A furniture company’s radio ad begins, “Nobody should go hungry at the holidays.”
I agree but nobody should go hungry the rest of the year, either. In a country that considers itself wealthy — and spends so much on military hardware — hunger shouldn’t be treated as a seasonal concern.
As the ad goes on, my cynicism kicks in. The familiar bargain is offered: buy from us and we’ll help feed the needy. It’s presented as “giving back,” but the giving is tied to the selling.
I don’t object to people being fed. I object to a basic human need becoming a holiday marketing opportunity and to charity being used to emotionally manipulate us when we make purchases. That sell is older than this ad, of course. Capitalism and marketing have simply become sharply refined at making consumption feel generous.
Open your purses and wallets. Break out the credit cards. Black Friday has begun.
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