Ask me to go Black Friday shopping with you and I will laugh in your face. Don’t be alarmed. I may not be skipping and jumping at the idea of venturing out these days into the crowded cold, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t I try it out in the past. After two experiences of going out to chase “incredible” sales, I quickly learned it wasn’t for me. Parting ways with my warm bed stirred a question in my head. Parking became just as much of a maze as shopping. Waiting in lines and navigating through crowds wasn’t worth the fun of this supposed “treasure hunt.” As each year passes, it appears that Black Friday becomes a bigger deal than the one before. We see it happen as stores continue to open their doors just a tiny bit earlier each year. It creeps up like the shift of tectonic plates that move so subtly until the land is met with an incredible earthquake. Now we have people skipping Thanksgiving dinner altogether just to make it into Best Buy by 5pm. Personally, I find this disgusting, but the society I live in thinks otherwise. Just like the subtle movements of our planet’s tectonic plates and the steady increase of earlier Black Friday hours, nothing happens overnight. Our evolutionary history can give us a peek into the sick appeal of abandoning our dinner table for a chance to hunt in the wild while also providing us with a hint as to what is to come.

Sacrifice for Reward

After a slew of violent headlines including shoppers getting trampled and others snatching items from the hands of strangers, it’s certain that earlier store hours play a tremendous role in promoting a safer and more relaxed environment. Long gone are the days where you’d pull an all nighter to leave the house by 4 am to chase a retail adventure. Instead, we are skimping on a national holiday just to shop in peace. Although it seems foolish to bail on a sacred family dinner, it doesn’t fail to add up when looking at the history of our species. Men and women would take turns leaving their bands behind to either hunt or gather food. They sacrificed precious time at home for the promise of feeding their family. Although we aren’t going out scavenging for food, there seems to be a high necessity in buying that brand new TV or iPhone X. We are looking at the concept of making a sacrifice to obtain a gain. In this case, dinner is pushed to the side while showering your loved ones with gifts takes center stage.

It’s not just about the reward though. It’s equivalent to looking at a “Before & After” picture and forgetting that there was an in between. For Black Friday goers it’s not just about scoring that bargain. It’s an art revolving around the process, the adrenaline, and the adventure. That “in between” stage might be just as rewarding as the final outcome.

The Art of Racing With Time

Just because stores are opening their doors earlier doesn’t mean we have all the time in the world. Shops eventually close and items are swiftly purchased from off the shelves. Suddenly, our brains switch to survival mode as we scurry to beat the clock. Sale prices create a high demand and everyone is in for the kill. It’s been hardwired in us for thousands of years and the adrenaline rush makes it even more worthwhile.

The rush of excitement can alter our judgement. So, the real question is, was it worth it? Was this really the lowest price? Did I really need this just because it was half off?

I’ve worked in an outlet shoe store on a Black Friday and even if you don’t have retail experience, it’s no secret that some of the advertised sales are better than they look. The claimed to be giving 50% off deals. If you’re familiar with outlet shops, you know the prices are already lower than their retail counterpart. Their approach on Black Friday was showing consumers the retail price, marking it half off, and essentially bringing the cost to a regular outlet price. A lot of the times you’re better off going on a regular shopping day where sales are applied to the outlet price instead.

Shoppers are in such a rush that they might not consider these things as they continue their race. The art is in realizing what you need, what you could do without, and perfecting the timing of catching a true sale.

The Cat Brought Us A Prize

Finally, it has all come to an end. You arrive to your band with the wild game you hunted for dinner. Your children marvel at your accomplishment and reap the benefits of your achievement. You succeeded and brought home the prize.

There’s a question out there as to whether or not traditions of Black Friday will survive as the convenience of online shopping continues to rise. Technically you’re still bringing home the prize, right?

Although there are many Cyber Monday advocates out there I find it likely that the traditional brick and mortar scavenger hunt will continue to thrive. There’s just something about our ancestry that claims otherwise.

A Prize For Them Might Not Be A Prize For Us

This raises the next question. How do those who don’t enjoy Black Friday shenanigans fit into the equation? You’re a homo sapien. I’m a homo sapien. If I don’t enjoy going out into the wild and hunting, would I have survived during our ancestor’s age. The agricultural revolution drove out the need for hunter-gatherer societies and provided humans with extended amounts of leisure.

Although I am not a fan of the agricultural system for reasons I’ll share in a future post, I’d definitely promote the promise of change and growth. I don’t see myself as a Black Friday participant, because my idea of a prize is staying in with friends and family as we enjoy each other’s company. I wouldn’t coin this as an agricultural perspective either. I’d consider this as a staple we lost through the glossy ads of consumerism. I’ll even go as far as considering it the future as more of us embark down a more mindful path toward the planet, one another, and ourselves.

With permaculture on the rise, I’ll say the future brings us the benefits of both hunter-gatherers and the agriculture period where we will instead leave a positive mark, continue to embark on adventures, and still get to enjoy time with our band.