So Why was I not supposed to buy anything today?

I guess I missed the memo. Can somebody explain to me why I wasnt supposed to buy anything on Black friday?

Just go with it...

Hubby went out, I stayed home. :)

There is a reason to not over do it and fall into the American credit trap.

Happy shopping and happy holidays....

and wait for the January sales for any consumer junk.

The DU is inhabited with way too many people who want others to be as miserable as they are. I believe it is an internet phenomenon with absolutely no political leaning.

I watched Beowulf (sp?) today with my brother and sister. It was ok but the ending sucked, I hope a sequal to it comes out. Angelina's fucking hot, in a evil demonic way:evilgrin:

never fallen for that yet. Sigh...

and exchange the cheap stuff on Xmas, but the real presents should be exchanged on Twelfth Night, the traditional date of the arrival of the Magi with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. That's January 8, plenty of time to scour around and find all the toys he really wanted on special.

One branch of my family did that. St. Nicholas Day was early in December, for oranges and candy, Xmas was for church and a huge family dinner, and Twelfth Night was for the good stuff.

Kids in that end of the family cashed in.

Don't want you going deeper in debt.

1. Everything costs less. I finished my Xmas shopping today. For less than it would have cost me on Wednesday or next Monday.

2. It helps the stock markets. If you invest in anything, chances are your investments will go up next week if Black Friday registers good sales nationwide.

Sorry, couldn't help myself. :)

you have not been paying attention

NOT all costs less... though there are deep discounts on some products designated as Loss Leads... they are meant to et you INTO the store

But the deep discouts don't happen today... they happen the day after boxing day. And that is becuase they want to get rid of as much as they can before inventory

Oh and there is something else... given the pattern of revising black friday numbers DOWN within a week for the last three years... I will take that bet about the markets reversing their current trend.... Today they managed to get SOME value back, which means they have not gone negative for the year. But hey... if you feel better, good for you

oh well

I should probably give up on this contry

We want change, real change, but don't bother me...

I give up

I give up on elitists like you who cant help out a fellow DUer who doesnt understand something.

People complaint that jobs are leaving the country... yet people are not willing to make ANY sacrifice to change patterns

People complaint that things are really bad at many levels

People also complaint that the true meaning of things are being lost.

If we are going to change things we need en-mase, to use our power, and that is to change completey how we buy and what we buy

We need a boycott.

We need a consumer strike

And not buying things one day is a way to start the changes

The sad part is that I have to explain this... because most Ameircans really don't get it. If you are going to affect change you will need to make some sacrifices

The first sacrifice might be to look back at what this time USED to be... a time for family and friends, not until the 1920s americans started to go nuts over biuying crap for the holidays.

And these days this crap is made in places that are no longer on our coasts, and that do not employ Americans

So if you want to change things, participate in these actions. They are not a one stop all will solve things immediately... but they are a start.

Now here is a movie for you to google

What would Jesus buy?

By you and others not buying anthing, do the retailers know why?

people stay home, if not more

The only way they will REALLY get it is if people just buy the basics and continue to do this for weeks on end

I don't expect this to happen.

The power of propaganda and DON'T rock the boat has borne its fruit.

Reagan must be proud

Oh and I do realize in the short term people wil get hurt too

Oh and other social movements didn't have PR firms.

Too boring doing nothing.

By the way, have you tried readying a book?

I find those highly entertaining.

No interest in books in general.

fantasy novels are great escapism and things like Naomi Wolf's The End of America are almost required readying

And picking up a book makes you think... another side benefit.

Not me saying it, but brain scientists saying it

fantasy novels are great escapism and things like Naomi Wolf's The End of America are almost required readying

And picking up a book makes you think... another side benefit.

Not me saying it, but brain scientists saying it

Don't you think that the cashier at Target may need her job? Or maybe the shoe salesman at Penny's??? Ya think they may have a family to feed???

By your logic we "boycott" shopping, the businesses fail the retail employees lose their jobs and your local economy suffers??

Hell, we may get lucky and have those jobs farmed out over seas. Really good "boycott" there. :eyes:

This anti-shop crap on DU is just plain stupid.

Shrub has already done his damnedest to destroy our economy and the middle class and the poor by stealing our tax dollars and lining the pockets of his corporate cronies and war profiteering mercenary companies - the clerks in the stores deserve to earn a living too. Just stop shopping and destroy their jobs too, eh?

clothing? It exists, some of it, it's union

Care to tell me why that clothing cannot be found at Target?

article of clothing in Target is from somewhere over seas??

Wanna try and prove that?

And you still haven't adressed the issue that Sally needs her freaking job at Target!!

have you tried looking?

I have... why I bought a US MADE blanket for a baby from the NET.

They have socks made in the US by the pharmacy that are made in the US... the ONLY item of clothing I found made in the US.. and that day I thanked a manager

And you care to tell me why Sally at the Clothing factory HAD TO LOOSE her job?

Jobs have already been lost... but in the long run if those jobs DO COME back home, and this de-industrialized country is industrialized, then Sally will have a more secure job at target since that other sally will be able to afford buying the stuff sold at Target.

Hell, if both have a union job and benefits they will definitely be able to afford to buy more than just crap

Yes, your dollars and how you spend then have consequences.

but don't let that stop you.

and the people at wally mart cannot afford to buy at wally mart...

Don't you realize that the corporations ARE the ones shoppers are helping to destroy this economy ? Who do you think are outsourcing all the jobs and who do you think profit from slave labor in countries such as China and India and Mexico just to name a few .

Do you actually think that buying cheap crap is the way some way underpaided store clerk is going to survive ? These people would not have to sit for 12 plus hours a day for min wage if it were not for these corrupt corportions you and many others here support .

You are holding a huge weight over your head and soon when you can't do it anylonger you too will be crushed .

I am fully aware..., but tell me... don't you think those textile workers who lost their jobs to China also needed their jobs?

Your buying decisions have critical consequences down the line... you are right.

Now if those jobs come back, then the people at Target will have more demand and better job security.

I mean who can afford to buy the crap at the low wages? And yes the studies have been done, Walmart employees cannot afford to buy at Walmart

There's no sincere attempt to think it all through, just snarky defenses of bidness as usual; willful ignorance by the barrel. ;-)
It would seem the universal commupence is the only chance for a change of consciousness. Bring it on.

no, actually they've already farmed our jobs out overseas. That's why many of us think that shopping at some of the few remaining mom and pop stores or buying on eBay or Craig's list instead of stampeding over to Wally Mart to give even MORE of our $$ to the Chinese makes sense. The big Black Friday sales ultimately lead to more outsourcing and a weaker America. Shopping locally if you must shop is the way to truly support your fellow Americans. Living in debt or buying into the culture of consumerism isn't healthy, either. It's killing the planet and straining millions of personal relationships.

You preach to others not to buy China made products, but yet you constantly whore for Apple on this forum.

ALL of Apple's hardware Is made In China.

And Steve Jobs Is Proud to Be Nonunion.
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/news/2007/02/72754


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2337585

LOL

HAHAHA!!

why a "black Friday" boycott, essentially just forgoing purchases to another day between now and the end of the year, is supposed to make any difference.

is not going to change the system you decry. Nice motive, lousy tactical plan.

Buying things is bad. BAD!

No toys for you!

good stuff!

;-)

Getting trampled by insane crowds has no appeal to me, for some reason. Guess I'm just odd that way....

The culture that says that you should work 50-80 hours a week to fill your home to the rafters with disposable Chinese made goods. That you should forsake family and friends in pursuit of ever more "stuff", that you should do your part to hasten the destruction of the only planet you have to live on. That you should enrich mega corporations like Wal-Mart and Citigroup instead of spending your time on earth doing something meaningful. That's what it's about.

It's like those "don't buy gas on this day" boycotts where people just fill up the day before or after. If they're still going to buy their holiday stuff, why does it matter if they do it on black Friday or the next weekend?

It's a concept with which Americans who care about their democracy would do well to become familiar...

This is a very depressing thread. :-(