What would you do to snag a flat screen television for half its original price? Would you wait in line outside a store in the freezing cold? Would you wake up at 2 a.m., barely conscious and still bloated from turkey and stuffing? Would you put your life on the line, just to be a part of the crazed consumerism frenzy that is Black Friday?
The day after Thanksgiving has become a sort of national holiday – the shopping day to dominate all shopping days. Still hazy from the gluttony of the previous day and lured by unimaginable bargains, it’s no surprise people go a little crazy. However, with trampling accidents and shootings piling up year after year, Black Friday is hardly a cheerful introduction to the holiday season. While people are dying because of disease, famine and war, others are dying in shopping stampedes and violent disputes over the newest hot item in a store.
Thousands of over-eager shoppers trampled a Wal-Mart employee to death and injured others in the New York City suburbs on Friday. Working at a retail store is not generally a high-risk job, but similar fatal or near-fatal accidents have occurred at other times throughout the year as well, reflecting the competitive, selfish mindset corporations have ingrained in our minds. For instance, in November 2006, demand for the newly released PlayStation 3 sparked scuffles and shootings outside some Best Buy stores in California. Also in 2006, a man in need of a Tickle-Me-Elmo doll threatened a Target shopper in Florida with a gun.
Stores encourage shoppers to buy until they no longer know why they’re even spending money. Shoppers will buy a random knick-knack they don’t even need simply because it is marked at half its original price. People have become slaves to consumerism, driven to buy products simply because they can.
I braved my very first Black Friday outing last year, curious to witness the door-busting sales for myself. Never again will I subject myself to such an unpleasant experience. Seeing the anxious looks on the faces of other 4 a.m. shoppers was unsettling, to say the least. While I was still half-asleep, others around me looked as if they were about to run a race. As I stood in line in front of Fred Meyer, my limbs raw with cold, I suddenly felt ridiculous – not just for dragging myself out of bed to go shopping before sunrise on Black Friday, but for every prior shopping expedition as well.
I did not participate in Black Friday this year, not to be rebellious for a day, but because I am sick of consumerism as a whole. I refuse to purchase an item simply because it is on sale. I still enjoy an occasional shopping spree with my friends; however, lately the idea of going to a shopping center, trying on clothes in crowded stores and spending what little money I have just isn’t appealing. Violent incidents like the PS3 shootings and Wal-Mart trampling have helped me to see just how ridiculous we can be when it comes to shopping. I find having coffee with friends or getting involved in the community are much more valuable ways to spend my time, and a lot less costly.
The solution to this consumerism enslavement begins with small acts of opposition. For instance, on Friday people across the nation (and on Saturday worldwide) partook in Buy Nothing Day, an international day of protest against consumerism, by refraining from purchases. Every year, the day encourages shoppers to examine the issue of over-consumption and be more conscious of the money they spend.
If activism isn’t for you, consider alternative gifts for friends and family that do not necessitate jostling fellow shoppers at your local mall. Consider making a donation to a charity in a friend or family member’s name or getting crafty and making a personalized gift or card. Also, volunteering at a local soup kitchen with some friends makes for good bonding time and leaves you feeling good about yourself.
The purpose is not to change your habits just for one day, but to begin a lasting commitment to decreasing consumption year-round, and efforts such as volunteering, donating to charity or just spending time with friends and family are great places to start. There are many routes to take that can help you avoid the shopping frenzy and give you some much-needed peace, which is what the holidays are supposed to be about.
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