The other night as I watched the news, there was a story about some people who decided they were going to skip Thanksgiving — not to show symbolic solidarity with the homeless, or to work for charity, or for any noble cause. They were skipping Thanksgiving so they could be first in line at Best Buy on Friday morning.
Hansen, his friend Jared, and a few others will bear the cold weather just to be the first ones to get inside Best Buy on Friday…They’re thankful to be the first ones in line…thankful enough that they’re not even going home this turkey day. “I’m not going home for thanksgiving my mom’s bringing me out some left over turkey and a miniature grill to cook hot dogs on.
That’s right. These conspicuous consumers got in line Wednesday and stayed there two nights and all of Thanksgiving day. They had tents to sleep in and snacks to eat, and Lord knows where they relieved themselves during all that time. And for their sacrifice they got the dubious distinction of being the first ones allowed to spend their money at Best Buy on Friday morning.
A sad tale of misplaced priorities, but not as sad as the one I heard about today:
NEW YORK — A Wal-Mart worker was killed Friday when “out-of-control” shoppers desperate for bargains broke down the doors at a 5 a.m. sale. Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers shouted angrily and kept shopping when store officials said they were closing because of the death, police and witnesses said.
The Wal-Mart worker was only 34 years old. What I find most appalling is the callous attitude of the people when told the store was closing because of the person’s death — no sympathy or remorse, but rather anger and complaining about how long they had waited to shop that morning. How selfish and heartless can you get? Who thinks to themselves, “Who cares if somebody died? I want my ‘Incredible Hulk’ DVD for $9!”
Black Friday, indeed.
I went out on “Black Friday” once several years ago just to see what it was all about. When in line waiting for the store to open people were jovial and upbeat, generally alot of fun. However when the doors opened a few, not all, of those same people turned ugly. They were now wild animals on the hunt and rudeness prevailed. I thought right then that this is the part of modern Christmas I don’t have to witness, so I don’t.
My guess is that the people all camped out for Black Friday establish a code of conduct with each other that allows them to step out of line momentarily to take care of mother natures callings. It would be in all of their best interests, don’t ya think? There is probably a whole culture to this that we haven’t even scratched the surface about!
Heil Capitalism! And you guys wonder why I consider myself a Marxist.
kcdad — The problem isn’t the political system to which people subscribe; the problem is human nature. We’re all flawed people. No political system can overcome that reality; they can only try to mitigate it to varying degrees of success. I would argue that Marxism hasn’t been any more successful than capitalism. And if you tell me that “true Marxism” has never been tried, then I rest my case.
You say you want a revolution kcdad? Wait till you wait in line for everything under your Marxist dystopia. Blackmarkets, corruption, and gulags comrade. Enjoy!
C.J.–Well-stated! No political or economic system can succeed completely–yes, because of human nature. And, of course, most of us undoubtedly believe that we should nevertheless keep striving for success. This country’s economic system is based on capitalism which, of course, allows for freedom and greed. We have to take the good with the bad and strive to overcome the bad.
I feel sorry for your kids. Do they get ball in a cup games for Christamas?
I got up at 3:30. Got to Kohls at 4:00. Got what I needed for $220 below MSRP. Didn’t trample anyone. Didn’t fight with anyone. Went to Carsons/Bergners. Got what I needed without fighting any crowds. Saved $200. Went to Sears. Got a present for my dad. Saved $40 off a single item. Went to Farm and Fleet. Got my brothers present for $35 off.
I swear. You must hate life.
Ryan you are sick. There isn’t anything I want at Kohl’s bad enough to get up at 3:30 and be there at 4:00 on the day after Thanksgiving, if they were giving it away (of course, I couldn’t get up and be there in a 1/2 hour – did you go in your p.j.’s or do you live across the street?). I always thought Thanksgiving was a special holiday becuase it was about eating and doing what you wanted for four days. Didn’t have to go anywhere; didn’t have to listen to commentators talk about the “true meaning of the holidary” (mostly – yes, there is giving thanks and the pilgrims, but that is still part of eating). Now they’ve ruined Thanksgiving with this shopping mania and “tradition” of spending the night in a mall parking lot. What nonsense.
Ryan: As you’ve just demonstrated, it is possible to shop and get good bargains without going to Wal-Mart, without trampling anyone, without complaining about somebody’s death inconveniencing you, and without skipping Thanksgiving with your family. That was essentially my point. Consumption has its place, but that place is not higher on the priority list than family and common decency.
I can’t believe you could read a post decrying a guy getting trampled to death and somehow conclude that my kids are deprived and I hate life. That’s pretty warped.
C.J. Marxism is an economic ideology not political. Capitalism is both economic and political. Consumerism (advertising driven supply side economics) is a bastardization of free market capitalism. Globalization is the death throws of Capitalism. Capitalism can not survive globalism. We can see it happening to day. We are in a neo-feudalistic period.
I’m in way over my head, but while globalization is, in effect, leveling the playing field for poorer countries–I would guess that it is more rooted in capitalism than in Marxism. However, I suppose, Kcdad, you might be saying that globalization is the last ditch effort of capitalism that may lead to the death throes of capitalism. Sorry to have had so much time on my hands–my dinner plans have been delayed 3 times–so now I’m out of here.
Give it all up. No gifts for christmas.