Black Friday

[MrBen]

Somehow we've managed to pollute our usual shopping rituals with this grotesque Americanism. When people are living below the poverty line and hitting food banks....who are the people knocking down old ladies to get thirty quid off a flat screen telly? It's really depressing.

[holloway]

I'd never even heard of black friday. Just wait till cyber monday though...

[Otta]

People are buying stuff they don't even particularly want, just because they're buying it cheap. People are stupid.

[Parkdrive]

Buying stuff with money they haven't yet earned on stuff they don't need. Restores your faith in human kind doesn't it?

[steveo]

Surely the grotesque Americanism is the supermarket?

[red devil]

Christmas sales have gone downhill. In the olden days you had to sleep on Oxford Street for 10 days in the run up to Boxing Day, armed with just a flask of hot water and a packet of Cup of Soup, all just to get that sheepskin coat at half price...

[Lowlander]

Otta Wrote:

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> People are buying stuff they don't even

> particularly want, just because they're buying it

> cheap. People are stupid.

I loved the quotes from the Guardian including this gem: "...Andy Blackett, 30, an estate agent, who had two trolleys full of bargains. ?I got two coffee makers, two tablets, two TVs and a stereo,? he said. ?I couldn?t tell you the prices, but I know they?re bargains.?

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/nov/28/black-friday-sales-police-attend-supermarkets-amid-scuffles

[ed_pete]

When it comes to wasting money how about the guy that spent ?518,000 on the "25 O" numberplate ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-30238830

[RosieH]

Or the guy that spent ?36k on hookers.

I bought a jumpsuit. I was going to buy it anyway, but by buying it today, I have saved myself ?75.

I look awesome in it.

[JohnL]

I reckon the website outages in the UK were a marketing gimmick and all the "bargains" I've seen are older stock.

[Alan Medic]

MrBen Wrote:

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> Somehow we've managed to pollute our usual

> shopping rituals with this grotesque Americanism.

> When people are living below the poverty line and

> hitting food banks....who are the people knocking

> down old ladies to get thirty quid off a flat

> screen telly? It's really depressing.

You can't blame the American's for the ignorance of people here. As for it being grotesque, it's just another day of sales in shops. I think it all the publicity the day has got has helped cause a type of feeding frenzy.

[Seabag]

I can't but help feel sorry for Mr Mitchell

Plebgate was a whole two years ago

[right-clicking]

"The advertising industry's prime task is to ensure that uninformed consumers make irrational choices, thus undermining market theories that are based on just the opposite.?

― Noam Chomsky

[numbers]

agree Mr Ben, it is utterly depressing.

[maxxi]

Seabag Wrote:

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> I can't but help feel sorry for Mr Mitchell

>

>

> Plebgate was a whole two years ago

Never sue for libel unless you're sure you will win - did a bit of an Oscar din't 'e.

[Jah Lush]

More imported crap from America.

http://i1369.photobucket.com/albums/ag237/jahlushhead/10417522_1549716431941431_2870158664937507915_n_zpsd4efd7bd.jpg

[Louisa]

Asda in the Old Kent RD was absolutely manic this morning. Is this now an annual event because the media told us so?

Louisa.

[alice]

people want things

[camberwell70]

Parkdrive Wrote:

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> Buying stuff with money they haven't yet earned on

> stuff they don't need. Restores your faith in

> human kind doesn't it?

How do you know this?

[MrBen]

Alan Medic wrote:

> You can't blame the American's for the ignorance

> of people here. As for it being grotesque, it's

> just another day of sales in shops. I think it all

> the publicity the day has got has helped cause a

> type of feeding frenzy.

But that's the thing Alan. Stupid people...what can you do. ..but I don't want to be American. The UK retail industry has just embraced and created the sales equivalent of crack. With the media amplifying that. America is a civilisation on the decline. It is full of the worst excesses of capitalist greed. It might be my hangover but basically Americans trying to bring their shit over here and make us dance to it can #???# right off back to Kansas.

[????]

Because Sales frenzy and rampant consumerism is suuuuuuiuuch a new thing. Oh yes. There's better things to get angry about than this surely? Ps it's finished you can come out now

[Otta]

If only we could all be as grown up as you Quidsy.

[Louisa]

When I saw all the crap on TV I assumed it was a VAT free day in the shops. But no, it's just a standard one day sale heavily promoted for morons who think they're getting a deal before Christmas. The supermarkets will make that money back and more from the very same people when they go back over the next month to buy other Christmas goods.

Louisa.

[BrandNewGuy]

???? Wrote:

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> Because Sales frenzy and rampant consumerism is

> suuuuuuiuuch a new thing. Oh yes. There's better

> things to get angry about than this surely? Ps

> it's finished you can come out now

Why can't we be angry about lots of things? I'm middle-aged, for goodness' sake.

[Blah Blah]

right-clicking Wrote:

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> "The advertising industry's prime task is to

> ensure that uninformed consumers make irrational

> choices, thus undermining market theories that are

> based on just the opposite.?

> ― Noam Chomsky

It's a fundemental flaw of our economic philosophy. We employ people to make crap which then has to be somehow sold to keep everyone employed. Meanwhile, those at the top suck all the wealth they can from the wages of the masses. If you really think about it, most of human life is pointless.