Are You Bothered by Black Friday?

My brilliant co-author was outraged that taxpayers had to pay for police protection for Black Friday, the big American shopping day after Thanksgiving.

Is Black Friday another sign of American's decay?  Public radio announcers tell guests "Happy Black Friday." The day seems like a holiday, and America's devotion to material consumerism appears undiminished. This despite the obvious dysfunctionality of material consumerism in light of the knowledge work society, the need to produce intangibles rather than consume tangibles, and the mandate to save the environment and pollute less.

OR is this a positive vistigial sign of a past consumerism? Some economists are saying frugality here to stay. Gen Y is successfully moving society to less materialism.  Malls are shutting down. Retail space diminishing. And just the word "Black" Friday, because stores are in the red until Thanksgiving, a good omen.

Are you bothered by Black Friday?

Comments

[Suzanne]

I'm not really bothered per say. I don't think Black Friday is a holiday as much as it's like the start of hunting season (at least in my neck of the woods - northern Michigan - the first day of hunting season is a big news story). It's a news story (well, it's not really news, but that's a discussion for another day).

Every year since I moved back to Michigan, I meet my mom and my sister to shop the day after Thanksgiving. It's the only day of the year all three of us go shopping together. I don't think any of us go crazy buying stuff (i.e. I bought 2 shirts and a pair of jeans), but it's fun to find a good deal. But my sister and I grew up in the 80s - the golden era of malls. So it's probably more appealing to us than those who are younger - or older.

So I guess what I'm saying is that the media over hypes everything. I'm not bothered that people go shopping. And I don't believe the hype. I just think people are looking for a little fun and it's fun to go out in the whole hustle-bustle of it all.

As far as the Millennials go, I don't know if they were buying anything, but they were definitely out at the mall last Friday in Flint, MI. Until the malls go away, I think they will continue to be the "singles bars" of the under 20-set.