus” movie by Stanley Kubrick: “I am Spartacus!”

Spartacus, raised as a slave, leads a revolution that the Roman army suppresses; General Crassus intends to execute all rebels but offers them a condition: “I want Spartacus. If he is among you and you identify him, you will all be spared.”

So one by one, they start shouting: “I am Spartacus!” And they end up all crucified, but Spartacus is never identified.

Why is this related to World Day?

If everyone is Spartacus, no one is Spartacus! Similarly, if every date matches one or more important social causes, no event is truly remembered. In fact, every World Day ends up forgotten or mocked, and almost no one knows its history.

As proof, here is the list of World Days in September. Are they real? Are they fake? In the end, it becomes irrelevant because many of these dates have several meanings.

World Days in September

• September 1: World Beard Day, and Love Letter Day
• September 2: World Cognition Day (what? What the heck is that?)
• September 3: International Goat Cheese Day, and Bearded People Day (wasn’t Beard Day on the first?)
• September 4: World Sexual Health Day (this one should be taken more seriously)
• September 5: International Day of Charity. (We didn’t know, it’s also Freddie Mercury’s birthday. Next time we’ll pass the plate singing his songs…)
• September 6: World Barbers Day (why not combine it with beards and bearded people? Mystery).
• September 7: International Clean Air for Blue Skies Day. (subtitle: no farting or bad breath allowed, right?)
• September 8: World Physiotherapy Day (one of us has a physiotherapist parent who, believe it or not… knew nothing). Also International Literacy Day.
• September 9: World Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Day and Beauty Day (two coherent subjects, right?)
• September 10: World Suicide Prevention Day…

There are “world” or “international days” until 30th, with more than one observance each day as well but it’s not worth our time, although delving into the stories behind each celebration can reveal something interesting.

We wouldn’t like to appear as conspiracy theorists, but on our blog we feel free to express our bad thought: are they trying to hide most relevant events, by finding a World Day for any nonsense?

• September 4: Sexual Health
• September 10: Suicide Prevention
• September 11: First Aid
• September 14: Bone Marrow Donation
• September 15: International Democracy Day
• September 21: International Peace Day
• September 26: Nuclear Disarmament Day, European Languages Day, Contraception Day.
• September 28: Universal Access to Information Day

Now someone should explain why the World Day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons is on September 26 along with Contraception Day and European Languages Day. What do they have in common?

All three would be relevant in contemporary society for many reasons. In Europe, it would be an opportunity to reflect on the self-claimed “European union”, yet each country speaks its own language, with English considered the most common while United Kingdom is no longer politically European! What do we make of this?

We mentioned these particular days because peace, democracy, sexual and reproductive freedom, suicide prevention… are fundamental points to discuss during current historical period. Greater awareness is needed, but having too many dates to remember causes less attention to the ones that deserve the most.

At the beginning of this blog adventure we were attracted by the “world day” trend, attempting to have every single celebration described by our sentient HIV virus; but then we realized it meant more effort than fun, and gave up completely.

It’s a big effort for us to celebrate HIV and AIDS Day (December 1st) as we should, let alone the others! We prefer to leave world days to time-wasters.