Due to its economic importance, the fourth Friday of November has spontaneously been christened an institution unto itself as "Black Friday." It is the biggest shopping day of the year.
Retailers have been advertising to pump this day up as the day to go shop by offering super deals of the hottest stuff at great prices. I think that it is metaphorically becoming a circus with competitive retailers having opening hours starting on Thanksgiving night or at midnight.
I think that many people go shopping on Black Friday as a way to get into the Christmas spirit. It is a very intense day and maybe its intensity will rub off as peace on earth and good will towards others.
What I see instead is that the intensity often breaks out as anger, violence and indifference. I still remember the fights over Cabbage Patch Dolls in 1983 and more recently over the Tickle-Me Elmos. Last year I recall seeing the security video of someone getting trampled by all of the frenzied shoppers running into a big box retailer at 4am. Today there were shots fired at the mall in Fayetteville North Carolina, and one lady in Los Angeles pepper-sprayed a crowd at a Walmart to beat the others to get the "X-box 360" she wanted.
It's the Economy--warning possibly boring and dry material
Despite my disdain, Black Friday is a symbol of how the economy is the most important paradigm in this country if not this world. There is an economically-based evolution where much is re-interpreted in terms of its relationship to the economy. For example we are known as consumers. Because of the economy is debt-based, our anxiety or lack of anxiety to incur debt to get things is often called "consumer confidence."
Living in a market economy that is full of currency means that if there is something that can be legally exploited for a necessary profit . . . it will be. Livelihoods are built on the expectation that there is a profit to be made on something--this includes Christmas. Retailers and financial analysts on Wall Street expect retailers to get the major amount of retail revenue and profit during the holiday season.
This amounts to an economic dependence on the profits of the holiday season. Because of this dependence I think that there will continued inching forward of what is being called the holiday season in that push to maximize profits. It is likely that retailers will put out the Christmas merchandise earlier and earlier.
Taking the recession into account
Four three years now--since November 11, we have had in essence a recession with a high unemployment rate.
I know that for the economy to be in recession there must be two consecutive quarters of official recognition of a decline in the economy. I recognize the official pronouncement is that we have been out of a recession since June, 2009, but in my opinion--if people are not working--the official pronouncement is worthless.
Nevertheless, many people are still unemployed or under-employed this holiday season. They cannot even begin to afford Christmas presents let alone paying all the regular bills.
Not being able to afford Christmas hurts
I go back to the wrestling team at college. I remember Steve, the 142-pounder talk relate his mother's announcement of not being able to afford Christmas presents in 1983 during the pre-practice huddle. I think it had to do something with his tuition cost in addition to the family economic issue. I remember Steve crying in front of the team over that reality. It is significant when a 19 year-old male cries-- they like to look and be tough. I admire Steve for being real, and I hope that he has always had good Christmases since.
Steve's story reminds me that being able to afford Christmas is part of self-esteem right up there with having a job. If you cannot afford Christmas presents for the ones you love, there is the likelihood that you feel inadequacy and embarassment; you feel there is something wrong with you.
Those ***** holiday ads on TV
Many TV ads depict happy families on Christmas Day opening presents and acting surprised by the gifts they get. While it is fair game that these ads are on TV and are effective in bringing consumers to the store or website, they perpetuate feelings of inadequacy and guilt and embarrassment. If you don't have the money . . . your Christmas is not going to be as good as the illusion you see on TV and something is wrong with you.
Coping with it all
I think as I continue this journey to develop this blog and think through the different topics and issues, I will have more suggestions. The following suggestions are a start, but for right now I admit that there are no easy solutions and we can diminish the pain of not having enough money to get things, but the pain will still be there.
I think that at Christmas we are living in a state of psychological warfare. The commercials and displays and are everywhere. The music will be playing everywhere. People are going to be talking about Christmas. If we are not mindful of matters it seems only natural to be overwhelmed and depressed.
I think that for some to cope it may be be necessary to make a daily commitment to the belief and thought that we have the power to decide what the holidays are going to be for us. This is one of those methods that is clearly easier said than done. Such a commitment will have to be made over and over and over again as necessary.
Next, some of us may need to think through how we can give to others (especially children) without spending much money if any money. This could be an opportunity to pass down family heirlooms of significance to more mature children or demonstrating creativity in our gifts to others. Some of the homemade and creative gifts done on the cheap can be cool and I think can be greatly appreciated.
While it is trite, it is still the thought that counts--yeah immature children may still whine that they wanted the cool toy that you couldn't afford, but in their cases something is better than nothing. However, I have definitely came to believe personally and professionally that part of parenting and raising children means tolerating their emotional distress in these occasions to drive home a greater lesson of meaning and create emotional development.
Sometimes the kid gets the meaning and sometimes they don't, but there is a good chance they will see it On the other hand, mature adults get the meaning of the creativity and are usually most grateful.
Retailers have been advertising to pump this day up as the day to go shop by offering super deals of the hottest stuff at great prices. I think that it is metaphorically becoming a circus with competitive retailers having opening hours starting on Thanksgiving night or at midnight.
I think that many people go shopping on Black Friday as a way to get into the Christmas spirit. It is a very intense day and maybe its intensity will rub off as peace on earth and good will towards others.
What I see instead is that the intensity often breaks out as anger, violence and indifference. I still remember the fights over Cabbage Patch Dolls in 1983 and more recently over the Tickle-Me Elmos. Last year I recall seeing the security video of someone getting trampled by all of the frenzied shoppers running into a big box retailer at 4am. Today there were shots fired at the mall in Fayetteville North Carolina, and one lady in Los Angeles pepper-sprayed a crowd at a Walmart to beat the others to get the "X-box 360" she wanted.
It's the Economy--warning possibly boring and dry material
Despite my disdain, Black Friday is a symbol of how the economy is the most important paradigm in this country if not this world. There is an economically-based evolution where much is re-interpreted in terms of its relationship to the economy. For example we are known as consumers. Because of the economy is debt-based, our anxiety or lack of anxiety to incur debt to get things is often called "consumer confidence."
Living in a market economy that is full of currency means that if there is something that can be legally exploited for a necessary profit . . . it will be. Livelihoods are built on the expectation that there is a profit to be made on something--this includes Christmas. Retailers and financial analysts on Wall Street expect retailers to get the major amount of retail revenue and profit during the holiday season.
This amounts to an economic dependence on the profits of the holiday season. Because of this dependence I think that there will continued inching forward of what is being called the holiday season in that push to maximize profits. It is likely that retailers will put out the Christmas merchandise earlier and earlier.
Taking the recession into account
Four three years now--since November 11, we have had in essence a recession with a high unemployment rate.
I know that for the economy to be in recession there must be two consecutive quarters of official recognition of a decline in the economy. I recognize the official pronouncement is that we have been out of a recession since June, 2009, but in my opinion--if people are not working--the official pronouncement is worthless.
Nevertheless, many people are still unemployed or under-employed this holiday season. They cannot even begin to afford Christmas presents let alone paying all the regular bills.
Not being able to afford Christmas hurts
I go back to the wrestling team at college. I remember Steve, the 142-pounder talk relate his mother's announcement of not being able to afford Christmas presents in 1983 during the pre-practice huddle. I think it had to do something with his tuition cost in addition to the family economic issue. I remember Steve crying in front of the team over that reality. It is significant when a 19 year-old male cries-- they like to look and be tough. I admire Steve for being real, and I hope that he has always had good Christmases since.
Steve's story reminds me that being able to afford Christmas is part of self-esteem right up there with having a job. If you cannot afford Christmas presents for the ones you love, there is the likelihood that you feel inadequacy and embarassment; you feel there is something wrong with you.
Those ***** holiday ads on TV
Many TV ads depict happy families on Christmas Day opening presents and acting surprised by the gifts they get. While it is fair game that these ads are on TV and are effective in bringing consumers to the store or website, they perpetuate feelings of inadequacy and guilt and embarrassment. If you don't have the money . . . your Christmas is not going to be as good as the illusion you see on TV and something is wrong with you.
Coping with it all
I think as I continue this journey to develop this blog and think through the different topics and issues, I will have more suggestions. The following suggestions are a start, but for right now I admit that there are no easy solutions and we can diminish the pain of not having enough money to get things, but the pain will still be there.
I think that at Christmas we are living in a state of psychological warfare. The commercials and displays and are everywhere. The music will be playing everywhere. People are going to be talking about Christmas. If we are not mindful of matters it seems only natural to be overwhelmed and depressed.
I think that for some to cope it may be be necessary to make a daily commitment to the belief and thought that we have the power to decide what the holidays are going to be for us. This is one of those methods that is clearly easier said than done. Such a commitment will have to be made over and over and over again as necessary.
Next, some of us may need to think through how we can give to others (especially children) without spending much money if any money. This could be an opportunity to pass down family heirlooms of significance to more mature children or demonstrating creativity in our gifts to others. Some of the homemade and creative gifts done on the cheap can be cool and I think can be greatly appreciated.
While it is trite, it is still the thought that counts--yeah immature children may still whine that they wanted the cool toy that you couldn't afford, but in their cases something is better than nothing. However, I have definitely came to believe personally and professionally that part of parenting and raising children means tolerating their emotional distress in these occasions to drive home a greater lesson of meaning and create emotional development.
Sometimes the kid gets the meaning and sometimes they don't, but there is a good chance they will see it On the other hand, mature adults get the meaning of the creativity and are usually most grateful.
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