Only sheeple shop on Black Friday. An astute and correct observation.
Note the author doesn't use the word sheeple, but "black-friday" and "cyber-monday" he argues are top-down orders to the masses to consume, and he is absolutely correct.
I'd hardly call them "orders." I will shop for deals on both days, but that doesn't mean I'm actually going to buy anything, especially with all the price tracking extensions available and the severe lack of actual discounts over the last few years. I will only buy things that are actually on sale and things that I actually want/need prior to me seeing them on discount.
The point is to increase sales. Browsing a website or walking through a store and not buying anything doesn't generate any revenue for a business. Nothing is being consumed, nor is anyone being forced to buy things against their will as the term "ordered" would suggest.
Do you get this bent out of shape when a store has a sale or promotion at any other point in the year?
As unnecessary consumption is one of the roots of suffering in our world, yea. I don't like sales culture. You don't need any "good deals" in your life, it's not going to make you happy. And your Pavlovian response to a fictitious holiday is the theme of the article.
Lol I'd hardly call it a Pavlovian response. It's more that it's a well known date for stores to have sales on their merchandise, which is why people shop around on those days. I don't see what's so offensive about saving some money on a purchase you were going to make anyway, but I think there is some projection happening here.