Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers

Townhall.com ^ | December 7, 2008 | Ken Connor

[narses]

As many as you like, you are not on it. When you post an interesting areticle like this I ping others to it. Your article got pinged to my list, of which you are not a member. Capisce?

[MaggieCarta]

Signs of America's rampant consumerism have existed for decades, but this tragedy takes the cake.

Stopped reading right there.

Consumerism isn't so much the culprit here. Rather, it's a rampant refusal (by some) to adopt any behavior which might resemble manners and civility.

[wintertime]

The point for a healthy society of commerce and politics is not that religion saves, but that it keeps most of the players inside the chalk lines. We are erasing the chalk lines.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Constitutions and laws do not make a people free.

Ultimately our experiment in self-rule is bases upon a population of honest people of good will. Erase the chalk lines, as you point out, and we will no longer be a free people. We will live under the thumb of the most immoral tyrant with the most power to corrupt.

[fetal heart beats by 21st day]

Are you suggesting this incident speaks volumes about Walmart shoppers, New York shoppers, Black Friday shoppers, or what?

[stevie_d_64]

As soon as the madness subsided the management and law enforcement should have escorted every single person (customer) out of the store, and closed it for the rest of the day...Reposess all merchandice and refund all purchases...

But nooooooooo, that would seriously upset some people...Never mind that some of those very people are directly responsible for someone’s death...

[gimme1ibertee]

As we remove God from American life, the devil steps in to fill the void and the result is what we see on the nightly news and read about in the paper.
Exactly right.We are so desensitized to common decency and consideration of others that these kinds of things are occurring more frequently every day. Shocking and repulsive behavior is the rule rather than the exception nowadays;Kids are told that God is an oppressive dictator and an outdated mythological figure,not to be taken seriously;couple that with kids exposed to constant displays of violence and degradation of the most horrendous degree,parents allowing it because,let's face it,our kids need "pals" instead of parents because it's more "cool" to be a pal,and you have a recipe for disaster.

[teletech]

Exactly right.We are so desensitized to common decency and consideration of others that these kinds of things are occurring more frequently every day. Shocking and repulsive behavior is the rule rather than the exception nowadays;Kids are told that God is an oppressive dictator and an outdated mythological figure,not to be taken seriously;couple that with kids exposed to constant displays of violence and degradation of the most horrendous degree,parents allowing it because,let's face it,our kids need "pals" instead of parents because it's more "cool" to be a pal,and you have a recipe for disaster.

When parents stray from God, can their kids be far behind?

[gimme1ibertee]

Signs of America's rampant consumerism have existed for decades, but this tragedy takes the cake.
MaggieCarta, I am in agreement with you. How in the he!! is rampant consumerism responsible for this???? Is that what capitalism has been reduced to-"rampant consumerism"? God bless rampant consumerism,I say! The wanton violent coldbloodedness of that unruly mob and their apathetic attitude alarms me so much more than the "evil" presence of capitalism.

[gimme1ibertee]

When parents stray from God, can their kids be far behind?
Unfortunately...no,especially when the parents have decided for themselves that God is a farce.The circle must be broken.Adults have to stop being kids,and kids have got to stop being adults.The family unit is the first line of defense on that.

[teletech]

Unfortunately...no,especially when the parents have decided for themselves that God is a farce.The circle must be broken.Adults have to stop being kids,and kids have got to stop being adults.The family unit is the first line of defense on that.

We need to turn our nation back to God and until we do, no crisis we face will be totally solved.

[the invisib1e hand]

We should all just say no to network news. If Americans could do that, they might remember how to think for themselves.

Agreed. But my parallel point was that the "new media" is just as prone to herd mentality. It's just human nature.

People have to learn to turn off everything once in a while.

[hunter112]

Perhaps it is a mistake to call this "rampant consumerism", but clearly, the Black Friday sales hyping procedures create (or at least contribute greatly to) a mob mentality. Yes, it was in NY that this guy was killed, but the same sort of rudeness and hostility happens to a lesser degree all around the country.

Three years ago, I had a job for a few weeks at Sears. Every workday morning, I'd climb up and down ladders and put up signs offering 40% off a ridiculous "full sticker" price, and put up one offering 50% off that same nobody'd-pay-that-much-for-it price. Then, a few days later, I'd take down the 50% and put up a 40%, etc, you get the point. As this practice would rotate around the store, each morning I worked, I'd be playing some sort of "game" with the minds of the shoppers on behalf of Sears.

It finally occurred to me that if they simply just charged one damn price year round for their items, they could easily get rid of me, my department, the sign-making supplies and equipment, and all the stupid sales fliers that they paid even more for, by sending them out in the dinosaur news media's papers. And they could sell the stupid Turd World-made merchandise for 60% off "retail".

I'm lucky that in mid-November, I got honest work manufacturing semiconductors. I would have hated to have to be a participant in Black Friday shenanigans. Since shoppers are more often than not fools, I look to those who fan the fires of their foolishness in this case. Some jury will award this man's family megabucks, and maybe the Wal-Marts etc. will re-evaluate this American Pamplona.

[gimme1ibertee]

Thanks,Hunter, for your perspective. Glad you were able to find work,especially nowadays.The hype you cite surrounding Black Friday,Memorial Day,Back-to-school or other myriad excuses needed to sell can and does definitely contribute to mob mentality,but there has to be-HAS to be-responsibility put onto this mob,and others like them around the country. There’s just so much apathy,jealousy,greed and inhumanity in these times that it seems inconceivable (for some) not to trample over another human being in the name of a discounted TV.I’ve worked many years in retail and wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy,but I have to say,I like to drive past a Wal-Mart or Target and see the parking lot full.Re your point about charging one price: sure,that makes sense on its face,but then,what about healthy competition? Not to mention the printing houses,ink & paper suppliers and advertising companies that employ folks to print these sales fliers. I don’t mind getting a flier in the mail that screams 50% off of nothing;I have the option to get all homicidal and dash off to Walmart,or just get online and take the Internet discount and not experience the intolerance and impatience of my fellow man.

[hunter112]

Given that it is not possible to find and sue each member of a mob for their proportionate share of the damage wrought by a mob, I find it is far more efficient to go after the firm that incited the mob behavior, and let the costs of the behavior be reflected in the prices charged by the inciting company.

I'm all for healthy competition, but what's truly either healthy or competitive about flip-flopping between a 40% discount and a 50% discount every few days? The costs of such trickery are being borne by the consumers, because of the inefficiency of the process.

Your average gas station prices go up and down with the market, but it costs very little to have someone hoist a price change on a pole for three grades of fuel, and the gas station doesn't go around spending vast sums of money advertising in the local papers. These days, they have electronic signs that can be changed by pushing buttons on a keyboard.

I just wish people would wake up and see how they're being bamboozled, but the last election doesn't give me a lot of hope in that direction!

[gimme1ibertee]

Given that it is not possible to find and sue each member of a mob for their proportionate share of the damage wrought by a mob, I find it is far more efficient to go after the firm that incited the mob behavior, and let the costs of the behavior be reflected in the prices charged by the inciting company.

Isn't that punishing the people who are not a part of the mob mentality,by making them pay higher prices? And I do not see where there was incitement in this instance. Offering discounts on products isn't a gateway to stampeding hordes (unless you advertise 20 wide-screen TVs at 50% off!) The store is responsible for not providing enough security personnel-that i'll give you,but fluctuating discounts and Black-Friday sales are no reason for wanton destructive behavior committed by unruly,inconsiderate,selfish people. You are entirely correct on the people being bamboozled....that's usually how it is with sheep.I still,however,hold out hope for us,because there are still some good,decent freethinking people in this country. I know-I read their posts every day on FR! :)