Black Friday

Writer: Danique Wijnia
Illustrator: Linnea Santi Moe

On the 29th of November 2024 it is Black Friday! A day of mayhem and sales. It can be viewed as the ultimate manifestation of the overconsumption mindset of today’s world. This day thrives on people’s need to consume goods and the rush that accompanies a good deal.

Consumption is a necessary survival tactic; without consuming goods you will not survive. But why buy more goods than you can consume or have a need for? Is it greed that makes people want for more than they necessarily need? Is it fear of not having everything you might need? Or is it marketing strategies and the rush of buying goods that makes us act greedy for days like Black Friday?

All questions that I do not know the answers to in a general sense. For myself, I keep these questions in the back of my mind and ask myself if I really do need these products. Not only to save money but also to consider in what ways I am supporting multiple industries that are often entangled in environmental issues, gender inequality, horrible working conditions, and the exploitation of marginalized and vulnerable groups, to name just a few. Better regulations are slow to come by and often are not fully implemented. Demands for change are often ignored or resolved with empty words by the industries, which paints a very bleak picture. Influence can still be exerted on these industries and should be, but an easier way to create change is to stop overconsumption.

Of course, it is very difficult to be aware of all the intricacies in the many industries that produce goods. The complexity of these industries and the many different branches to the development process of the goods make it more difficult to know what you are supporting by buying a specific good. Knowledge and transparency on sustainability within the industries are hard to come by. Therefore, it is very difficult to make an ethical choice when buying goods. To make it easier, focus on if you actually need this item, do not buy something just because it is on sale or because it makes you momentarily happy. Not to copy Marie Kondo, but does that product really provide you with long term happiness? Do you really need it, collecting dust? Do you really want to spend money on an item that you do not need? Thus, save money, protect the planet, and only buy things that you really need, and that provide you with long-term happiness this Black Friday.