The absolute chaos and madness that ensues from Black Friday is enough for many to see how bad the day truly is.

It is the only day of the year where Americans turn on Americans to satisfy a materialistic craving that had been building up all year. Since 2010, Black Friday violence has resulted in 12 deaths and 117 injuries.

One of the worst Black Friday incidents occurred in 2008 when a man was trampled to death at a New York Walmart. Despite being 6’5″ and 270 pounds, temporary worker Jdimytai Damour died of asphyxiation when crowds stampeded into the store. Eleven other shoppers were also injured, including a pregnant woman, according to an article from CNN.

It is this capitalist-mindset that corporate executives have that has a negative effect on America. Consumers see signs with big bold letters saying how much of a deal a particular store has and go wild with anticipation and craving. America’s top 1 percent has shaped the way the rest of the country sees shopping. 

Consumers spend time with their families on Thanksgiving and then fight to the death over a 60-inch television the next day. This drastic change in attitude over a span of a day shows how bipolar America’s mood can be. It is ironic that on Thanksgiving, people are supposed to show how thankful they are for what they have and then the next day they go absolutely mad with greed.