Relax, its only a discount

Opinion


From injuries to death, Black Friday is like walking into battle, waiting to see who your enemy will be in line as you hear them say they want the TV that you are after.

Consumerism is a problem in this country and instead of spending Thanksgiving with family, we are lining up outside of department stores for sales that are barely worth the hassle.

Black Friday is a day that strikes fear in the hearts of retail workers who have to work on Thanksgiving, but also brings excitement for shoppers who are looking for the perfect gifts at a “low” price.

Yes, we may all know consumerism is a problem in the U.S., but people are risking their lives for deals and it brings out the worst in people.

According to BuzzFeed, in 2011 a woman with two children pepper sprayed fellow shoppers waiting in line for an Xbox 360 and 20 people were treated with minor injuries in the incident.

The thought of actually physically harming someone for a measly 50-60 dollars off is what makes me believe that we turn into animals on Black Friday.

In 2008 a temporary worker at Wal-Mart died after being trampled by customers rushing in the store to shop, according to the article “Wal-Mart worker dies in rush; two killed at toy store” published on CNN.

We see all of these things happening throughout the country and instead of stopping and thinking, we are letting department stores get the best of us.

I go shopping but, I don’t go in thinking I have to claw my way and hurt others in order to get what I want, if I don’t get it then that’s  too bad, there is always next year.

I remember when I used to line up in front of Wal-Mart in the cold and the deals would be worth the wait, but now department stores have been recycling their deals with old products.

According to a recent study by NerdWallet, 93 percent of stores surveyed are offering the same discount for year old products.

So even if we are in line this year, we will most likely be buying products that have been waiting in a warehouse for about a year with a greater chance of it breaking within the next year.

According to a National Retail Federation survey, more people are expected to stay home and shop online, instead of going out to lock arms with fellow shoppers.

But is it having a negative effect on consumerism?

The answer is no, holiday spending is expected to rise by 3.7 percent this year to $630.5 billion,  according to the survey.

An estimated 135.8 million people are expected to hit the web and shopping centers, however the study shows that more people are inclined to shop on cyber Monday, according to the National Retail Federation.

People think shopping online will spare the expense of employees working on Thanksgiving, but someone has to put the TV in the box.

According to a statement by Amazon, the company hired 100,000 temporary employees to help with the holiday sales, a 25 percent increase from last year.

Employees from some companies are more fortunate than others who have to work through the night of Thanksgiving.

Even with Black Friday, some companies like Staples, Home Depot and GameStop are closed for this day, so employees can enjoy it with their families.

In October an alternative Black Friday movement was started by outdoor retailer REI, which decided to close its 143 stores on Black Friday and encourage Americans to hike instead of shop.

The campaign has gained support from 900,000 people who have signed the online petition and the movement is also offering free entry to 49 national parks in California.

Black Friday is not only taking time away from the shoppers themselves but for all of the hard working employees as well.

According to CNNMoney, one Kmart employee said, "Our manager stated at a staff meeting: ‘everyone must work Thanksgiving and Black Friday. No time off’.”

Kekoa Wailehua, a Kmart employee from Hawaii, said a sign is posted in the break room stating that no employee may request Thanksgiving or Black Friday off.  

We have all come to be the victims of consumerism. It has left us in ruins and continues to torture us into the oblivion that is shopping for Christmas gifts and the joy of others, while in that same process bringing others down to attain that happiness.