Shoppers in Target on Black Friday
For a moment, pretend that you are from a different country and you know nothing about Americans besides what you have seen in this Youtube video. Do we seem like shopping is an important part of our lives?
If as a country, we can devote one night to shopping,is it safe to say that shopping has become a large part of our culture? Aside from Black Friday,shopping has become something that is a part of our everyday lives. There are many statistics on the average consumer in America. Just a couple of ones that stood out to me are that “there are 1.3 billion payment cards - including credit cards, debit cards and store cards - in circulation in the United States.” Another is that “the average American home has 13 payment cards.” Lastly, “over 40% of US families spend more than they earn.” These statistics are good sign that consumption in the United States has not only become subculture, but it has become somewhat of a way of life for many Americans.
There are advertisements everywhere you go for you to buy a certain product. Many ads are successful because we are persuaded that we need that certain product. As soon as we step out of our house, it seems that we are bombarded with the idea that we need to buy something. It has become difficult to go anywhere and not spend money. So I am asking you to decide for yourself, is shopping a subculture?
Andrés
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I agree with the points you made, however, it’s a little unfair to base this argument on an event that happens once a year. Black Friday is a fun thing to be apart of and you actually save a lot of money! I like how you added statistics in and briefly mentioned about everyday shopping. The numbers of credit cards people have and bills going up probably has a lot to do with the price of our necessities going up (gas, groceries, medicine, etc.). To answer your question, I do think our consumption rate is increasing, but I would not go as far as saying it has become a subculture.
I agree that Black Friday can be a fun experience but that does not change the fact that many people turn Black Friday into a competition to get what they want. People have even been injured or killed over merchandise on Black Friday. I’m merely suggesting that shopping has possibly become too important to some people.
Although I mention that shopping is a subculture, I see your point and would like to hear more of your side.