Black Die-day (that's right, I pun... badly.)

[xblack_x_rosesx]

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/11/28/2008-11-28_worker_dies_at_long_island_walmart_after.html

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/28/black.friday.violence/index.html

"A worker died after being trampled and a woman miscarried when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island Wal-Mart Friday morning, witnesses said.
In California, two people were killed in a shooting at a Toys 'R' Us in Palm Desert, according to the Riverside County Fire Department."

You all really take this Black Friday thing seriously, eh?
=P

We ended up talking about it in class today, and how "American's have tendencies of greed that trump everything else".
I argued that it's in human nature to be greedy, despite where you're from.

But people... being dead? o.o Oye vey, I didn't think special sales were really that big a deal?

[xblack_x_rosesx]

[[ I actually only first heard of "Black Friday" like, on Wednesday, so I guess I'm out of the loop in general. Regardless, neo-liberal capitalist consumerist culture at its finest xP ]]

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I argued that it's in human nature to be greedy, despite where you're from.

I could argue that it may not be human nature. If you have a collectivist society, there may be more potentiality for people to share common wealth and look out for others.

But I'm just speculating.

[Shao Feng-Li]

People are so stupid -_-

Online shopping please.

[Radical Dreamer]

I'd say it's human nature in general, though it might be more prominent in some cultures than others. Shames me to know that people in general would act this way, much less Americans. I personally hate Black Friday and refuse to have anything to do with it, unless I'm required to work.

[xblack_x_rosesx]

I could argue that it may not be human nature. If you have a collectivist society, there may be more potentiality for people to share common wealth and look out for others.

But I'm just speculating.

I think that was poor choice of wording on my part =P. I think I was getting at, considering how we're raised to believe capitalism is the best, communism is ebiillll, it makes sense that, in our have-lots culture people would act like that. Americans, being reletively close to pure capitalism, are kind of the epitomy of it.
Or something. Who knows.

[RobinSena]

Seeing as the words to correctly describe humans would get me banned, suffice it to say that humans are incredibly screwed up. Not having lived in other countries, I can't say how others compare to Americans, but I'm sure our capitalism has something to do with our greed.

[Dante]

You think that the stampedes of humans are bad now! Just imagine how bad it would be if we were in a GOOD economy .

[RobinSena]

You think that the stampedes of humans are bad now! Just imagine how bad it would be if we were in a GOOD economy .

That could really go either way.

1. More money could mean that more people would be buying.
or
2. More money could mean that people would be less worried about getting a good deal, so they'd either be less crazy(unlikely) or less people would come.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

What the heck is Black Friday? A big shopping day or something?

[Stephen]

Yeah. Pretty much Warrior. Early morning sales and whatnot.

[ADXC]

Wow, I hate Black Friday sooooooo much. I went to Best Buy to buy something(Note: I planned on buying it on a earlier day but I didn't have the money at the time. It was just a dvd, nothing special. There was no deduction.) and the store was packed! I pretty much don't see much point in this day. They may take off $50 for some item, but Im not just about to interupt my sleep at 3 am to find these deals. I mean seriously this nation is tooooooooo greedy. Well I mean that as in that there's an actual day for greed(Black Friday.). I realize that people want to buy things at discounted prices, but come on this is ridiculous.

[soul alive]

*sigh*
I had to work Black Friday morning at the entertainment retailer I work at. Fun times. Our group was fortunately fairly relaxed, though we did keep having to chase people out and guard the door whenever anyone went out to check the rental return box, and our woefully old computer system kept freaking out (literally every few calls in or out were for the help desk).

I do find it utterly ridiculous how cranky people get about shopping. Seriously, there are much better things to be freaking out about than whether or not you got that Rockband 2 for the 360 on sale or not.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Thanks Stephen.

I have never heard of people being killed over shopping prices in anywhere but America. This terrible!
Apt name for it though.

[Stephen]

Well, everyone freaks out because of the prices. People trying to get Christmas gifts and whatnot. I think humans in general are all capable of being stupid and selfish.

[mechana2015]

Apt name for it though.

Actually it was named as such due to it being the day that put the retailers financially 'in the black' (profitable) due to the huge amount of sales on that one day.

[Kunoichi]

I actually did my first Black Friday and in my area, I really enjoyed it!

but then again, I went with my mom and aunt, we were all pretty much broke so we were very leisurely with it and wasn't rushing around or anything...that probably had a lot to do with it lol

Altho my hubby told me in walmart he saw two men fighting over a tv (like brawling) and they got dragged off my security and the tv got taken under their nose by another person lol

Sad that ppl are dead tho

[KagayakiWashi]

I heard about an old lady who beat some teen over the head with her purse to get an Xbox when they first came out. Pretty crazy stuff.

[ShiroiHikari]

I'd just like to say that while this is terrible, don't lose faith in the human race just yet. Still, I do think Black Friday is kind of retarded, which is why I don't go.

[Esoteric]

No, capitalism as an economic principle has very little to do with it. (We've been a capitalist nation for 200 years and such occurrences have only recently become a major problem.) It's plain old human selfishness. "Me me me!" That exists everywhere. It's only worse here because of the spoiled 'entitlement' mentality Americans have fostered. i.e. "I won't be denied; I deserve this!" Actually, if you blame any particular mentality, blame materialism. It's sad to see it getting stronger each year.

[ShiroiHikari]

[quote="Esoteric (post: 1272942)"]No, capitalism as an economic principle has very little to do with it. (We've been a capitalist nation for 200 years and such occurrences have only recently become a major problem.) It's plain old human selfishness. "Me me me!" That exists everywhere. It's only worse here because of the spoiled 'entitlement' mentality Americans have fostered. i.e. "I won't be denied]

Thank you.

[chibiphonebooth]

this was posted by some people i respect who i'm friends with on Myspace. XD

"I almost cried as I read the headlines this morning.

"Black Friday Turns Deadly" as a Wal Mart employee was trampled to death by a stampede of shoppers.

"Fatal Shooting Following Toy Store Brawl" , two men fatally shot.

"Wal Mart Shoppers Scuffle Over Last X Box 360" There was actually a video of people piled on top of each other fighting over a game!

That's just the violent side of Black Friday. The amount of money spent yesterday will probably bring tears to my eyes too when those numbers are released.

Thursday, I had Thanksgiving lunch with about 100 people with no homes or a family to share a meal with, who were thankful to share a hot meal with smiling faces.

For so many others around the world it was just another day of hunger, sickness and death.

Meanwhile, many Americans are waking up before the sun to fight traffic, check out lines and sometimes each other to get the best deals on cool new stuff. This year, it cost 3 American lives.

Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with bargain shopping. If you went shopping yesterday, I'm not condemning you for doing so (unless you beat someone up for a sale item), but I think we can all agree that here in America, we have some mixed up priorities and I hope that we as individuals can at least can recognize how blessed we are and be willing to share with others out of our abundance or even sacrifice to do so.

Please consider how you can give more this year than you did last year. Or better yet, just give more today than you did yesterday. Even if it's just a buck, it's a great start.

Thanks!"
~LuxuryFund.
when you donate to them, they give all the donated money to children in africa or other places where people are starving.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=395467443

and thennn
"bless​ed are those​ who fight​ over an cheap​ xbox 360.​.​.​
Body:
Actua​lly
I think​ go goes a littl​e more like this
"​Bless​ed are those​ who HUNGE​R and THIRS​T
for RIGHT​EOUSN​ESS and JUSTI​CE
for they shall​ be fille​d"​
What if Gods child​ren fough​t with such urgen​cy
for the lives​ of the poor and broke​n
What if we truly​ felt hunge​r pains​ and dehyd​ratio​n
of the injus​tice aroun​d us
what if this video​ was ameri​cans raidi​ng their​ house​s
of their​ exces​s to give to those​ in need
what if we truly​ decid​ed to start​ takin​g Jesus​ serio​usly?​

What would​ a video​ of that look like?​"
~Brandt
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=1877001

i'm just kinda disgusted about this. :/
i agree with esoteric.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I think that a major factor is that companies themselves increase demand of their product via advertisement and propaganda. They stir up hype in people into thinking that they have to get this laptop for 200$ off or a wide screen tv for 300$ off or something.

I think companies are certainly part of the blame.

[animewarrior]

.. err I just heard about Black Friday recently and well this is just REALLY SAD.. apparently people in the store wouldn't leave even when the POLICE annouced someone had DIED... they basically said we waited 5 hours to get in here to buy stuff we really don't need so you can't make us leave.... err.... regular bumch of worms if you ask me...

[Purplefire]

I don't mind black Friday, I just go after all the people who wait in line since 2 or 3 am. Most of the 'big' sales go off after 9 am, so my family simply goes shopping after that. It's the only day I can count on to do Christmas shopping for the family with my husband present. I can never figure out what to get for his father, grandfather or brother so that's why I bring him with me.

As for people dieing because of some 'great' sale, that is just too sad. No item is ever worth your life. Crazy people who can't wait to spend a lot of money. *rolling eyes*

[Shao Feng-Li]

I gotta say, Black Friday seemed pretty mild here in Lewiston, ID. Even at Walmart, business was steady all day, though I think it was a bit more frantic that morning. We went out and traffic wasn't bad and the stores were not packed, just busy.

[Popsicle]

In California, two people were killed in a shooting at a Toys 'R' Us in Palm Desert, according to the Riverside County Fire Department."

I heard about this yesterday when my cousin almost went there when this happened. Luckily we dragged her off to our other cousin's wedding instead. It's so sad that this incident occurred though. That is the only Toys R Us in this area and it's unheard of for this to happen in Palm Desert. A bunch of kids aren't getting their Toys R Us toys this year, lol. But the people that were shot weren't shot because of shopping issues, it was familial issues.

But yeah...I don't go shopping on Black Friday. I don't even like shopping, haha!

[Esoteric]

I think that a major factor is that companies themselves increase demand of their product via advertisement and propaganda. They stir up hype in people into thinking that they have to get this laptop for 200$ off or a wide screen tv for 300$ off or something.

I think companies are certainly part of the blame.

They are, in as much as they know how to appeal to human appetites and keep them 'inflamed'.
If you pay attention to the subtle wording of advertising, you'll notice most preaches ideas along the lines of, "Give yourself a break and get yourself a little something. You've earned it--don't you deserve an easier, happier life?" They promote materialism and relativistic Americans buy into it because they don't know what else to believe in anymore. They think better stuff will make them happy, and it does...for a short while. Then they need something new to fill the 'empty void' of their lives and it becomes an addiction. And as C.S. Lewis said, "A man with an addiction is a man with very little sale resistance."

[bakura_fan]

That's sad. Supposedly there's a thing for online shoppers called Cyber monday or something. I haven't looked into it yet....

[Whitefang]

Esoteric is wise.

I think the most disheartening aspect of this debacle for American culture is the lack of any sense of remorse or personal responsibility. The media, usually quick to add in bias or wordplay to their political or social scoops, remain stoic and poised when they were reporting the death of the worker. They did not lament the actions of the crowd, they did not use colorful language to describe what is basically the dehumanization of the crowd which led to the unbridled frenzy. They simply reported it, as though it was the only way it could have happened. That it was a simple, but tragic, unpreventable accident.

It was preventable, and the general public needs to sober up to that reality. When will we wake up and take responsibility for our own actions (and ask for forgiveness for them)?