📘 Part 3: Important events

This episode's vocabulary

Transition (noun) - a change from one form or type to another, or the process by which this happens.

Diverse (adj.) - including many different types of people or things.

Gathering (noun) - a party or a meeting when many people come together as a group.

Repercussion (noun) - the effect that an action, event, or decision has on something, especially a bad effect.

Secular (adj.) - not having any connection with religion.

Correlation (noun) - a connection or relationship between two or more facts, numbers, etc.

Likelihood (noun) - the chance that something will happen.

Inflation (noun) - a general, continuous increase in prices.

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Questions and Answers

M: What kinds of events do people usually celebrate?

R: I feel like it would be easier to list the things they don't want throw a party for these days. There's everything from religious and sporting events to life milestones like birthdays as the obvious examples. But also passing driving tests. I suppose the thing they have in common is that they mark points in some sort of journey or process. Not necessarily the end, but key transitions.

M: How do people celebrate important events in your country?

R: I think the nation is too diverse to say there's one set way of doing anything. Though the major themes involve being with people who are close to you, or at least relevant to the event and the investment of some sort of resources for some kind of event. Beyond that, it's hard to say exactly how anyone does anything.

M: But like in general, in your country, do people throw a party or they go to a concert or it's just like they celebrate at home? Like...

R: Depends on the kind of the event. I think most people do things at home these days, but weddings, they still have at churches, for example.

M: Do people often celebrate events with a large group of people or just a few friends?

R: I think they can do what they like, though at the present time it's more common to have small gatherings. Just based on the cost of living alone. Never mind the repercussions of the pandemic restrictions.

M: And do you think this trend will continue into the future, this small gathering thing?

R: I hope not. It would be nice to see lots of people together again.

M: Do people often celebrate festivals with families?

R: I think that will depend on what kind of festival it is. It's something of a religious significance. Then family members are almost always involved. To be honest, I can't think of any that don't. More secular events like harvest festivals or something involving the expressive arts like the Edinburgh Fringe are pretty much open to everyone.

M: Why do most young people prefer to celebrate festivals with their friends and not family?

R: Well, I suppose if we talk about teenagers then they're hyper-social, so they get that connection from their friends and so they feel closer to them, regardless of whether their family is close to them or not. And also, they can have more fun and there are fewer restrictions with their friends, whereas their family might have certain demands that they make of them. Although to be honest, I'm not sure that it's like such a huge choice. Maybe you could go to a festival with your friends and then go to a festival with your family and you'd have two separate things to celebrate.

M: Do people spend too much money on such occasions as birthdays or weddings?

R: Well, I certainly think so. Actually, apparently, there's a correlation between the amount of money you spend on a wedding and the likelihood of divorce. So the more you spend, the more likely you are to get divorced when it comes to weddings. Similarly, I think people focus too much on material things for birthdays when really it's all about being together as a family. What you spend should not be relevant to having a good time.

M: But do you think it's good to spend a lot of money on birthdays or weddings or anniversaries?

R: No. No, I don't. I don't think it's about material things.

M: Do you think people will spend less money in the future on festivals and different festive occasions?

R: Well, given the rate of inflation, they'll probably spend more, but I don't think that necessarily means it will be an improvement.

M: So they'll spend more money?

R: Yes, but that's because more money is in circulation.

M: All right. Thank you, Rory, for your informed answers!

R: Hopefully we give people something to celebrate!

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