There's a photo going around on Facebook, which I've included to the left, where the emaciated forms of African children are contrasted with the chubby, Michelin man-like figures of frenzied Black Friday shoppers. While I appreciate the sentiment and I certainly think that more westerners could stand reminders of how easy we have it compared to the people trapped in climate-related or geopolitical nightmares, I think that photo's a bit facile. It assumes a lot about the fat Black Friday shoppers. It assumes they have any money at all.
Wages in the U.S. have not risen in line with consumer costs; in the last year, consumer prices rose 3.5% while average wages rose approximately half of that. People are feeling a little pressure in the wallet.
The logical thing to do when you have a lot of month at the end of the money is to tighten your belt and reduce expenses. But people have been doing that for a while. And Christmas is coming up.
I don't doubt that stores on Black Friday are happy hunting grounds for bargain shoppers. But I also think that those stores are where people go to stock up on the clothes their kids need (or they need). Those sales are where people go because if they didn't, they wouldn't be able to have Christmas at all. And although people can, and do, waggle their fingers about how the income-challenged should cut out non-essentials and just be grateful they've got the chance to work part-time for less than a living wage ... who among us really thinks that the working poor don't deserve the pleasure of watching their kids' faces light up when they behold presents under a tree on Christmas morning?
Not all Black Friday shoppers are mindless greedbots. Many are people who know if they sit out the sales, they sit out Christmas. Instead of stigmatizing the people who are scrabbling for sales merchandise, we need to realize that they're one front in a class war that's pitting the middle and working classes against one another. And we need to ask, "Who benefits from tsk-tsking the bargain shoppers and scolding the workers?"
Maybe they're the mofos who should be on the other half of that picture instead.
Nice to hear from you again, Lisa.
As a European, links like the one to the Star Tribune make my blood run cold.
I always thought the voices claiming that the U.S. was turning into an oligarchy exaggerated greatly.
I'm not so sure anymore ...
Posted by: David_dhx | 12/09/2011 at 11:43 PM
Well I did believe what u said ,until I saw this pic a realization of the truth comes completely through .we as a collective continue to make the rich richer. believing that the gifts we give our children make us happier I believe that to be selfish we should all stop until those that profit from us the poor change their habits of inflation and abuse of power until we the collective truly care about others Instead of our children smiling why don't we teach them morals and the truth about this world
Posted by: Me | 12/11/2011 at 03:28 PM
It is sad we hold folks accountable for the retail insanity. There's so many structures in that feed into the frenzy. The biggest one I see is stores having limited inventory of things with deep discounts so people do have to fight for the five x-boxes in stock.
Posted by: verucaamish | 12/13/2011 at 04:33 PM
i think the bottom line is do we really need 15 pair of pants,20-30 shirts, 10-15 pair of shoes? is that really necessity or over kill? i think the point of the pic is,what would these children give for "necessities"? necessities being:hoping for 2 meals a day,1 pair of shoes,1 outfit to wear and 7 pair of under garments. we do need to show the money hogs in america we don't need "thier necessities" we need to start being a stronger people with our own minds to make much better decisions on this subject.
Posted by: p.j | 12/15/2011 at 09:15 AM
What you call "a bit facile" I would call a slam-dunk-indisputable argument for redefining what the word POOR means in America. It's a joke. 1 in 2 Americans are "poor" according to some recent propaganda....which immediately reminded me that 2 in 3 Americans are OBESE.
Strange but true statistics being manipulated by left wingers with bad agendas.....we have never experienced real hunger. NEVER.
Posted by: Joe Gunter | 12/15/2011 at 11:52 AM
Joe: That's why you hear so much about "income inequality" these days. It's so that we don't have to face up to the fact that American poor people have smartphones and cars and weight problems.
Posted by: DensityDuck | 01/09/2012 at 10:12 AM
I just found your article on rage and pms and needed to let you know that you are a sanctimonious, arrogant bitch. I'd love to hear your views on endometriosis, pcos, cancer or any other uterine related affliction. Oh wait, they probably don't exist to you! Maybe you should avoid writing about things you are not educated on, because you are clearly an idiot!
Posted by: Bridget | 01/25/2012 at 07:35 AM