Frenzied Friday Opinion

In 1869 there was a financial crisis in the U.S. caused by speculation and panic on the New York Gold Exchange. It was called Black Friday and is one of the earliest recorded uses of this term.

This nickname, for what used to be a perfectly good day of the week, has been used in many different contexts throughout history giving Fridays a somewhat sinister persona.  In particular, the Friday after American Thanksgiving is getting a little dark.

These days Black Friday conjures up images of wild-eyed, aggressive consumers as they swarm retail outlets in search of cheap, shiny treasure. Some observers do consider this behaviour to be somewhat sinister and even bizarre. Others pull out their credit cards and celebrate their favourite day of the year.

This year a record $11.4 billion was spent on big screen TVs, electronic gizmos and games and many other “must-have” items.

Retailers love it and do what they can to bring consumers to a fever pitch. Then, they throw open the doors at 12:01 a.m. sharp and stand back.

There is one catch. Many of the sale items are available in limited quantities only or for a limited time so successful consumers must be prepared to stake out their ground and defend their territory. Sometimes there is collateral damage.

This year at a California Wal-Mart one competitive shopper pepper sprayed 20 of her rivals, including children, to gain a competitive advantage.  She was trying to protect an Xbox video game, although in this case she may also be arrested for battery. 

It’s a good thing she has a new toy to keep her occupied while she is in custody.

Some might consider this woman to be a little over enthusiastic but shopping is serious business.  I think it might even be protected in the American constitution. Besides, police in many locations often use stun guns and pepper spray to control frenzied shoppers and disorderly bargain hunters.

Even so, things sometimes get out of hand. Another Black Friday shopper was shot by someone trying to steal his bargains in the parking lot.  He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. I wonder how much money he saved.

Canadians are not exempt to the madness. Many Canucks head south for the weekend.  They should be advised that their American counterparts can be considered armed and dangerous.  How badly do you want that big screen?

If all this berserk behaviour makes you a little nervous you can still do your part through the miracle of something called Cyber Monday. You can sit all alone in front of your computer screen and avoid the crowds, the pepper spray and the gunshots.

Large retailers offer similar bargains online after the weekend and they are happy to accept your money electronically at that time. If this sounds too good to be true, it is.  You can avoid the physical threats but not the cyber attacks.

Cyber Monday may well become “cha-ching” Monday for the army of cyber-hackers and scam artists who routinely mine the internet for cash or credit cards to steal.  The increased volume of shoppers online is a golden opportunity for the bad guys, too. 

Still, this blatant consumerism is troubling.  Maybe we can use the days of the week in a way that reflects current social conditions.  How about Spare Change Tuesday or Cheapskate Thursday?

And at the end of every week we could have Freeloading Friday – free coffee for anybody dressing up like Freddie the Freeloader.

I just finished watching some video clips showing deranged mobs of frenzied shoppers punching and elbowing their way toward a bargain bin full of consumer crap.  They looked like hyenas growling and fighting over an old carcass.

This is more than just shopping. It is being driven by desperate consumers who are seeking out happiness, satisfaction and self-fulfillment through spending and the accumulation of material goods. 

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  I just hope all those overzealous shoppers realize that they really are picking at a carcass, which is all that’s left of the world economy. 

I shouldn’t criticize because I was also swept up in these Frenzied Friday Freakonomics. On my way home that day I stopped to pick up bread and milk. I grabbed a snickers bar and a bag of chip on the way out.  I couldn’t resist. I guess I’m part of the problem.

It’s a good thing Black Friday comes only once a year.