I think giving up stuff for Lent is stupid. It’s not that I don’t value life changes and sacrifice, and I mean no disrespect to Catholics—it’s really to the secular community that I’m referring. If you’re a practicing Catholic and got up this morning to have some ashes rubbed on your forehead, carry on. But to those folks that treat Lent like some sort of New Year’s resolution boot camp and deny themselves something for 40 days just for kicks? Why? Why are you doing that? Granted, some people actually make very reasonable sacrifices for Lent and stop doing shit they shouldn’t have been doing in the first place, but I still think it’s a stupid practice. And the fasting? Please. I have Muslim friends. I am not impressed.

I’m all for making positive changes in your life, but why enforce the arbitrary date or timeline to those changes? If you’re really committed to bettering your existence, why’d you wait this long? Why only 40 days? Do people really need the accountability of tradition and the flimsy safety net of a self-enforced term limit to improve themselves?

Religious elements aside, it’s difficult for me to find sincerity in those who make a “sacrifice” for 40 days. To me it just feels like this desperate need to prove a point—either to oneself or one’s acquaintances. If you want to make a bet that you can last 40 days without drinking soda or using your cell phone, that’s fabulous, but don’t hide behind Lent as your rationale.

Some might say Lent provides convenient parameters in which to “try out” giving up some luxury, particularly because others are quitting their vices at the same time you’re quitting yours. But that’s stupid too. Because if you need such restrictive parameters, I’ll tell you now that chances are the trial’s not going to go very well anyway, and as for being surrounded by your peers who are also practicing mild forms of self-denial? All that means is that when you’re feeling cranky and nicotine-deprived, you’re going to have no one but your ass-hat caffeine-deprived, sexless friends to turn to. And nobody wants that.