To the editor:
On Saturday, I attempted to drive to Salem to see a performance of the one act play, “Making of a Witch,” but was literally unable to get to the theater on time, stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic en route. And I had left Marblehead more than a half hour ahead of time.
The drive gave me plenty of dashboard time to collect my thoughts. And it occurred to me that Salem has conjured up a phantasm in 2024 that would make a good Puritan wince. To wit:
‘Beggar thy neighbor’: Adam Smith coined the term in 1776 to indicate when a business actor attempts to remedy its affairs in ways that worsen others’ situations. Unless I’m missing something, neighboring towns give up their commute and get no benefit in return in Septober. Salem is simply addicted to short-term tax revenue. Addicts need a support system. In other words, there needs to be a regional fund to collect and disperse all this Halloween revenue equitably and efficiently before it makes Salem fat and eats the region alive.
Historicity: If you ever overhear one of the passing tour groups, clad in plastic homogenized costumes shipped by Amazon, you’ll hear some really incredible yarns, inauthentic to their core. We really have come a long way from 1692.
The sweet danger of sugar: At the end of the day, Halloween is nothing but sugar, plain and simple. Our kids all know it. It fills the aisles at CVS and the grocery stores. It leads to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.
So, why are we doing all this again?
Sincerely,
Christopher Hardy
Wharf Path
