They are off. Those Grand Boasting Sessions have begun, some of them starting with children still in school (and some when they needed to be at school to take final exams). And yet they insist on people skipping school (and work) to be at all three days of these wastefests.
Now, why might there be reason to go? Curiosity is one, and that is the kind of curiosity that often leads to trouble. On rare occasion, people will have faux memories of the faux joy of being a witless, and long to return. More common, Brother Hounder is likely to be there. In many of these, seating is assigned where people are supposed to sit in the section where their congregation has a cleaning assignment. This makes it easier for Brother Hounder to catch up with people that have been missing lots of regular boasting sessions or whose field circus times are low. If you don't sit where you are supposed to, you are looked down on.
And there is opportunity cost. Did you like wasting three days sitting there listening to material that is readily available elsewhere? Most people would rather be at the amusement park or at a zoo, museum, or listening to real music. Some prefer relaxing at the beach or in a park. Some like hiking in the mountains. Some like sports. All of which you have to put aside during these wastefests.
These things cost money. You pay money to get into a hotel (usually more than you might pay online). You pay for food, only to have to take the food out of the containers that bear trademarked symbols. There is the Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund that they want people donating toward.
Rules? There are too many. Just about everywhere, hounders are roving around to make sure the illusion of peace and joy is not busted. Stay quiet. Keep moving. Use only one child size towel to dry your hands (or only 30 cm, if it is one continuous roll). Do not use the vending machines. No packages bearing advertisement or worldly logos or trademarked symbols. Applaud when cued to. Vote "Yes" for every resolution, no matter what. And so on.
Climate control is often horrible. In the enclosed venues, air conditioning usually reaches the seats near the top, but does not reach the bottom levels. If the place is open, it can get upward of 40 C (which is 100 F). If the air conditioning is strong enough to reach the lowest levels, those seated near the top are often freezing cold (I never had that problem, but I have seen "sisters" with coats on).
Plus, there is the headache you always get. I have never failed to have one after one of these wastefests. Yet, when I had to work, I rarely got headaches from the same number of hours of working. The positive ions in the buildings may be part responsible, but I can't escape the possibility of negative energy emanating from those members of the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger when they give those talks.
And for what? You get to hear the same old crap you have heard all the time. Give up that Internet. Quit college when you are 2 weeks away from graduating. Get that child baptized at age 6. Do ever more in field circus. There is no excuse for not doing more in field circus or missing a boasting session. Entertainment is bad. Almost always, when there is a purge in music or video collection or a crackdown in recreation, it is following a Grand Boasting Session. The experiences are embellished, canned, and may even be totally made up (I would not be surprised to have them start using iPods to record them and use the mics to make it look like they are live). (And sometimes the experiences are absolute, blatant lies made up to defend the Washtowel from competition or provide more guilt to push more field circus). Pioneer. And so on.
Plus, who needs to hear them ramble on for all night on the closing prayer? Most people want to get the fxxx out of there quickly, not hear them take a month praying. Not to mention talks that run long. Often, it is more than half an hour late before people are dismissed each day.
And hassles. Parking is often a nightmare, even when there are no scams going on where you are. There could be attendants directing you to more than one spot, confusing people. It is slow getting out of there. Hotel checkout is usually quick, though there could be a bottleneck there. More common are seat bumping (you arrive early enough, save a seat, only to have the attendants bump you and move you to the lower level). The releases are crap (and this year is no exception--Young People Ask--Answers That Do Not Work and Keep Yourselves In God's Tyranny are it). There is pushing and shoving for these releases. And, there is always someone in the middle of the row bugging you to get up and come back for various reasons.
If this doesn't make you think twice before attending, nothing will.