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Materialism taken to the extreme

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by countduckula, Nov 29, 2008.

  1. countduckula Banned

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    http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local...worker_dies_at_long_island_walmart_after.html

     
  2. Gnarfflinger

    Gnarfflinger Wiseguy in Training

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    Do they need riot cops is they plan to have a good sale? That would increase cost, and thus the prices would have to rise, thus defeating the purpose of the sale in the first place. Maybe the rising insurance costs will be reflected in their new sale prices...
     
  3. Iku-Turso Gems: 26/31
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    I still remember (although vaguely since I was very young) the Soviet Union, I thought that this was about that, since that was materialism taken to the extreme.

    This is just group behaviour. Shocking, but group behaviour still.
     
  4. Silvery

    Silvery I won't pretend to be your friend coz I'm just not ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    It's scary that people who are just your average Joe can behave like that just to get a few bargains. There's no way I'm going sale shopping now!
     
  5. martaug Gems: 23/31
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    This happens at least every year with several people injured or killed across the nation.
    Like silvery said it is scary(& amazing) the lengths some people will go to to get a good deal.
    That was all my aunts & neices could talk about thanksgiving, having to be in line at the mall like 6hrs before the opened!!
     
  6. nunsbane

    nunsbane

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    As martaug points out, this happens every year. Someone will inevitably be damaged by a crowd stampeding toward some cheaply priced item or another. It has become so common and is so gross that I generally don't allow myself to even consider the incident(s). I will advise people I care about to not put themselves in such situations, after that I ignore this horrible new holiday tradition.
     
  7. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    Well, I tried to find another instance of someone getting killed and could not find one. I did find some past instances of violence and injuries, but not anything quite like this. If anyone has a link or a specific story of someone getting killed by shoppers, I would like to read it. It's not that I doubt anyone, but I could use the info.
     
  8. NOG (No Other Gods)

    NOG (No Other Gods) Going to church doesn't make you a Christian

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    I seem to remember some over the Tickle-Me-Elmos, but I'm not sure.
     
  9. Gnarfflinger

    Gnarfflinger Wiseguy in Training

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    I remember violence with the release of the Cabbage Patch Kids, X-box 360, PS3 and Wii...
     
  10. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    Even I was young then - That was like 20 years ago. I remember some minor violence over that too, but nothing where anyone was killed or trampled by a stampede of shoppers, and left to die while people continued shopping. What I'm looking for is something very much like this incident if anyone really knows of one.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2008
  11. Gnarfflinger

    Gnarfflinger Wiseguy in Training

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    True enough. It just seems like these events get worse and worse as people care less and less for one another and more and more about what they want...
     
  12. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    I remember that too! That happened in my home town in PA!
     
  13. khazadman Gems: 6/31
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    Most of you might be too young to remember this, but eleven people were killed in a rush at a Who concert in Ohio about thirty years ago.
     
  14. The Great Snook Gems: 31/31
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    If I remember correctly it was the fault of WKRP in Cincinatti :D

    Only kidding, but that was a great episode of the show.
     
  15. Saber

    Saber A revolution without dancing is not worth having! Veteran

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    I am disgusted with this... who in their right mind would not help someone who you are crushing with your feet because the goddamn toys might be gone by the time you get there?

    Order online. Save lives.
     
  16. LKD Gems: 31/31
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    This is what happens when the whole idea of "rights" is completely unbalanced or unopposed by the idea of "responsibilities." I see this happening all over the Western world -- we are an increasingly selfish, self centred bunch. I would bet many shoppers never even realized that the worker was hurt -- they were too fixated on getting the item. The idea of having responsibilities to your fellow man and to society (the responsibility to wait patiently in line until the door is all the way open, the common courtesy extended to fellow shoppers by not pushing and shoving, etc, etc.)
     
  17. Montresor

    Montresor Mostly Harmless Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder

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    On a similar note, nine people were trampled to death at the Roskilde Festival in 2000.

    This part particularly irks me (not Oasis and the Pet Shop Boys, but the organizers:mad:):

    EDIT:

    @LKD: People tend to remember their own rights (real or perceived) and "forget" that everybody else must logically have the same rights as themselves, including the right to not be trampled to death. :grr:
     
  18. Slith

    Slith Look at me! I have Blue Hands! Veteran

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    This disgusts me.

    I work at Best Buy and we've had to change our tactics somewhat to avoid this sort of thing - at 3 am associates go outside to the people to talk to them and hand out limited tickets to the people in the front of the line for items that we have very little of. At opening, only 50 people are allowed in at a time every few minutes to help prevent trampling and chaos. After 6 am or so, everyone is mostly inside and we can fully open the doors.
     
  19. Carcaroth

    Carcaroth I call on the priests, saints and dancin' girls ★ SPS Account Holder

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    In the UK people are generally a bit more genteel about it and camp in queues outside of stores like Harrords over the Christmas holidays to be the first into the store.

    That said, there was a bit of a riot when a new Ikea opened in North London a few years ago.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4252421.stm
     
  20. chevalier

    chevalier Knight of Everfull Chalice ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    Can't add anything new. It's disgusting. It's also criminal for the people immediately involved and I'm not joking here.
     
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