Fancy Coffee Friday: Safe at Home

Look at the pretty foam!
Look at the pretty foam!

I’m an anomaly when it comes to the consumerist nature of my fellow Americans.  I really dislike shopping unless it’s for groceries, spices or booze.  A typical shopping trip for anything else usually involves me doing a lot of research online and if it’s something that I can purchase online – I do.  Clothing is a different story and I end up researching online and planning a trip to the store whereupon I must steel myself to enter the store on what amounts to a Seek-and-Destroy mission.  Special Ops.  Get in, get what I want/need and then get the hell out of there.  I don’t want to be in a store longer than needed.

With that in mind, you can now guess at my dislike of All-Things-Black-Friday.  Standing in line for a day to get a TV for $100?  Nope, my TVs still work thanks.  Camping out in the cold to get a voucher for the latest and greatest Christmas Sweater?  No thanks.

I cannot bring myself to empathize, sympathize or even admire those who choose to subject themselves to the insanity that is “Black Friday“.  As Mr. Muse put it during conversation the other day:

I must buy new!  I must have something shiny!  It must be made by the small hands of some underpaid Bangladeshi child working in poor conditions in a shoddily built factory!  And I must have it NOW!!

That’s right, he was mocking the average consumer.  I don’t blame him for the harshness of his words, especially with the news stories hitting the internet this morning (right there on the front page at Huffington Post).  Y’all – consumers be crazy!

So, I’m going to sit here in my cozy home, sip my coffee and work on writing (or maybe just play a video game) while the insanity of the human species dukes it out over products I don’t want or need down at the local dry goods emporium.   How bad do you really want that Nutri-bullet for Aunt Sally?

Be good to each other.

What are your thoughts on Black Friday and the consumerist nature of Americans (or whatever country you’re from)?

8 responses to “Fancy Coffee Friday: Safe at Home”

  1. smoothalx Avatar
    smoothalx

    A couple of hears ago started something similar in Mexico. Same as you I avoid going shopping.

    Reply
    1. musingsoftheamusingmuse Avatar
      musingsoftheamusingmuse

      It’s like a plague making it’s way around the globe.

      Reply
  2. sassycoupleok Avatar
    sassycoupleok

    We are so totally with you on this. The really sad thing is how family time at Thanksgiving has been wrecked by Black sales that people view as more important than spending time with family. They have been tricked into spending that time with strangers instead, elbowing each other for a place in line. Retail insanity!! Also very sad for those who need a job and have to work those insane hours and deal with the idiots thus loosing their own family time. What are we thinking ??

    Reply
    1. musingsoftheamusingmuse Avatar
      musingsoftheamusingmuse

      I think what you want to say is: “sheeple”. People who just follow the herd mentality. I prefer to buy local or at least fair trade. I have a few online stores from which I like to purchase items, otherwise I try to buy from local Mom ‘n Pops as much as I can because it supports the local economy. I haven’t liked Walmart at all, and essentially stopped shopping at chain retail stores altogether unless I couldn’t find what I wanted or needed anywhere else – even if I had to pay more elsewhere. And no, I’m not perfect – nor do I expect that of others, but I try my best.

      Reply
  3. Notes To Ponder Avatar
    Notes To Ponder

    I call bullshit on black Friday! Holy crap, and I’m not even an American. Problem is that black Friday nonsense has crept north to Canada. Wake up people! It’s called “black” because it puts retailers in the black! Holy shit – stay home and drink coffee. 🙂

    Reply
    1. musingsoftheamusingmuse Avatar
      musingsoftheamusingmuse

      There was discussion last evening about Black Friday and I learned that many of the “door buster deals” are products specifically made at a lower quality FOR Black Friday. Certainly something to ponder.

      Reply
  4. Peter Wells aka Countingducks Avatar
    Peter Wells aka Countingducks

    I’m from the UK but I think your attitude is similar to mine. I am sure I would hate Black Friday

    Reply
    1. musingsoftheamusingmuse Avatar
      musingsoftheamusingmuse

      It’s pretty horrendous.

      Reply

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