Rant: What is the point of a consumerist society that only opens shops when everybody's working?

This only happens because my unemployment buddy has finally got a job :( well, yay for him ^ ^ but boo for me.
Anyway, he had to set his alarm for 6:00. he then explains to me the 20 minute journey will take an hour at that time.. thus unwittingly launching me into a bitter rant about the pathetic state of affairs when it comes to our society's badly thought out time table.

It's something I've often thought about before i got a 9 - 5 job. But since most people just seemed to accept it, I assumed it wasnt as bad as i thought. Then i got a 9- 5 job, and remembered that the people of britain have an infamous tendancy to shut up and tolerate- sometimes even defend- ridiculous traditions that clearly cause them much stress.

basically, why must everything start at the same time. It generates brain numbing traffic.. people who live 20 minutes away have to waste an extra 40 minutes every day. Whats the point? Do offices really need to be open at the same time as shops and schools? Would it kill anyone if they started their days an hour or so later.. seriously, how is photocopying or data entry actually affected by that?? C'mon office owner people. Is your choice to start work at the same time as everything else in town just a childish fear of not fitting in, or do you just want to make it harder for employees to get in on time so you've got more on your side when you fire them?

And why do all shops need to be open at 9:30 am anyway? Who needs to buy a dvd, a new dress, or stuffed bear at 9:30am on a tuesday, because it just cant wait til 10:30 am? are there really such people?

and when i think about it, how exactly does consumer business benefit from opening when everyone goes into work, and then closing as soon as they all get out again? what, dont you want people to be able to come to your shop?

No, of course you dont.. you want 90% of the population to only visit your shop on one day of the week: Saturday. You have decided to designate this day as consumer hell day. People still have to get up at 6am just to park, wait hours in queues at every single shop, barging through, and being served by, other pissed off nonces suffering your stupid system. This is the way we reward the hardworking, employed population.

I mean i seem to remember in a lot of other countries ive been to, the shops were open later on in the day. In japan for example, it seemed pretty normal for shops to be open til 8 or 9pm every day of the week- so open when people have finished work. Whoa! shit! did i just say something utterly crazy? no, i dont think i did actually.. i think that just made sense.

In fact, the more i think about it, why does ANYONE have to start the day before 10am? what, worried that your employees might leave the house after the frost has melted and the air has warmed up a bit? well wouldn't that just be so terrible. Paranoid that employees who cycle in will not be exposed to the risks of icey roads and school-run mums? I'd love to say i understand your concerns, but i don't, even slightly.
Ok, so theres farmers and pickers who genuinely need to get to work at first light.. fair enough you guys. Also, small kids have a habit of waking up 7am sharpish, so it kinda makes sense that schools start early too. But the book store? the map company? whats your excuse?

Well, i could go on and on. It's better that i stop here and now before it ends up somewhere like me bantering on about the justice system, or globalisation & multiculturalism or various such other nonsense, 'while i'm at it'. No one needs to hear that shit at 1am, Issi..

(..be thankful for what you've just been spared, readers!)