I'm a bit baffled—bewildered, even—about Black Friday. I guess my confusion lies most in how I should feel about Black Friday. I am confused because I know somewhere inside that American excess is an end in itself. I know that buying more and more stuff, or even giving more and more stuff—while fun—is not always the best way to spend one's money.
Bah humbug.
No, I will not be heading out at 5 or 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day to begin my seasonal shopping. Nor will I rise from my slumber at 4 a.m. the next morning. I guess I just don't think the 'super' deals outweigh the chaos created by them.
Still, I do enjoy 'stuff.'
There, I've admitted it.
I admit that I'm attracted to all of those advertisements leading up to Black Friday. I'm attracted to buying DVDs for $2.00, or getting a great deal on an electronic gadget. I'm very visual, and all that stuff really fascinates me.
And it also baffles me.
It baffles me because I'm not sure how to feel about Black Friday. For small-business owners, this is a critical weekend for their livelihoods. For many others, this time of year provides needed seasonal employment. And for many, like myself, this weekend is a chance to buy some gifts for my family and friends.
I'm not sure what point I am making, except to say that I struggle with Black Friday and all that it reveals about our culture. Ultimately, I wish that I would be as willing to spend money on a World Vision catalog or a similar cause as I am on Amazon.com.
And that's where I'm at with this post-holiday holiday.
What are your feelings about Black Friday?
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