Luis Enrique Echarte Alonso, Expert in Neuroethics. Unit of Humanities and Medical Ethics / Institute for Culture and Society. University of Navarra
A new rite of the consumerist society
Black Friday arrived in 2012 and it seems to be here to stay. It is not surprising because the main criticism it receives is that it is a foreign fashion, as if that were bad! As if most of our fashions, especially the older ones, have not come from abroad!
Very few are those who perceive Black Friday as a new rite of the consumerist society. Another one more of this 'religion' of rich liturgy, but with a single dogma: buy for the pleasure of buying. Because, in this 'religion', there are no unnecessary, superfluous expenses. And technology is no longer a means: it is an end. It grants, by the simple fact of possessing it, happiness and, even, being. And yes, consumerism cures. Since the mid-1980s there has been talk of retail therapy: the aim is not to "have", but to improve one's mood.
Unfortunately, this subject of strategies to eliminate anxiety, stress or low mood can induce a new subject of addiction. This is what psychologists warn. The explanation is relatively simple. The feeling of euphoria that provides the act of buying - in the store little and is usually replaced by another more prolonged - at home - of emptiness and frustration. And what better way to overcome these feelings than with a good 'Black Friday'? At least we have to admit that the name is fitting.
No more excuses are needed for shopping, but they are necessary for the moment after, when you get home. The best excuse is the price! It has long been known that light or zero products generate an increase in sales that is not inversely proportional to the concentration of fats or sugars consumed. The "I eat buns because they are light" is very similar to the "I buy everything that is cheap" of the sales. It is the logic of nonsense. The same reason why nobody understands that the best and most radical way to avoid depleting our planet's resources is to curb consumption.
Many economists and politicians will cry foul. Reviving consumption is another of the established dogmas. I fear that in these times, austerity and modesty will become a watchword, a slogan for the real subversive elites. No more circling the congress! The real battle to be fought is between the galleries, the shopping malls and the living room. As for the rest, and now that lottery time is approaching, I must confess that I don't want to share my dreams. I want to win the jackpot. That's why I don't buy.