Why we need ceremonies--

I'm watching the Coronation of King Charles III.

Why? Well, it's history. And I've spent the larger portion of my adult professional life teaching literature and embedding history in what we study... but that's not it, exactly. I can pretty much guarantee that most of my colleagues are not watching it with an eye towards discussing the event in class on Monday. Instead, it's about ceremony, and why we need it. Or do we?

So many people have kicked ceremony to the curb. We don't have church weddings, or formal graduations, or many other things that require elements of pomp and circumstance--Elgar or otherwise. I think that it's a huge loss, to not cling to ceremony. Life's milestones need marking, and, as I've witnessed time and again, when people are left to their own devices and planning, it does not feel "real"--at least, not to me. Yes, ceremony is old-fashioned, but isn't that the whole point? We need things that link us to the past, to create a sense of personal and social history. Ceremonies are anchors; some might look at that word in two ways, though. Anchors keep us from floating away, but they also hold us down. But without any moorings, we don't have anything to fall back on.

This world is in a lot of dissonant turmoil; probably, it always has been, but with instantaneous communication available, and with the advent of "deep fakes" and other AI generated content, how will we ever progress with intention and meaning, with an eye on creating a sustainable and sustaining human community? Ceremonies give us a moment in time to pause, reflect, and connect. The actions of January 6th, to attempt a coup and to overthrow the results of an election come to mind. The installation of a President is an anchor in the country's history; the attempt to upend this ceremony has left an indelible scar. 

On a much smaller note, I cringe every time graduations have cast aside the routine order of things. There are elements of ceremony that make graduations feel important; take those away, and it's just not the same. The same goes for weddings, funerals, and so on. Imbuing milestones with markers of importance that the witnesses recognize and can cling to is just as important as the ceremony is to the key participants. 

So, as much as the British Monarchy is a sort of anachronism, I applaud the people of the UK for going forward with a full ceremony that has its roots in tradition, albeit with personal touches that reflect the times and the desires of the people involved. Traditions give us hope for the future; if we know what we honor and what we believe, then we can confront challenges with a firm foundation.

Have a good day,

C