Target Isn’t a Store; It’s a Lifestyle

The fluorescent halogen lights flicker. The gum on the old, worn tile grasps to the soles of my sneakers. The aroma of stale popcorn wafts through the aisles as I push my red cart through the racks of cozy sweaters and patterned scarves. I know I am at home. I know I am at Target.

Call me crazy, but tons of people react similarly when they step into the spherical world of overpriced goods. My friend texts me every time she ventures into a Target. My floormates plan entire trips to Emeryville around going to Target. Whenever I, yet again, find myself there, I Snapchat my friend in Britain because I desperately want him to understand the sense of euphoria Target provides — he still doesn’t.

Each time I go to Target I walk in with a list of necessities and leave with a shopping cart full of things I never needed or knew I needed or wanted. My $50 list ends up ringing up at over $200, but “it’s okay, we save 5% with the Target RedCard,” I tell myself each time.

Why does Target happen to good people?

Simple.

Target isn’t a store. It’s a way of life. The blood in my veins doesn’t just run red, it runs Target red.

It’s an addiction.

We count down the days until our next shopping excursion. We get a thrill from buying those shoes that are finally on sale. During winter vacation, we tell our parents we’re going to hang out with friends, when we’re really just going on a late-night Target run for ice cream and a movie.

But it’s okay. “We can stop whenever we want.”

Except we can’t. Instead, we live in perpetual denial of our problem.

But what exactly is the problem? Is it that shopping at Target is bad because Target is yet another store that perpetuates the corporatism of America? Is Target a mechanism for the eradication of Ma and Pa markets, causing them to close in preparation for the construction of Super Targets? Is it a commodity full of red spheres hypnotizing customers into buying overpriced food, clothing, and toys?

Or is Target merely an amazingly fun American phenomenon? I like to think this is the actual issue at hand.

Because Target isn’t monopolizing the market more than other corporate stores, like Wal-Mart. True, Target has recently expanded into cities, and Super Targets, complete with grocery stores, have increased in popularity. True we all know that everything in the store is ridiculously overpriced; I can get the same family size box of Goldfish — that I will eat all by myself for dinner — at Wal-Mart or Safeway for $1 less.

These underlying truths exist and as consumers, we are cognizant of them. But it doesn’t stop us from going. It doesn’t cause us to blame Target for the problems of capitalism, nor encourage us to boycott it for its monopolizing influence over consumers. Deep down, I think we all know that Target cannot single-handedly corrupt a nation. Other stores contribute to this mess as well. So instead of quitting Target cold turkey, we continue to support it because we love it, it’s fun, and it has its own mascot.

Maybe this is a naive way to look at the world of consumerism, but it’s true. We could shop at Wal-Mart or K-Mart or any other -Mart. But we continuously pick Target, where the $1 section is a palace. The buy 2, get 1 free sale makes you feel like you won the lottery. And the thrill of the hunt is endlessly enticing. No other store could have an entire BuzzFeed article dedicated to people’s addiction for it. No other store could have their own meme because let’s be real, #AlexfromWal-Mart doesn’t sound nearly as exciting as #AlexfromTarget. No other store can be perfectly epitomized by one Saturday Night Live sketch.

When you buy your meals from the same place that you buy your clothes and bathroom accessories, you know that you’ve found a store that understands your needs. It wants to be there for you on your sad days with Ben and Jerry’s. It wants to celebrate your accomplishments with fancy dresses. It wants to ensure you are well rested with soft sheets and cozy bedspreads. It wants to support you every step of the way. Who could hate that? Who could argue against Target and all of its love for you?

Image Sources: metronewsca, abullseyeview.com, Target via facebook.com, dealdetectingdiva.com, logo-kid.com, and wcrz.com