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Bryan Grayson
Eng 101
Professor Alicia Bolton
October 27, 2014

We put the Black in Black Friday

Storming through large crowds, racing to catch items before they sell out, feisty shoppers
hungry for discounts by any means necessary characterizes the event we call Black Friday. Its
within this event that retailers open extremely early as herds of American consumers rush in to
receive drastically discounted items. Andrew Leonard argues in his article Consumerism minus
Civilization that he objects to the reactions of America about this event. Leonard feels that the
advertisements being shown to our consumers seems to brainwash American consumers to act in
an unsophisticated and uncivilized manner. He uses for an example an advertisement using what
he calls the crazy Target Lady whom exercises her obsessive Christmas disorder through her
eager appeal of black Friday shopping. Leonard blames these overly dramatic appeals as the
cause of why the Black Friday event dehumanizes our civilization. He implies that this holiday
has come to a point of unhealthy consumerism and out of control marketing-driven fetishism
(132). In other words he describes unhealthy in terms of retail stores opening extremely early,
checking smartphones for deals and discounts, also standing in line for a store awaiting opening
at midnight. There are many whom can relate to some type of black Friday madness, being that
many of us participate in some kind of way, form, or how. So, the question the article seems to
be pertaining to is that is Black Friday healthy or unhealthy for American society? I agree that
the appeal to Black Friday shopping does take an unhealthy approach on American consumerism

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in some forms but on the other hand this type of advanced consumerism can also be very healthy
and beneficial in many forms.
Black Friday can indeed take a very unhealthy approach on consumerism in the behavior
of citizens. Leonard is correct when he says that advertising is what brainwashes the society. I
agree to that as I see many commercials similar to the crazy target lady described in the article.
Its as if the advertisements are cheering on American consumers acting overly obsessive. It has
taken an unhealthy approach in terms of the behavior of our society. Firstly, these advertisements
has effectively persuaded many companies to encourage this type of behavior through
competition. Competition in terms of offering the best deals on merchandise or starting sales
earlier than other companies. According to a Target Human Resource director as referred to in
the article implies that As this is the busiest shopping day of the year, it is imperative that we be
competitive (134). The director admits to the company being competitive with other companies
to attract consumers. Also unhealthy approaches such as ending thanksgiving dinner early just to
attend many of the midnight sales. For example, every Thanksgiving holiday our family will
usually watch the football game. The game usually airs every year. If we pay attention we will
notice that the majority of the commercials are black Friday commercials. This is the advertising
approach Leonard is referring to. I believe Thanksgiving is a very sacred holiday in which
families should spend together. Some families dont really get to see each other often during the
year so therefore, Thanksgiving Day is very important to these type of families. But throughout
the entire dinner you have these commercials that are trying to lure you into attending the
midnight sales. Black Friday is always the topic of discussion at the Thanksgiving dinner table at
my house. Instead of catching up and spending the entire day with each other, everyone is
discussing their times of departure and setting up their carpool schedules. I believe this is what

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Leonard is trying to get us to understand by the many ways we Americans are being brainwashed
by this Black Friday phobia. By this Leonard argues that
The retail moguls are counting on it. They are outright encouraging it- and role-modeling
the appropriate behavior for us. The Crazy Target Lady is not a joke. Watch her
cannibalize her gingerbread man, or strategize her reverse psychology shopping
techniques, or show off her shopping utility belt: you cannot avoid the dual conclusion
that a) she is not a healthy woman, and b) she is America. (133)
By asserting this, this supports the claim of seeing how advertising reflects on American
civilization as unhealthy. America is becoming this Crazy Target Lady through the similar
lunacy and mindset she is giving off. In addition, during this event, consumers stand in lines for
long lengths of times to conceive items before they run out. The crowds are ridiculous. This is
where it gets out of hand. This turns now into a competition of hurrying inside the store and even
upgrading to fighting over merchandise. Isnt that ridiculous? An advertisement that I saw
showed a smiling and singing consumer speed rushing through a macys store, snatching
clothing out of other shoppers hands and singing about it as if its no problem. These are the
ways I agree in which we are becoming uncivil. This behavior describes Black Friday. As a
matter of fact, I have even heard of a consumer being murdered as she tripped up entering a
store. She was trampled over as customers stormed in the store. This is not the way we as
Americans normally behave on a daily basis. This is not our culture or way of life. This is why I
agree to the approach that yes, in many ways this type of consumerism has turned America into
something that its usually not because this is not our civilization. I strongly agree that on
account of these accusations, this type of consumerism can indeed turn America into competitive
and heartless lunatics in which I feel is completely ridiculous.

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I would like to agree that this type of event can also serve a good purpose. On the other
hand, Leonard states in the article that he is not opposed to vigorous sprees of retail spending. As
also I am not either. I agree that many retail stores receive a tremendous boost during this event
by drastically discounting their merchandise. The profits are very beneficial to the companies
that participate like Macys, Target, Wal-Mart, and many other stores that we love to shop in.
Also, this type of retail does not only benefit your favorite company, but it also benefits the
American economy as a whole by the many Americans shopping on that day. Even with the
discounted prices, American receives a great profit from the many consumers that participate in
this event. In addition to this, this event can be looked at as a great shopping experience. Most
definitely for shoppers purchasing special Christmas gifts for their families. Also, with the
various discounts, this shopping experience can be very beneficial to our funds. Various
expensive electronics are discounted at great deals sometimes as good as 50% off. Along with
many expensive clothing, jewelry, and many more luxury items that drop to reasonable prices I
believe that saving money is very beneficial. Therefore, if you love shopping then you would
love the black Friday sales event. In terms such as these I believe that this type of consumerism
can also serve a good purpose.
In conclusion, according to the article the Black Friday advertisements are unhealthy to
the civilization of American society by the approach they portray for consumers to behave.
Arguing that this appeal dehumanized our society by brainwashing us into lunacy and becoming
ridiculous in our civilization. In many ways these accusations were true. In terms of the crazy
target lady, standing in line forever from midnight to catch sales, violence, murder and bodily
harm to consumers. We dont want this type of behavior demonstrated or advertised. On the

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other hand this type of consumerism could be beneficial economically and also save us lots of
money. I agree that Advertisements have indeed gone a little too far in approving American
citizens behaving in this type of manner as acceptable. But on the other hand, these type of sales
do promote great benefits for America, in which I agree is an acceptable way to both boost our
economy and enjoy the many sales and discounted items. But we need to take back our
American civilization and not lets not let this out of control phobia take our family holiday away
or allow us to act uncivilized. This is not the appeal in which I feel in which the Black Friday
event was intended for. So I feel as if we need more appropriate commercials and advertising
that will encourage normal healthy American shopping. Lets not be influenced by this type of
unhealthy approach but lets take back our civilization and behave as human beings.

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Work cited
Leonard, Andrew. Black Friday: Consumerism minus Civilization. The Norton Field Guide to Writing
with Reading and Handbook. 3rd ed. Ed. Richard Bullock, Maureen Daly Goggin, and Francine
Weinberg. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 131-135. Print.