Madeline Miller
CONTRIBUTOR
Thanksgiving is a one-of-a-kind, all-American holiday. For one day, people celebrate all they have and eat until they’re bursting. It is truly one of the most special times to spend with family.
Unfortunately, some people do not have that luxury. Rather than spending those extra hours at home in a food coma on the couch, many people find themselves at work awaiting the greedy hordes of one of the absolute worst American traditions: Black Friday.
Every store in the mall, even kiosks, are forced to open their doors to the droves of rabid holiday shoppers looking for that perfect, meaningful material object to satisfy their loved ones and save their bank accounts some commas. Black Friday is absolutely terrible, and it should not exist anymore.
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with holiday shopping or looking for the perfect Christmas present, or even looking for the best product for the best price. The problem lies in Black Friday itself.
The shopping “holiday” is built around waking up ridiculously early—or even not going to bed— after a beautiful holiday focusing on thankfulness and love just to trample poor employees, who almost definitely would rather be anywhere but at work, in order to get a discount that wouldn’t be available any other time of year.
Even the name of the best sales, “doorbusters,” indicates the violence that accompanies this sham of a holiday.
The solution? Cyber Monday. For the uninformed, Cyber Monday is the online equivalent of Black Friday. With just as impressive deals and absolutely no infringement on a sacred American holiday, there is absolutely no reason Cyber Monday should not completely over-take Black Friday’s previous role as the official beginning of the holiday shopping season.
Technology exists to make our lives better. Online shopping is no exception. Cyber Monday is not just more convenient and comfortable than Black Friday: it is safer.
Rather than waiting in line in frigid late November air, why not sit in bed with a laptop and a cup of coffee? Rather than getting in a fist fight over a sweater, why not see who can click the fastest? Instead of trampling a Walmart employee or two to death to get a video game cheap, why don’t you just not do that?
By waiting just a few more days, shoppers could have all the same prices and all the same gifts with none of the cold, crowds or violence.
But what are people going to do on Black Friday if they don’t shop? Maybe work off that extra pumpkin pie in a more productive way.
Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Take their dog for a walk.
Use the time to extend the spirit of Thanksgiving and spend it with loved ones.
Use Black Friday not as a way to obtain more material goods, but as a way to better your community and your world.
Save the crazy for Cyber Monday. At least then you can keep it contained to your house.
