It’s that $pecial time of year again. What time you ask? It’s time to spend money and I don’t mean rationally. No, I’m talking about that point in the annual cycle where common sense is suspended and all credit cards are maxed out a.s.a.p. It’s a form of contagious mental illness that infects consumers nationally like a virus and those with anything to sell use the resulting impaired judgement to separate those afflicted from their cash. It’s the holiday season and besides, it’s only money.
After years of whining about poor sales between Labour Day and December the retail sector got a break. In 2008 big business decided that big discounts were the way to keep cross border shoppers here. It would also help get credit card holders used to pulling out the plastic while forgetting the budget for Xma$ and other celebrations too.
That’s why Black Friday was imported: to fleece Canadians early and ready them to be fiscally stripped naked during the holiday season when ‘everything has got to be just right' for the kids, the family or friends in one big commercial con. It fooled the Americans so it was sure to work here. We are basically as gullible as they are, even if we don’t want to admit it. Advertisers insist that the bargains are unbeatable and a way to prepare for: (insert your own holiday or excuse). Besides, it’s tradition and a time when everyone is either being taken or doing the taking. ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year.’
Every year it’s the same and every year people get sucked into wasting money exactly like the year before. Just watch the advertising pitches on television. Sometimes even those who report the news anxiously salivate and drool almost visibly while reading all the special and festive treats one can buy, clearly wishing they were out lined up with the rest of the lemmings. They extol the specials before, during and after the season without mentioning the financial burden this behaviour will lead to when the bills finally arrive along with the midwinter blah$, after the parties are over.
It’s all right though and nothing new. When those bills do come, the lemmings will accept their resulting fiscal situation because it’s the custom and the natural order of things. Others also perceive it as common ground gaining them acceptance in society. The banks will increase credit card limits and everyone will pay even more interest on their debt or borrow more while tightening their belts and living poor to make the increased payments. Then at this time next year after scraping to balance their books they will be taken in again as easily as marks gulled at a carnival. Ho F$cking Ho!
After years of whining about poor sales between Labour Day and December the retail sector got a break. In 2008 big business decided that big discounts were the way to keep cross border shoppers here. It would also help get credit card holders used to pulling out the plastic while forgetting the budget for Xma$ and other celebrations too.
That’s why Black Friday was imported: to fleece Canadians early and ready them to be fiscally stripped naked during the holiday season when ‘everything has got to be just right' for the kids, the family or friends in one big commercial con. It fooled the Americans so it was sure to work here. We are basically as gullible as they are, even if we don’t want to admit it. Advertisers insist that the bargains are unbeatable and a way to prepare for: (insert your own holiday or excuse). Besides, it’s tradition and a time when everyone is either being taken or doing the taking. ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year.’
Every year it’s the same and every year people get sucked into wasting money exactly like the year before. Just watch the advertising pitches on television. Sometimes even those who report the news anxiously salivate and drool almost visibly while reading all the special and festive treats one can buy, clearly wishing they were out lined up with the rest of the lemmings. They extol the specials before, during and after the season without mentioning the financial burden this behaviour will lead to when the bills finally arrive along with the midwinter blah$, after the parties are over.
It’s all right though and nothing new. When those bills do come, the lemmings will accept their resulting fiscal situation because it’s the custom and the natural order of things. Others also perceive it as common ground gaining them acceptance in society. The banks will increase credit card limits and everyone will pay even more interest on their debt or borrow more while tightening their belts and living poor to make the increased payments. Then at this time next year after scraping to balance their books they will be taken in again as easily as marks gulled at a carnival. Ho F$cking Ho!
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