We are on the cusp of the eleventh month of the year twenty hundred and eleven.
Newsprint copy writing convention says that year should have been written out for you in Arabic numerals, but I spelled it out.
In Canadian tradition, the advent of the eleventh month of our calendar year has long meant one phenomenal certainty, and that is the widespread adornment of red poppies—a symbol perpetuated in remembrance for fallen soldiers that fought for things often taken for granted.
This tradition is so deeply respected that our culture has adopted protocols for dealing with situations such as those experienced by poppy pins that have fallen from their lapel-granted grace only to be trodden below our feet on sidewalks and other lowly territories.
There is an unwritten law that says we are to treat such fallen replica flowers in a similar manner as we would our ground brushing country flags. These disgraced decorations should be seized up and discarded like dead batteries: they no longer function in fueling our urge to display our respect.
There are even circles so dedicated to this respect symbol that they debate when and how long it is appropriate to decorate oneself with a poppy, lest the origin and the meaning of the symbol should be lost to obscurity.
In the year twenty hundred and eleven, there is another phenomenon certain to be expected of the Canadian November.
The Movember moustache began spreading its earnest handlebar tentacles in Australia and New Zealand in 1999 when its founders—a group of Adelaide, Australia men—thought of growing out their crumb catchers for the month of November in order to simultaneously raise research money and awareness for the treatment of men’s health issues like prostate cancer. In recognition of the cause, dusters have been brushing across Canada as well as Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Israel, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States since 2007.
Last year, Canada’s Movember funds topped those of all other countries—including Australia—bringing in $19,169,908, with 118,630 men taking part.
But in the year twenty hundred and eleven, the phrase “Movember” might not always be invoked to refer to a movement about prostate cancer awareness.
Let’s face it: the moustache hasn’t been a culturally fashionable facial accessory since Tom Selleck was a relevant actor, and even that’s up for debate. His monumental ‘stache is now celebrated on blogs and Tumblrs for what’s recognized as an ironic presence in a world that has for the most part turned its back on upper lip bristle.
Despite the lip tickler’s lacking popularity, the past few Novembers have seen increasing amounts of people citing Movember as motivation for growing moustaches, often unbeknownst of the intended significance behind the movement.
It is entirely valid that such activity can be recognized as beneficial to the authentic Movember cause in that it augments the movement’s buzz. That said, it would be regrettable if the potential detriments of such vacant claims went unchecked.
Call these instances of vanity projects or weak attempts at irony, but the bro mo’ is losing its meaning.
Going back to my refusal to observe copy etiquette, I’ll concede that I should have followed the rules when I indicated our current year. But I am taking intentional transgressive measures to prove a point about taking transgressive measures.
Also, Hunter S. Thompson wrote the names of calendar years that way, so that stylistic decision has street cred. Street cred is important when you…well, it’s really not all that important.
Alternatively, cancer awareness is. Prostate Cancer Canada estimates that 25,500 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, not including cases that go undiagnosed due to failure to attend annual check-ups.
Movember borrows its function from the fact that moustache cultivation is not common practice. When the citation of the original movement is invoked without reference to its specific aims, its intended meaning suffers dilution.
Let’s make an effort to inquire about and perpetuate the original meanings of symbols, lest we forget.
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