« For the Record | Main | Reality TV: Why Is it good to watch people being bad? »
Just *Don't* Do It
You're supposed to shop today. Can you resist the urge? And why are some people calling this “Black Friday” while actually promoting consumerism? I don't get it.Posted November 26, 2004 11:31 AM | life generally
I think it's "Black Friday" for all the folks stuck working. I used to work retail, and the day after Thanksgiving was absolutely the busiest and craziest day of the year, with crazy mobs of tired, cranky, shopping bag-laden shoppers. It was stunning (and very tiring).
Posted by: Jennifer at November 26, 2004 03:39 PM
CNN said it was called "black Friday" b/c today is the day that retailers generally move out of the deficit side of the ledger (Red) to the profit side (Black). I guess it kind of makes sense. It still sounds kind of macabre though.
Posted by: NDC at November 26, 2004 08:56 PM
Ah yes, thank you both. It all makes sense now. To be "in the black" is a good thing if you're a merchant looking at increased sales, but the day is a "black" one for retail workers and for anyone concerned with the culture of consumerism. Very strange, don't you think, how loaded the term is?
Posted by: ambimb at November 27, 2004 09:31 AM
