Tannishblog

You know what frosts my tinsel?

The current trend in holiday retail sales reportage, as if this is yet another spectator sport, is vulgar. Since when is it important for the MSM to announce the retail sales? Whose idea is this anyway? Even the systematic destruction of a foreign land takes a step aside for the “news” of how people in this – the most fat-rich nation on Earth – spend money.It’s disgusting.

If holiday shopping were an Olympic event, it would follow these rules: The gun sounds when the turkeys are carved and gobbled. Then we all put our joggers on and race to the nearest mall, armed only with greed and plastic money with which to spread Holiday Cheer through Purchasing Power. The last one with a positive credit rating loses. Only by outspending ourselves compared with last year can we prove to the Spirit of Christmas that we’ve got what it takes for another round of Holiday Retail Frenzy™.

The first Saturday after Thanksgiving, we hear about how Wal-Mart and Target boasts good sales, while Sacks and Needless Markup struggle. What: are these sports teams or corporate entities (what’s the difference, anyway?) Who cares how other people are spending?!? This is important, how?

Now I hear today is “Cyber Monday,” for Christ’s Sake. It’s not enough I tax my feet for the pleasure of Corporate Greedmongers, I now have to One-Click my way into bankruptcy as well. Let’s remember the rules for filing have changed in favor of the lenders, so buyers beware.

Has anyone heard a national news story about feeding the homeless this Thanksgiving? Has anyone heard broadcasted a story about visiting ill children on MSM? How about locally sponsored Church events? If these things are happening, they’re invisible. The message is clear: being nice is not news. The media doesn’t care, but it does care about how much money we spend on holiday gifts.

The holidays in America, if you’ve been under a rock (or maybe in a bombed-out building in Falluja) is about money. Everything in America is about money. To quote Pink Floyd: “Don’t give that do goody-goody bullshit.” Only the bottom line matters.

Happy Holidays