Kylie Lang: Singles’ Day on November 11 is disrespectful to Australia’s servicemen and women

Aussies love their shopping but it can’t come at the expense of honouring those who fought for this country, writes Kylie Lang.

Singles’ Day is the biggest of the lot but the timing is terrible, writes Kylie Lang.

On the very day the “hardest working royal” Princess Anne saluted our fallen and surviving servicemen and women at a service in Brisbane, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took to his favourably aligned ABC to call for a republic.

Terrible timing? You bet, but that’s not the only misalignment that took place on Tuesday.

While Mr Albanese was espousing it was “common sense” to push for a Republic – despite polls showing a decline in public support for the move, but never mind – Remembrance Day was undermined in a particularly crass way.

Enter Singles’ Day, a gift from our friends in China. The manufactured festival, held on November 11, has become a global retail bonanza.

It’s even bigger than the American inventions of Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day in terms of sales volume, according to Forbes.

We’re talking about a $150bn shopping day aimed at singles, who presumably are driven to buy things they don’t need in order to stave off the crushing indignation of not having a partner.

These 11/11 sales pitches are offensive.

It’s one thing to plead ignorance to the day’s historic significance because Singles’ Day originated in China, but when Aussie retailers are jumping on board it smacks of disrespect.

A friend of mine nearly blew a gasket this week after seeing Amazon’s Australian website advertising, “It’s 11/11: Get $11 off your haul”.

“Personally, I find this promo absolutely insulting to the spirit of Remembrance Day,” she fired off in an email, attaching the ad.

“As much as I shop with Amazon a lot, I reckon it’s a bridge too far.”

So do I.

The sacrifices of our servicemen and women deserve more than a minute’s silence that is sandwiched between a shopping frenzy, argues Kylie Lang. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

But Amazon wasn’t the only one having a red hot crack at shifting the focus of November 11.

Other retailers including Myer, David Jones, Lovisa, Camilla, Lancome, and Adidas also got in on the act.

The sacrifices of our servicemen and women deserve more than a minute’s silence that is sandwiched between a shopping frenzy.

When we talk about Australian values being eroded due to globalisation, and rampant individualism replacing collective mateship, surely 11/11 Singles’ Day sales are a prime example.

It’s all very well to import ideas that enrich us as a society, but we don’t need excuses to indulge what is essentially hedonism.

Besides, isn’t there a cost of living crisis going on?

Defending its decision to embrace Singles’ Day, David Jones said the focus was on Chinese social channels to engage those who celebrate the occasion, and marketing and communications were considered to ensure sensitivity with commemorative activities.

Intentional or not, when retailers in general are screaming at people to spend, spend, spend, the message received is not one advocating quiet reflection on the sacrifices our servicemen and women have made and will continue to make.

I’m sorry, Chinese social channels? I can’t see any distinctions in the online advertising that plays to Chinese interests over others.

Anyone could click on the DJs website and see the promotions.

And were the bulk of those shoppers hammering their credit cards of Chinese origin?

David Jones said the store was proud to reflect the diverse cultural, religious, and attitudinal beliefs within our community.

It said its approach to Singles’ Day was focused on providing value to customers and was never intended to detract from the meaning of the day.
Intentional or not, when retailers in general are screaming at people to spend, spend, spend, the message received is not one advocating quiet reflection on the sacrifices our servicemen and women have made and will continue to make.

And no amount of PR spin can change that.

Anyone who’s been alive longer than a minute knows that the fabric of Australian society is changing.

As immigration expands our population, differing cultural views and traditions are shaping this country of ours.

Some are positive; others are not.

Our ties to Britain have been slowly diminishing – hence the push by some people, including our current Prime Minister, for a republic.

But we must be careful in choosing which influences we accept and which we reject because once cherished acts of respect and historical significance have been undermined, so will their remembrance.

Kylie Lang is associate editor of The Courier-Mail
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