Black Friday consumerism: The lure of the draw not worth it

Posted Dec 1st 2008 1:21PM by Brian White
Filed under: Rants and Raves, Black Friday

As Peter Cohan wrote this weekend, sadly, some folks were killed over the holiday weekend due to what could be easily argued as Black Friday madness. In the zeal for saving a few dollars on cheaply-made, bargain-basement disposable consumer goods, one man was trampled to death as he opened the doors of a Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) store, while two other people were shot to death outside a Toys R Us store. Joy to the world, the materialism has won.

Although I enjoy covering the Black Friday event every year, the industry-made madness has become such an event that actually dumps respect for human beings into the garbage disposal, so that those crazy souls wanting to save 30% on shoes or a flat-screen television can get their fix.

I mean, is this what the holidays have come down to? The New York Times has a decent perspective on this. But, of course, America has always been about materialism and consumerism. Those are the factors that have made the U.S. the reigning economy worldwide. It's a free country for anyone to do as they wish, from billion-dollar companies to consumers with change in their pockets purchasing power. If we're all trained like Pavlov's dogs come the day after Thanksgiving -- credit cards in hand at 5:00am -- then it's no surprise some folks will die for the self-indulging greed of other human beings. Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Tags: black friday, black friday 2008, black friday ads, black friday deals, black friday sales, BlackFriday, BlackFriday2008, BlackFridayAds, BlackFridayDeals, BlackFridaySales

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-01-2008 @ 2:53PM

David R. said...

"while two other people were shot to death outside a Toys R Us store. Joy to the world, the materialism has won."

That's a seriously weak allegation there, sir. There are a million better arguments you can make than a gang shooting outside a toy store for why materialism has "won".

"If we're all trained like Pavlov's dogs come the day after Thanksgiving -- credit cards in hand at 5:00am -- then it's no surprise some folks will die for the self-indulging greed of other human beings."

It doesn't surprise me that you blame "them", but realize that you yourself are to blame. One man alone is not enough to change everything, but by engaging in this cheap demagoguery you are adding to the problem: a lack of accountability and inability of Americans to engage in self-reflection.

"Although I enjoy covering the Black Friday event every year, the industry-made madness"

Again, YOU are the problem. You who hyped Wal-mart's Black Friday deals.

In a way, you killed that store employee.

12-01-2008 @ 3:11PM

Brian said...

Oh brother...there is a difference between hyped and reported. One is a marketing tactic, and the other is journalism -- correct?

12-01-2008 @ 4:32PM

David R. said...

Sorry Brian, I see fault in a lot of the news reporting about Black Friday, and I don't mean to insinuate that you're the worst of it, but as a journalist you have the ability to shape public perception with regards to the world we live in.
Almost by definition, journalists report on the most outlandish parts of our culture; crime, celebrity, drugs, fads/trends, etc...

Where did public awareness of "Black Friday" come from, if not the main trusted source of information: journalists. Ignore the beast and it may go away. Sales are not news, except (and this is your only real out) if you're looking at them to divine the state of the economy. I understand it from that angle, but then you kind of have to take your lumps when our (govt/personal) debt hollows out our economy and limits our options, or when rampant consumerism kills a temp worker opening the floodgates, metaphorically or literally.

Also, don't we have to keep buying crap we don't need so that things don't get worse?

12-01-2008 @ 4:34PM