THE HOLIDAY shopping season was off to another chaotic start during last week's Black Friday. As has become customary, incidents of violence, injury and over-the-top shopper intensity ensued. Particularly noteworthy was one woman who incapacitated several other shoppers by using pepper spray to clear her path to the Xbox she desired.
But a new feature of this Black Friday made it more lamentable, as customers had the opportunity to start shopping even earlier than usual. Some stores, such as Walmart and Toys-R-Us, began opening their doors Thanksgiving night, before the midnight openings of a multitude of other retailers. This movement toward an earlier Black Friday was unfortunate, as it tarnished Thanksgiving day with additional commercial traditions. Although there have always been commercial aspects of Thanksgiving - buying large amounts of food and watching football and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, to name a few of the largest - the rabid materialism and commercialism of Black Friday is at odds with the overall message of Thanksgiving, and it is regrettable that the two occasions are becoming more intertwined. Nevertheless, trying to stop Black Friday is impractical, and the best one can do to maintain the Thanksgiving message is to make sure that subsequent Thanksgivings do not get overshadowed.
The disregard for other people and blatant greed displayed on Black Friday highlight shoppers' strong self-interest as they look forward to the winter holidays, which will include the giving and receiving of gifts. But by starting the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier, a fascination with gift giving threatens to undermine the core ideas of Thanksgiving.
From a business standpoint, it seems very unlikely that stores will change their Black Friday operating hours - more than $11 billion was spent this year. There is a need, then, for a countermovement that supports the uniting and community-centered aspects of Thanksgiving.
The Occupy Wall Street movement urged people to protest Black Friday, as such greed is the opposite of the movement's professed goals: Camping outside of superstores is certainly not the image Occupy wants to promote. A similar movement may be needed in the future to protect Thanksgiving. People who are against the increasing commercialization of the year's largest day of thanks can take a stand against Black Friday, though, by helping their communities instead of protesting.
Simply protesting or abstaining from shopping on Black Friday will not do much to halt it. Millions of people will inevitably continue to seek the deals offered by stores. It seems reasonable that Thanksgiving could receive an influx of charitable movements, though, especially to help combat Black Friday. The Salvation Army, toy drives, fundraising sponsored by businesses and other initiatives already help underscore the ideas of generosity and goodwill around Christmas, despite the holiday's commercial aspects. Similar charity initiatives could help remind people what Thanksgiving is about: Being content with what one has.
Instead of following advertisements that lead them to want more, individuals can channel the Thanksgiving spirit, if they do not already, by making donations of money or food to local charities or by helping to ensure that those who may not otherwise have a Thanksgiving meal receive one. Large store chains can help do more than stir up shopping frenzies around Thanksgiving by following suit, albeit on a much larger scale.
The goal of increased charity would not be to halt Black Friday. Rather, the goal would be to keep people aware of commitments they can make that are not only to themselves. With any luck, there will be a realization that the days surrounding Thanksgiving should not be principally labeled as prime shopping time. With an increase in charity, a happy medium could be reached. With the potential for future Black Fridays to start even earlier, it would be nice if fervent consumerism at least coexisted with - rather than overshadowed - enduring sentiments of gratitude and charity on Thanksgiving.
Alex Yahanda's column normally appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at a.yahanda@cavalierdaily.com.
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