I've found a couple of articles that confirmed my evolving thoughts on Black Friday. I've never given it much thought until this year when I actually bought an HP printer at 50% off, got the "Black Friday" deal online and had it delivered to my doorstep last Wednesday.
In the past I've always been amused at the stories emerging on Friday midday of tramplings, pepper spray, fistfights, and so forth. This year someone grabbed a vegetable steamer from a child who was holding it for her mom.
So why do people still line up at the stores at 3 a.m. for a 5 a.m. opening?
Tradition? Truly out to grab some bargains? Excitement of being in the crowds?
My opinion is that the early arrivals to the stores are generally very aggressive people, self-centered and anal retentive. Not all, of course, but there's something going on upstairs in these folks that's hard to understand. I also think it's the tribal "killer instinct" in people who see "Minimum 3 Per Store" in Black Friday ads and feel they have to get one of those three. When they do succeed, it's a psychological victory of "I got this and you didn't." IMO, these are the same people in traffic, who, when they see you with your blinker on, will speed up to keep you from cutting in front of them.
While they shop, I'll continue year in and year out to marvel at the news of the beatings and muggings over the two dollar toasters.
In the past I've always been amused at the stories emerging on Friday midday of tramplings, pepper spray, fistfights, and so forth. This year someone grabbed a vegetable steamer from a child who was holding it for her mom.
So why do people still line up at the stores at 3 a.m. for a 5 a.m. opening?
Tradition? Truly out to grab some bargains? Excitement of being in the crowds?
My opinion is that the early arrivals to the stores are generally very aggressive people, self-centered and anal retentive. Not all, of course, but there's something going on upstairs in these folks that's hard to understand. I also think it's the tribal "killer instinct" in people who see "Minimum 3 Per Store" in Black Friday ads and feel they have to get one of those three. When they do succeed, it's a psychological victory of "I got this and you didn't." IMO, these are the same people in traffic, who, when they see you with your blinker on, will speed up to keep you from cutting in front of them.
While they shop, I'll continue year in and year out to marvel at the news of the beatings and muggings over the two dollar toasters.