There’s something so infinitely sad and sickening about all of this.
The frantic rush to acquire useless Chinese tchotkes at a reduced price.
The doors of the store opening at 5.00 a.m. 5.00 a.m!!
200 people fighting to get at the meagre goodies manufactured by exploited and unregulated Chinese workers half a world away.
One poor store employee standing in the way, trying to control the onslaught of the crazed shopping mob.
He was then trampled to death by these very same shoppers while doing his best to do his job of crowd control.
A pregnant woman and another worker were also trampled and were subsequently hospitalized and released.
And this quote sums it up rather succintly:
“When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling, 'I've been in line since Friday morning!'" Cribbs said. "They kept shopping."
Sad and sick. You've hit it on the nail.
ReplyDeleteit's absolutely unfathomable to me, WWW. and the saddest thing was the anger that people expressed when they were told the store was closing because of the death.
ReplyDelete"we've waited a long time!" they protested.
oh my god. where do our values come from?
Tessa:
ReplyDeleteIt's still haunting me, I can't quite get a grip on all the layers of what it's saying about our society.
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Laurie:
ReplyDeleteI agree. Something similar happened here in a Goodwill store (Goodwill!!) when a bidding war broke out on some old clock and a man was nearly killed by another who was bidding.
Material crap more valued than life. I think our fearless leaders are setting the example on all of that.
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A horrible, avoidable tragedy. And the way people still wanted to grab the cheap rubbish even after a death is unbelievable. But I also have to ask, why did they let so many people in all at once so it turned to mayhem?
ReplyDeleteNick:
ReplyDeleteMy first thought too, but cutbacks on staff to increase bottom line would be one reason, plus the false excitement to create more intensity around the competition to grab the pitiful items for sale.
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Buying items for people who do not even want the stuff I bet!
ReplyDeleteThis type of behaviour is why I now hate christmas.
Without the tragedy of someone dying and others injured, this would almost be laughable. It isn't laughable though, it's downright scary.
ReplyDeleteThe waiting in line (for what FGS?) is puzzling enough, but for so many to trample over a person in distress is absolutely horrifying.
And these call themselves Christians?
Far from being Good Samaritans or even "passing by on the other side", they stomp on the poor helpless being under their feet.
:-(
Well, we are the pinnacle of God's creation - aren't we?
ReplyDeleteMob mentality. Take each of those people individually, probably nice people, polite and friendly.
ReplyDeletePut them all together and promise them discount, see what happens.
It happens in other places in the world as well, just in different format.
Scary.
GM:
ReplyDeleteOh another Xmas avoider, me too! We haven't 'done' it in years and certainly don't get involved with the crazy goings on of it all!!
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T:
ReplyDeleteIf there was a God, She would have turned her back on this whole sorry experiment a long, long time ago and moved on to greener pastures than Walmarty Bogland.
Disgusting.
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RJA:
ReplyDeleteIndeed but God has nothing to do with it, I'm afraid.
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Gaye:
ReplyDeleteAnd the mad scramble to see who's first to get the Christmas Crib at half-price.
Bargain basement Sweet Baby Jeebuzz to pray to.
I wonder who's praying for the poor soul who lost his life?
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I have always disliked stores like Walmart, because they exploit their employees and the workers who produce the cheaply sold goods. Still, people insist on shopping there and saving all those hard earned bucks, all in the name of the economy. I don't live in the States, but I would make it a point not to shop there, no matter how cheap the prices. It's a matter of principle. It is extremely sad to see what this has led to.
ReplyDeleteFTW:
ReplyDeleteI haven't "Big Boxed" in years having found the experiences in these behemoths soul-destroying and empty.
Conducive, I daresay, to the complete disregard shown to this unfortunate employee.
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