Post by chrisho112 on Dec 4, 2012 19:55:12 GMT -5
Chris Hogge
A Black Sin
Celebrated by countless Americans, Thanksgiving is without a doubt, one of the most special days of the year. It was originally established as a holiday to acknowledge a good harvest season and to rejoice after hard work. However, many currently fail to uphold the original intentions of this strictly American holiday. Instead, this once peaceful day of the utmost importance has changed to satisfy the deteriorating social ideologies of Americans. The American societal movement towards secularization in ideology, as presented in the works of Bercovitch, has completely lost the principles of family, religion, and discipline as presented in the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, as American society has become undone due to the lack of these principles and extreme secularization.
Bercovitch examined the progressing secularization through which the American society advanced from the time of the Puritans, however this secularization has taken on an entirely different meaning. “Black Friday” itself greatly embodies the secular aspect of society, making it greatly recognized. During these shopping days, individuals go out of their way to purchase as many items as they can. They lavish themselves in commercial goods and are willing to do anything to acquire these so called necessary products at the cheapest price. Within recent years, “Black Friday” has even become a highly controversial topic. Beginning with the Wal-Mart worker from New York who was trampled to death by over-aggressive customers, and the shootings and other acts of violence due to shopping disputes, many have worried about the extent to which Americans will strive for material possessions. In failing to recognize the deeply rooted sacred foundations of this holiday, Americans have created a society in which secular rule and materialization has taken over. This progression towards a secular society, which Bercovitch mentions, has in essence regressed to meaningless chaos because of the loss of principles and foundations.
Furthermore, the over-secularization and regression of American society has left the principles advocated in Benjamin Franklin’s journal meaningless. This destruction of core values lies at all levels of society, from the middle and lower class shoppers who flock to the stores on “Black Friday,” to the wealthy corporation such as Target who manipulate the shoppers in order to maximize profit. In doing so, the principles of family and discipline have been altered. Recently, stores have advertised opening their stores on Thanksgiving night. This holiday is meant for giving thanks to all the blessings in our lives, which mainly revolve around the strength and support of family and friends. This is a day meant to be spent with family, and by opening at the break of dawn on Friday and even on Thanksgiving night, these stores are forcing employees away from their families and influencing shoppers to desert their traditions in pursuit of materialistic gains. The so called bargain prices offered by these stores are essentially buying away the American core values of family, determination, and religion which were exemplified in Franklins journal.
Unmistakably, the nation established by our founding fathers, has since greatly changed. A society once maintained by the determination of family values, has fallen to a society in which all deeply rooted origins of society have been lost to the materialistic ways representative of the extremely secularized America. Bargains and publicized sales have replaced our ancestral holy and deeply rooted holidays, which dominate the lifestyle of countless Americans. Material goods are used to judge the lives of others and people find pride in obtaining these possessions. At such a catastrophic rate, it may not be long before the traditions and values of our sacred yet secular ancestors becomes obsolete.
Word Count: 596
Works Consulted:
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34064610/ns/business-holiday_retail/t/cloud-trampling-hangs-over-black-friday/#.TsRWhvIlpI4
A Black Sin
Celebrated by countless Americans, Thanksgiving is without a doubt, one of the most special days of the year. It was originally established as a holiday to acknowledge a good harvest season and to rejoice after hard work. However, many currently fail to uphold the original intentions of this strictly American holiday. Instead, this once peaceful day of the utmost importance has changed to satisfy the deteriorating social ideologies of Americans. The American societal movement towards secularization in ideology, as presented in the works of Bercovitch, has completely lost the principles of family, religion, and discipline as presented in the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, as American society has become undone due to the lack of these principles and extreme secularization.
Bercovitch examined the progressing secularization through which the American society advanced from the time of the Puritans, however this secularization has taken on an entirely different meaning. “Black Friday” itself greatly embodies the secular aspect of society, making it greatly recognized. During these shopping days, individuals go out of their way to purchase as many items as they can. They lavish themselves in commercial goods and are willing to do anything to acquire these so called necessary products at the cheapest price. Within recent years, “Black Friday” has even become a highly controversial topic. Beginning with the Wal-Mart worker from New York who was trampled to death by over-aggressive customers, and the shootings and other acts of violence due to shopping disputes, many have worried about the extent to which Americans will strive for material possessions. In failing to recognize the deeply rooted sacred foundations of this holiday, Americans have created a society in which secular rule and materialization has taken over. This progression towards a secular society, which Bercovitch mentions, has in essence regressed to meaningless chaos because of the loss of principles and foundations.
Furthermore, the over-secularization and regression of American society has left the principles advocated in Benjamin Franklin’s journal meaningless. This destruction of core values lies at all levels of society, from the middle and lower class shoppers who flock to the stores on “Black Friday,” to the wealthy corporation such as Target who manipulate the shoppers in order to maximize profit. In doing so, the principles of family and discipline have been altered. Recently, stores have advertised opening their stores on Thanksgiving night. This holiday is meant for giving thanks to all the blessings in our lives, which mainly revolve around the strength and support of family and friends. This is a day meant to be spent with family, and by opening at the break of dawn on Friday and even on Thanksgiving night, these stores are forcing employees away from their families and influencing shoppers to desert their traditions in pursuit of materialistic gains. The so called bargain prices offered by these stores are essentially buying away the American core values of family, determination, and religion which were exemplified in Franklins journal.
Unmistakably, the nation established by our founding fathers, has since greatly changed. A society once maintained by the determination of family values, has fallen to a society in which all deeply rooted origins of society have been lost to the materialistic ways representative of the extremely secularized America. Bargains and publicized sales have replaced our ancestral holy and deeply rooted holidays, which dominate the lifestyle of countless Americans. Material goods are used to judge the lives of others and people find pride in obtaining these possessions. At such a catastrophic rate, it may not be long before the traditions and values of our sacred yet secular ancestors becomes obsolete.
Word Count: 596
Works Consulted:
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34064610/ns/business-holiday_retail/t/cloud-trampling-hangs-over-black-friday/#.TsRWhvIlpI4