My name is Zach S, I was on the second episode in Nice Man history, and it was terrid. This is my first blog post, and it is a rant.
Today is Thanksgiving, one of the few times a year that everyone makes it home to see family and friends and spend time together. The day after is known to be the beginning of the holiday shopping season – and this is all great and fun, until now.
Just a few years ago, Black Friday sales would start early, like 7am early. And this was a lot of fun; I would often get up real early and go with Brian, Zach, and whoever else. We would go get McDonald’s breakfast (maybe the best part) and head out for a fun morning of seeing interesting people and maybe buy a flash drive or a CD for five dollars.
However, this has moved up year after year to 5am, 12am, and now the major retailers like Sears, Target, and Walmart are opening at 8PM on Thursday!!!
Now of course retailers need to be competitive, one of the great freedoms of capitalism. But it is just unbelievable to me that millions of people are forced to work in stores across America, and millions more go shopping this early on the night of Thanksgiving. My mom works at a retail store and she has to go work at 11:30pm to 7am tonight. Yes, she will be home for Thanksgiving dinner, but still, this is ridiculous. All of this so some asshole can beat the next guy to get a 32” LED TV for $299.
Yes, our culture has become so materialistic that people are skipping family holidays like Thanksgiving to go buy stuff. My point isn’t that people shouldn’t buy stuff. Stuff is cool, I love stuff. My point isn’t that Thanksgiving is the greatest holiday, celebrating the raping and pillaging of thousands of Native Americans (which could be a whole other rant). But when Black Friday has become Black Thursday, and encroaches upon one of the biggest family holidays of the year, that is what I have a problem with. What’s next year? 5pm store openings?
The worst part is that there is no one really to blame. Maybe partially the fault of the strategic decisions of retail executives. Maybe partially the materialistic culture Americans have come to embrace. But I urge you people, enjoy your family and friends while everyone is together this holiday, and maybe skip the $2.99 blu-ray discs this year.
Brian
November 23, 2012 at 3:14amCouldn’t agree more. It seems like saving a few bucks has become so much more important than the things that really SHOULD matter… like family, food, friends, and good times. Instead were outside freezing missing it all. When we look back we will hate ourselves.
RandomIan
November 23, 2012 at 7:58pmI totally agree as well. The shitty thing is that this trend will continue for as long as there is a focus on the shopping rather then Thanksgiving. We now have Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in Canada, and we have our Thanksgiving in October. I am at work searching around Canadian websites to see what kind of deals I can find. It is lame. So I read your post, and I am not giving in, and I will not buy that “thing I dont really need but is a good ass deal”. WORD.
Heather Rae
November 23, 2012 at 8:42pmIt’s total bullshit. I would never go to any store on black Friday. The deal is not important, but taking shots of Patron with my Nana before Thanksgiving dinner IS IMPORTANT. My sister had to leave immediately after eating to go to her shitty job at Cracker Barrel…let’s not forget about those food service workers who also have to work on holidays….I used to be one of them and it is THE WORST.
Vince
November 25, 2012 at 1:37pmHear, hear! Luckily, not all retail chains are total dicks: http://www.cnbc.com/id/49939275/