After writing my last post, I felt the need to clarify: it was not to shame customers but a frustration with the consumerism that corporations have created.

I don’t think having cheap items is necessarily the corporations’ way of being generous to its customers. Rather, it’s their efforts to try to get people into their buildings and purchase other items.

Writing about this is absolutely not to shame those who shop on the day after Thanksgiving (or even the day of Thanksgiving). This may be the only way they can afford gifts for their children or to have what others in society have. People who can’t afford what others have finally are able to find a piece of dignity and grace that everyone has.

But it’s almost like corporations create opportunities to pit one customer against another. It becomes like The Hunger Games: “may the odds be ever in your favor.” Do the corporations care that their customers are being tackled or workers have to skip Thanksgiving dinner? Or is it entertainment for them?

What I’m trying to say is there is a broken system. Corporations are working to get people in the door and create profits at any cost. They do not all care about personal safety or disappointments. They care more about bottom lines rather than customers and employees.

So make sure consumers aren’t facing shame. If we can afford to, let’s not go to stores on the actual day of Thanksgiving. And then let’s write to corporations to tell them that their employees and consumers need to be treated with more dignity.