So, today is Black Friday. This is not really a tradition with my family, but I do have some thoughts.
First, I ran across this video. It's a bit weird, but really the main point here are the 1983 portions of the video. That's me, as in my neck of the woods. That's the mall in Biloxi (buh lux ee), Mississippi, which is two hours south from me. So, I really adore seeing past news coverage on something near to me and a place I visited (not merely the mall, but the entire coast) a lot growing up. Aww! Needless to say, the video was definitely worth seeing, personally, for sentimental reasons.
Also, I said Black Friday is not really a tradition with us. My very ancient maternal grandmother, however, did participate in Black Friday. Shopping at the mall in Laurel. She found it fun. It probably wasn't even as "hectic" or "crowded" as the 1983 portions of that video. She, however, was the only one in my entire family to ever participate, and yearly for that matter, in getting out for sales on Black Friday. Of course she didn't start shopping until seven or eight in the morning, because there was no shopping before that.
In 2007, my sister and I were curious about Black Friday. So, we stayed up all night. Well, she took a nap, but I finished watching Best Friends; we love that movie. And at five am, we got in the car and drove to the Black Friday spots. Target was completely dark, but holy hell at the people lined up in the freezing cold. Then we drove past other stores, all dark, all with lines outside. Then we came to Khols and it was open. As we parked it started snowing. For south Mississippi, tiny, barely there snow flurries counts as snowing, and that's exactly all it was.
We went inside and there was a line all the way around the store for people waiting to check out and people in the middle shopping. Except for the line it looked pretty normal, it wasn't all that crowded, everyone was just milling about in the center. But it felt terrible. Everyone and I mean everyone was glaring at us, as if daring us to try and want the things they were clutching even tighter to their chests. We didn't even go there to shop, it was more of a science experiment, just to see what this Black Friday thing was all about. There was no stampeding or trampling, but people were extremely rude. We were looking at things, sure, but thinking, 'is this a good item for mom? I don't know. Oh it might be... well, if they still have any, we'll come get it later.", and before we could even move on, a person would come over and snatch the items off the rack in front of us, and dash off. ALL the items. What? You probably didn't even want it, you just didn't want anyone else to have it. What are you going to do with ten scarves that you hadn't even thought of until the moment you thought someone else thought they were interesting.
It was like cats, and I know cats. You put down food and the cats go for it. You put another bowl of the exact same food and the exact same amount and they all run to that, because it's new and they think they'll miss out. It's cute when cats do it because they are furry and meow and they are tiny. You are a giant human and are not very cute. Plus cats don't gobble up all the new food so no one else can get it, they just smell it and say, "Oh, I don't want this. You made it seem new and interesting, but it really isn't." Therefore, grabby snatchy scarf lady, cats are way smarter than you and less vindictive.
All over the store it was this way. If we decided to look at candles a person or two would come over and start grabbing candles without even knowing what scents they were getting. It was low-key, but it was still ridiculous and after three times of just looking at random things we left. The best thing about the entire night was the snow.
There aren't many things I have ever felt warranted me standing in a long line to obtain. Rides at Disney World count. Also when we went to see the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The line was all the way around to the back of the building. BUT, everyone was cool and calm and geeky and it was one of the best movie experiences I have ever had. But that's just it. Riding rides and seeing a film are experiences. Not things.
I could see standing in line at midnight to obtain your pre-ordered copy of the newest Harry Potter book. But I never did, because I didn't have enough money to buy the just hitting the shelves hardback. I had to wait to check it out from the library and wait for it to go into paperback and wait for enough extra money to buy it then. But the standing in line at midnight for a book party is really all about an experience. Every one's geeky and happy and it's very low-key, except for maybe random hyper squills of delight. They all could have easily had the pre-ordered book sent to their house or picked it up the next day with no waiting in line. It was for the experience. And that is why it was something I would have considered, had I had the money.
Black Friday is not about an experience. It is a hyped up version of Supermarket Sweep. Yes, I adored that show when I was a kid. But no one fought anyone else or was rude. People minded their own business and didn't ruin it for everyone else. I could probably see 1983 Black Friday as an experience, but not today. And if that's the type of experience you seek, then I feel sorry for you.
Besides anything else I've seen, heard, or experienced about Black Friday, it's the stuff that gets me. The tangible items. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that could make me wait in a long line or camp out for days or weeks or go through all of that just so I could obtain it. Nothing. Sure, if I'm in the market for something that I want, I don't want to pay full price, but you know what? None of the headache is worth the door buster deals or the reduced prices. Besides I am a master of waiting. I can just leisurely walk in a store at another time of the year and find the item I want for far cheaper than you paid for it on Black Friday. So, what if it's six months to two years later? First, I don't have the money to pay for the new thing (even if I did, I'd still forgo Black Friday). But I have enough for when it's no longer new, plus I can probably throw in a few extra things I've been really wanting and still pay less than any Black Friday deal. More bang for my buck and no headache. My life is full of no longer new, so what's the big deal? Plus, it does have it's perks.
Just an example is TV. We couldn't afford cable or satellite anymore. Nextflix, we could do. I adore watching Downton Abbey. But, I have to wait six months after all of you have seen it before Netflix gets it in their queue. Sometimes I don't want to wait, but it does have it's perks. You have to sit with baited breath for an entire week to find out what happens in the next episode. I only have to spend two or three days to finish the entire season. Say I want the newest game system. If I wait, I can buy the game system and a few games for less than what you paid on Black Friday. One could say that I'm missing out, but how can one really miss out on something they don't really know anything about. And generally, any item is really worth the wait. I've not once thought, "Damn, I wish I had purchased/owned this sooner!" The only thing I regret are experiences, like not being able to partake in the midnight book release parties, at least once. But I also am not going to spend my life dwelling on the fact that I missed out on that. It's over and done with, no need to be upset.
As far as the 2014 portions of the video go, I know it's not the norm, but I am also aware that that type of thing does exist. What is the norm, however, that I have seen is the fear. The fear that someone will get something better than you. The fear that someone will get the thing before you. The fear that someone will take the thing that you're holding. Fear is the key element in Black Friday. You don't have to acknowledge that it is fear, but it doesn't make me any less correct. And it's ridiculous. It is just stuff. You can't take it with you when you die. It doesn't gain true happiness. It's not like you're out there saving the lives of kittens or your loved one's. You are lining up in harsh conditions amongst fear mongering to purchase all the stuff.
You honestly couldn't pay me enough to go out and shop on Black Friday or stand in lines like that. I do not want things that badly. Ever. And I can not wrap my head around the people that do enjoy it. Sure my family thought it was crazy back in the eighties, and now I find it rather nice. But it's not even a crowd or a line that bothers me. It's the extremeness of the situations and the fear. Honestly it gave me a headache; all of that energy everyone was putting out. I have a hard enough time with the random rude shopper on a normal day, why would I ever want it multiplied and actually place myself in that situation to endure it for several hours?
First, I ran across this video. It's a bit weird, but really the main point here are the 1983 portions of the video. That's me, as in my neck of the woods. That's the mall in Biloxi (buh lux ee), Mississippi, which is two hours south from me. So, I really adore seeing past news coverage on something near to me and a place I visited (not merely the mall, but the entire coast) a lot growing up. Aww! Needless to say, the video was definitely worth seeing, personally, for sentimental reasons.
Also, I said Black Friday is not really a tradition with us. My very ancient maternal grandmother, however, did participate in Black Friday. Shopping at the mall in Laurel. She found it fun. It probably wasn't even as "hectic" or "crowded" as the 1983 portions of that video. She, however, was the only one in my entire family to ever participate, and yearly for that matter, in getting out for sales on Black Friday. Of course she didn't start shopping until seven or eight in the morning, because there was no shopping before that.
In 2007, my sister and I were curious about Black Friday. So, we stayed up all night. Well, she took a nap, but I finished watching Best Friends; we love that movie. And at five am, we got in the car and drove to the Black Friday spots. Target was completely dark, but holy hell at the people lined up in the freezing cold. Then we drove past other stores, all dark, all with lines outside. Then we came to Khols and it was open. As we parked it started snowing. For south Mississippi, tiny, barely there snow flurries counts as snowing, and that's exactly all it was.
We went inside and there was a line all the way around the store for people waiting to check out and people in the middle shopping. Except for the line it looked pretty normal, it wasn't all that crowded, everyone was just milling about in the center. But it felt terrible. Everyone and I mean everyone was glaring at us, as if daring us to try and want the things they were clutching even tighter to their chests. We didn't even go there to shop, it was more of a science experiment, just to see what this Black Friday thing was all about. There was no stampeding or trampling, but people were extremely rude. We were looking at things, sure, but thinking, 'is this a good item for mom? I don't know. Oh it might be... well, if they still have any, we'll come get it later.", and before we could even move on, a person would come over and snatch the items off the rack in front of us, and dash off. ALL the items. What? You probably didn't even want it, you just didn't want anyone else to have it. What are you going to do with ten scarves that you hadn't even thought of until the moment you thought someone else thought they were interesting.
It was like cats, and I know cats. You put down food and the cats go for it. You put another bowl of the exact same food and the exact same amount and they all run to that, because it's new and they think they'll miss out. It's cute when cats do it because they are furry and meow and they are tiny. You are a giant human and are not very cute. Plus cats don't gobble up all the new food so no one else can get it, they just smell it and say, "Oh, I don't want this. You made it seem new and interesting, but it really isn't." Therefore, grabby snatchy scarf lady, cats are way smarter than you and less vindictive.
All over the store it was this way. If we decided to look at candles a person or two would come over and start grabbing candles without even knowing what scents they were getting. It was low-key, but it was still ridiculous and after three times of just looking at random things we left. The best thing about the entire night was the snow.
There aren't many things I have ever felt warranted me standing in a long line to obtain. Rides at Disney World count. Also when we went to see the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The line was all the way around to the back of the building. BUT, everyone was cool and calm and geeky and it was one of the best movie experiences I have ever had. But that's just it. Riding rides and seeing a film are experiences. Not things.
I could see standing in line at midnight to obtain your pre-ordered copy of the newest Harry Potter book. But I never did, because I didn't have enough money to buy the just hitting the shelves hardback. I had to wait to check it out from the library and wait for it to go into paperback and wait for enough extra money to buy it then. But the standing in line at midnight for a book party is really all about an experience. Every one's geeky and happy and it's very low-key, except for maybe random hyper squills of delight. They all could have easily had the pre-ordered book sent to their house or picked it up the next day with no waiting in line. It was for the experience. And that is why it was something I would have considered, had I had the money.
Black Friday is not about an experience. It is a hyped up version of Supermarket Sweep. Yes, I adored that show when I was a kid. But no one fought anyone else or was rude. People minded their own business and didn't ruin it for everyone else. I could probably see 1983 Black Friday as an experience, but not today. And if that's the type of experience you seek, then I feel sorry for you.
Besides anything else I've seen, heard, or experienced about Black Friday, it's the stuff that gets me. The tangible items. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that could make me wait in a long line or camp out for days or weeks or go through all of that just so I could obtain it. Nothing. Sure, if I'm in the market for something that I want, I don't want to pay full price, but you know what? None of the headache is worth the door buster deals or the reduced prices. Besides I am a master of waiting. I can just leisurely walk in a store at another time of the year and find the item I want for far cheaper than you paid for it on Black Friday. So, what if it's six months to two years later? First, I don't have the money to pay for the new thing (even if I did, I'd still forgo Black Friday). But I have enough for when it's no longer new, plus I can probably throw in a few extra things I've been really wanting and still pay less than any Black Friday deal. More bang for my buck and no headache. My life is full of no longer new, so what's the big deal? Plus, it does have it's perks.
Just an example is TV. We couldn't afford cable or satellite anymore. Nextflix, we could do. I adore watching Downton Abbey. But, I have to wait six months after all of you have seen it before Netflix gets it in their queue. Sometimes I don't want to wait, but it does have it's perks. You have to sit with baited breath for an entire week to find out what happens in the next episode. I only have to spend two or three days to finish the entire season. Say I want the newest game system. If I wait, I can buy the game system and a few games for less than what you paid on Black Friday. One could say that I'm missing out, but how can one really miss out on something they don't really know anything about. And generally, any item is really worth the wait. I've not once thought, "Damn, I wish I had purchased/owned this sooner!" The only thing I regret are experiences, like not being able to partake in the midnight book release parties, at least once. But I also am not going to spend my life dwelling on the fact that I missed out on that. It's over and done with, no need to be upset.
As far as the 2014 portions of the video go, I know it's not the norm, but I am also aware that that type of thing does exist. What is the norm, however, that I have seen is the fear. The fear that someone will get something better than you. The fear that someone will get the thing before you. The fear that someone will take the thing that you're holding. Fear is the key element in Black Friday. You don't have to acknowledge that it is fear, but it doesn't make me any less correct. And it's ridiculous. It is just stuff. You can't take it with you when you die. It doesn't gain true happiness. It's not like you're out there saving the lives of kittens or your loved one's. You are lining up in harsh conditions amongst fear mongering to purchase all the stuff.
You honestly couldn't pay me enough to go out and shop on Black Friday or stand in lines like that. I do not want things that badly. Ever. And I can not wrap my head around the people that do enjoy it. Sure my family thought it was crazy back in the eighties, and now I find it rather nice. But it's not even a crowd or a line that bothers me. It's the extremeness of the situations and the fear. Honestly it gave me a headache; all of that energy everyone was putting out. I have a hard enough time with the random rude shopper on a normal day, why would I ever want it multiplied and actually place myself in that situation to endure it for several hours?
Comments