This day celebrating love. Like with much else, this global shared culture is a coming together of chance, clever connections, cupid and commerce. Be cynical, or let the love flow, or simply shrug it away— the choice is ours.
But this video is a throwback to the 19th century, when Vinegar Valentines raised insult to an art form. via commercially bought postcards. I talk a bit about them and then read out a selection.
Basically, think Victorian era trolling!
I happened upon them when I wrote my piece last year, ‘Let’s Talk About Love’. In it, I explored Valentine’s Day and all its messy, nothing-to-do-with-love and entirely unverifiable histories.
Victorian times, the 19th century.
Those times of passive-aggressive communication gave us elaborate romantic valentines, sure- but they also gifted us their evil twins: they were called Vinegar Valentines.
These were commercially bought postcards that were caustic, funny, insulting or just plain mean.
They were sent anonymously, and became for a while like a socially sanctioned way to criticise someone’s appearance, personality, or behaviour.
I suppose when love is in the air, spite can’t be far off.
Love is a grave mental disease.
_Plato
*Plato did not say that, but its his widely quoted quote, anyway. It is a somewhat paraphrased interpretation of his views on romantic passion in his dialogue Phaedrus. Plato describes intense love as a form of “divine madness” or delirium that overrides rational thought, acting as a disruptive, intoxicating force on the mind.
