The Post-Malaise Post

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement.  The tally on directions you want me to go?

Cultural Whistleblower:                      2

Raging Politico:                                  2

Spinner of Yarns                                2

Purveyor of the Absurd                      2

Navel-Gazing Self Analysis:                1

Odd Stuff:                                          1

Chronicle of Personal Adventures       1

So basically, keep doing everything I’ve been doing. 

I probably should have just embedded one of those survey thingies, but I didn’t feel like it. Blame it on the malaise. 

In fact, I think I’m going to blame every shortcoming on The Malaise. Now if I can just find someone to blame it on and sue, I’d accomplish the modern American dream.

Anyway, something in the news piqued my interest this week.

Sure Walmart employees will have to work Thanksgiving DAY, (along with those from Target and many other big box stores), but management is going to provide a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for them at the store.

Talk about missing the point! 

“Hey Wallies! It’s not the turkey and mashed potatoes that people are upset about missing; it’s having the meal with their families and sharing some fellowship! (And wine!)  I know you think of all your employees as one big happy family, but it’s not really the same, now, is it?”

I say, if they really want to provide a “traditional Thanksgiving meal,” then go whole hog.  Let everyone pull the demo recliners up to the flat-screen TV display, put on the football game, and fall asleep with their belts undone and their hands in their pants.

OK, that’s probably just for the sports fans. Everyone else should get to go shop at Target.

But seriously, I hate that Thanksgiving has been getting chipped away by the ever-encroaching business of Christmas. Or more specifically, Christmas shopping. These big businesses don’t care a lick about their employees, no matter what their press releases say. The only thing that matters is the pursuit of increasing revenues. But that’s what big business does… it’s their only reason for existence. Increase profits… lower costs… continue. You can’t blame the snake for acting like a snake.

I’ve seen petitions going around on the matter, but they’re not going to accomplish diddly-squat. The only way this trend gets rolled back is if people stop going out to shop on Thanksgiving, period. Once opening on Thanksgiving becomes unprofitable, they will stop, and not a moment before.

I’m not optimistic. There should be a point where a good deal on electronics costs too much in human collateral damage. But I don’t think we will ever see it.

In 2013 America, a good deal for “ME” trumps any concern for “YOU”, every time.

Regardless, I’ll be staying home for Thanksgiving. No shopping for me… not at night, not during the day, not any time. (And that has nothing to do with the fact that the Steelers and Ratbirds are playing that night. I haven’t been out on Thanksgiving or even Black Friday, since I still worked in a record store.)

Of course, I’ll be hitting Cyber Monday like a Big Dog…