By Eva Wilton
November 23 marks the American holiday that acknowledges gratitude. Are Americans losing sight of Thanksgiving’s significance by overindulging on Black Friday and Cyber Monday? It begs the question what is the real meaning of Thanksgiving. Does the holiday serve as an opportunity to promote American consumerism?
Urban Dictionary defines Black Friday as “the day after Thanksgiving where thousands of Americans forget the spirit of the holiday season by trampling people and buying stupid gifts.”
Saturday Night Live’s Black Friday skit idolized a fake TV commercial that advertised ‘never before seen’ Black Friday deals. A light hearted interpretation of luring consumers into the store addresses a larger issue of more than the Black Friday frenzy. Ultimately, the issue of the crisis of American Consumerism plays a role.
Do not forget that the shopping does not end on Black Friday. The markdown deals continue until Cyber Monday. According to Forbes, the 2017 Cyber Monday prediction is that this year will surpass last year’s spending. In 2016, Cyber Monday earned its place in U.S. e-commerce history with an unprecedented $3.45 billion in spending, according to Forbes. The article cites that the three main competitors for Cyber Monday are Amazon, Walmart, and Target.
Another concern for Cyber Monday is the demographic being reached and which demographic is participating in this never-ending satisfaction for latest trends and shopping desires. People aged 13 to 35 years old seem to be less interested in Cyber Monday due to the fact that 75 percent of them opted out last Cyber Monday, Forbes stated. Cyber Monday was established in 2005, according to Forbes and created a buzz to excite online shoppers. Meanwhile, Black Friday was launched in 1952, according to Forbes. Both were generated to participate in the excitement for the Christmas season.
The Cyber Monday event is not considered to be nearly as bad as standing in a line for hours on Thanksgiving,but I disagree. I am appalled to witness Americans not valuing the meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday. I asked my friends their plans for Thanksgiving and they responded by saying they are excited to shop. At what point will our commercially driven society reach an end? Maybe there is no end to the consumerist nation? When will we encourage our fellow citizens to spend Thanksgiving with family and celebrate our blessings?