Day 206 – November 26, 2011
“Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.”
~Erich Fromm
While surfing the net yesterday, I came across a video that I found to be very disturbing. Walmart had doorbuster sales for “Black Friday.” This doorbuster sale was a $2.00 (yes, that's right) waffle maker. While viewing the video, I saw such bad behavior, in so many people (pushing and shoving) and way too much of one woman's hiney. She didn't bother to pull up her pants, because she was too busy grabbing four of the “doorbuster” waffle makers. This was the most egregious and disgusting display of holiday behavior I have seen in a long while. Are we that desperate, or just that hard up for a $2.00 waffle maker? I believe “sale” and “doorbuster” are rapidly becoming two of the worst words in the American language. They cause what should be rational people to simply lose their minds and abandon common sense, especially during the holiday season. Every year people are seriously hurt and someone loses their life over “sales” and “doorbusters.” Congratulations retailers, their deaths are literately on your hands. You are responsible for taking the life of someone, because of your search for the “almighty dollar,” via the “Black Friday” sale and the doorbuster. I guess we can also call it black for the spirits of those who think this stuff up and for those who blindly “plow” into the sale without regard for others. Yet, retailers are not the ones who are ultimately held responsible for the chaos and mayhem they create. And the media is just as bad (no, you can't slide by on this), because every year the cameras and bobble head reporters are there to sensationalize the carnage.
I have always heard, “you get what you pay for.” In the movie Protocol with Goldie Hawn, she says, “Do you know what my Dad says? He says, if you let a guy sell you a diamond ring for only ten cents, the chances are you own a diamond ring not worth a dime.” Do you know how much sense this makes? If something is cheap, then you can certainly bet, it is worth far less than you paid for it and there is a good probability that it will be broken, or not working by New Year's Eve. What's the point? Just to give some stuff to people, that are now obliged to give you some stuff in return. None of it worth a dime and none of it given for the right reason, the true spirit of Christmas.
Long ago, the small gift exchanges that families had, meant something. They were tokens of love and appreciation with good emotions attached to them. They were thoughtful. Let me ask you this, what good emotions could possibly be attached to a “two dollar waffle maker,” that you had to tackle and abuse a complete stranger to get? And where prey tell, was this “spectacular gift” made? I will bet you it was not made by anybody that gave a rats red backside about Christmas, or it's true meaning. No matter who you are, or where you are from, or what religious beliefs you may hold or attach to Jesus of Nazareth, no one can argue this was clearly not his intention; to have such mayhem, anger and greed associated with the celebration of his birthday. Seriously, who would want that kind of misery hanging over their head?
As for you retailers, like Macy's, J.C. Penny's, and Best Buy, maybe it is time you watched Miracle on 34th Street with Natalie Wood, about 5,000 times to get the point. Clearly, you're doing it wrong. Imagine, if your younger selves could see you today, they'd kick your butts, for the greed and bad behavior (Thank you Adam Sandler as Longfellow Deeds in Mr. Deeds).
In the movie Jingle All The Way, Myron Larabee (played by Sinbad) said, “We get one day a year to prove we're not screw-ups and what do we do? We screw it up.” For what? Some cheap piece of “stuff,” perceived a deal today, that later ends up being a bust, or busted. So much for doorbusters and the Spirit of Christmas. I think I hear Santa crying in the distance.....
What will you put value on today?
Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quotes
Thank you for reading
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