Black Friday Madness

In the essay “Black Friday: Consumerism Minus Civilization,” the author, Andrew Leonard, makes the argument that, “The out-of-control marketing and consumer insanity” (135) has taken over Thanksgiving and the days following it. Sadly, as consumers, we have forgotten what Thanksgiving is really all about. Marketing businesses have gone overboard brainwashing consumers with advertisements pumping them up to shop on Black Friday and the days that follow. Moreover, marketing businesses have caused the actions we see and hear about on Black Friday such as people being trampled, as consumers rush into stores to shop the sales, and are proof of this insanity. I strongly agree with Leonard’s arguments from “Black Friday:
She’s scary. She’s why people trample each other to death. She is wrong” (131). I agree with his points and thoughts on the insanity of Black Friday shopping. Indeed, I find it embarrassing to think Americans are so proud and anxious to rush out into crowds of crazy people to get a few dollars off some gifts. I understand people need to save and some times that is their only way to get the gifts they want to give, but really is there really such a strong need to be so out of control to get those gifts. I also agree that Black Friday should not start on Thanksgiving night or even so early on Friday? Retailers have continued to push back their sale start times more and more. Stores that once were always closed on Thanksgiving are now opening either for part or all of the day. Indeed, very few are actually still closed on the actual holiday, these days.
Most certainly, there has been a lost sense of what Black Friday and even more so, what the Holiday season is all about. Leonard’s “stay home Thanksgiving night. Go shopping after getting a full night’s rest. Sure, you might miss a sale or two. But you’ll be a better human being” (135). States there is a better way. After having experienced Black Friday personally, I have seen the way people are irritable and I really just do not want to participate anymore.