Somehow I rarely link here to Doghouse Riley’s posts because I just assume everyone else is reading his stuff on a daily basis. Perhaps that is not the case. Say what you will about the content — I know plenty will disagree — but the man can write.
Anyway, yesterday’s offering was on Black Friday, an event for “folks in search of the illusive Unbelievable Deal on Some Consumer Crap Guaranteed To Make Their Miserable Lives Less Miserable.” The relentless hype of the day from local TV “news” comes in for particular criticism.
The day started as a relatively obscure statistic, got turned into a marketing opportunity, started getting reinforced by local news and now turns box stores across the country into Pamplona.
For my part, I’m somewhere between laughing and fighting in Gandhi’s stages of non-violent victory. (“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”) Aside from the fact that I don’t like spending money; I’m not knee-jerk anti-consumerism. I like gadgets as much or more than the next guy. But this Black Friday stuff boggles my mind. Burning a day off work to go jostle against crowds for the privilege of opening up my wallet and acquiring stuff that I could easily do without is not an appealing prospect.
Annually, we’re treated to Spirit of Christmas shopping tales involving violence, injury and, embracing this year’s theme, pepper spray. (Incidentally, I don’t think the violence is endemic; I think this is another case where violence and unruliness fits a certain news narrative and is, therefore, highlighted.) Commentators this year have noted that mobs and unsafe conditions seem just fine when the mobs are agitating to spend their money; but militarized police tactics are called for when the mobs are protesting the politics of money.
No real point to this other than to say I don’t like Black Friday, and you should go read what Doghouse has to say.
I know you and Doghouse are atheists, but I think you both would appreciate the message of the sermon series our church has had during November. You can see for yourself here: http://ac.wcrossing.org/
Regardless what god (or lack thereof) you believe in, I think most people can agree with the statement I heard this morning:
“I’m certain that between now & Christmas, I’ll buy an item that I regret. A leather jacket I didn’t need, a toy my kids played with for 10 minutes after they got it & never touched again.
However, I know for a fact I’d never regret helping to build a well in a village that had no safe drinking water, or buying livestock for a family that has nothing to eat.”