Black Friday ~ Only In America

[tucsonlib]

Let's say you need to drive to a nearby town in order to run some errands. There's no great hurry - you have nearly a month to get it done. In fact, you could probably accomplish your objectives from home, online. Now, suppose the authorities have announced that, for the next 24 hours, there will be a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam on the road you plan to take. You don't care. In fact, you look forward to the challenge with enthusiastic glee. You are insane.

Why would any sane person go shopping on the busiest shopping day of the year? Really, can anyone explain their motives to me?

[RedCappedBandit]

1. Yeah, i'm pretty sure it's because of the sales

:shrug:

[azmouse]

2. I have no idea why people do this to themselves.

All the shopping for crap that nobody wants and most people return anyway.
And I bet most people who get gifts can't remember what crap they got last year... it was that important. :eyes:

I stopped participating in the annual gift-giving greedfest a long time ago.
I decorate, bake cookies and relax. I love Christmas.

[longship]

3. And why would people trample people TO DEATH.

unfreakingbelievable!

[Stardust]

9. Imagine trying to push back on a crowd of 2,000 people pushing

on you--I honestly doubt anyone meant to trample them.

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

4. Some bargains, some tradition

Although I doubt it was either a bargain or a tradition for the poor soul crushed beneath a wave of assholes rushing to buy a bunch of cheap plastic shit they don't even need.

The full story

Reminds me of . . .

[LiberalEsto]

5. Media brainwashing

I don't watch TV, so I don't see commercials.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. There's something wrong with us

It's that unquenchable thirst for MORE NEW STUFF. It's apparently unending, and no matter what we buy, we will always yearn for the next thing, whatever it is.

There's a hole in our collective soul. We have been trained to believe that possessions are what matter most of all. And so, on a tragic day like today, people are sheep, herding themselves into parking lots before dawn for bargains on things they don't need, won't find (because there are only 3 laptops for the 1,000 shoppers waiting), and can't afford (so they put their purchases on their credit cards, where the interest rates will rapidly eat up any "savings" they might have persuaded themselves they got).

And at this time next year, the old crap will need - according to the shoppers - by new crap.

It never ends.

[ellenfl]

7. imo, the stores bear full responsibility because

of their tactics to get people into the store. they will offer a real bargain . . . like a 32" lcd hdtv for $399 . . . but only have 5 of them. most consumers know that to get the item they want, they will have to fight for it because there will be so few available. if the stores did not use this bait to get people into the stores, these incidents would not be happening.

supply can and should meet demand.

ellen fl

[jazzjunkysue]

8. I refuse manipulative incentives. "Would you like a CVS card?" NO!

Sometimes I have to refuse 3-4-5 times. They just won't take no for an answer.

If retail weren't so pushy, people like me wouldn't have to unleash our inner bitch.

When a store gets me with a come on, I go to management and argue. I don't usually win, but, I don't return next time, either.

[trollybob]

10. People love waiting in lines.

At O'Hare International Airport on the busiest arrival day of the year, the day before Thanksgiving, cars will be lined up three wide for a mile to pick people up at Arrivals, waiting up to an hour when they could just tell their passengers to take the escalator up to Departures and pick them up there, come and go in two minutes , with no traffic , no waiting, no hassle whatsoever! Explain that one.