It is indeed ALL of those things and oddly enough they gave us our standard of living.
However the operative word Dog is FREE! As in free to opt out of the Wal-Mart, Big box mentality and shope merchants where you live. Small Business Saturday needs to be extended another 364 days for most of us. I make a point to ALWAYS go to the local merchant first. If they can't meet the need, then and only then do I venture into Corporate America's Retail Rampage, while still staying out of Wal-Mart.
It's called Freedom folks, NO ONE holds a gun to your head on Black Friday. Shop where you choose if you choose.