I’ve never been a fan of Black Friday. There is something deeply hypocritical about feeding my greed and materialistic desires immediately after expressing my gratitude for the things I already have on Thanksgiving Day.
The videos of frenzied shoppers busting down doors and trampling employees are disturbing to say the least. What angers me the most about Black Friday, however, is the fact that it takes precious time away from both the consumers and employees, who should be at home spending quality time with their families.
But businesses have a different agenda in mind: to make it more and more difficult to take a break from the consumerism that we already indulge in every single day, and to be content with our lives.
It was bad enough that people were already lining up overnight in preparation for the big sales, but ever since 2014, major retail chains such as Walmart and Best Buy have been starting sales as early as 5:00 p.m on Thanksgiving Day.
This early start to sales puts pressure on people to go shopping before all the good deals sell out. They feel as though they are missing out on sales, or even wasting time by filling their stomachs instead of filling their shopping carts.
Early sales are even worse for employees who don’t even have the option of having dinner with their families.
You would think that the name Black Friday speaks for itself, but businesses don’t seem to get the message. Black Friday is on Friday, and it should stay that way for the sake of enjoying Thanksgiving while it lasts.
Historically, the day after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. As a result, a common defense in support of Black Friday is that it serves as time to get a head start on Christmas shopping.
That would be a valid argument if only there weren’t a whole four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, which is ample time for anyone to hunt for holiday sales and presents.
In contrast, just one day out of a year isn’t enough time to count our blessings and appreciate them. One day out of a year isn’t enough time to spend with family. Don’t let a petty sale take even a second away from your precious time that already isn’t enough.
TCHS School Newspaper