Why Festivals Are About Showing Off, Not Unity
Why Festivals Are About Showing Off, Not Unity Festivals in Malaysia are marketed as moments of togetherness, harmony, and shared joy. In reality, they’ve quietly evolved into competitive exhibitions of lifestyle performance . Unity is the tagline. Showing off is the main event. Once upon a time, festivals meant visiting relatives, sharing food, and slowing down. Today, they mean curated outfits, staged homes, and social media documentation so aggressive you’d think the celebration didn’t count unless the internet approved it. Before the greetings come the photos. Before the prayers come the mirror selfies. Before connection comes content. Every major festival now follows the same script. New clothes—preferably colour-coordinated. House makeover—even if the fridge is empty next month. Food spread large enough to feed a village—half of which will be wasted. Caption: “Simple celebration.” Simple? Nothing simple about financial stress wrapped in aesthetic confidence. F...