It's a shame and I wonder why it doesn't happen more often. The part that gets me is why is an eight month pregnant woman out in that crowd knowing she's going to be jostled? All for a cheap video game.
The almighty consumer is king and his thirst for more stuff must be quenched. This is the confluence of two problems: an economy driven by untenable consumption and what can be summed up as "I guess that's how they were raised." I am also surprised that this has not happened more frequently.
This bargain mob mentality is just a very fine notch above looting mentality, the distinction being only that one occurs during a legal activity and the other an illegal one. But the mentalities associated with the two acts are otherwise identical. I have no desire to coexist with such people.
I was watching a new Walmart commercial last night where the employees are playing bells with the checkout lights. Then this morning, I was going through the Sunday Walmart circular and I have a question to ask. How come those people featured in the print ad and commercial, don't work or look like the employees at any of the Walmarts near me?
Doc, they certainly were but I think that is what the commercial was about, that they would have more check out people this season. More check out people with their blue shirts tucked in, without cell phones to ears and greeting you with a smile.
I have a problem with the ones who don't say A WORD to you at all. These folks check you through and then don't even tell you the amount of the total bill. That is what the little monitor is for, I guess. I ALWAYS then ask, "oh, how much is the total?". Some will even turn the monitor closer to you without saying a word. Makes my blood boil. I guess I should exercise my right NOT to shop there, but until TARGET makes an appearance in this town...
Roger, ahh! You have hit on what was once one of my easiest buttons to push. Then, I finally decided to retaliate. Here is what I do when someone fails to recognize that I am the customer he or she is supposed to be serving (almost always it is a she who does this...and almost always a she who appears to hold me accountable for some injustice her predecessors experienced nearly a century ago). I just stand there, smiling, until the person acknowledges me. Then, as I begin talking, if she looks away, I again stop. My record for this has been about 12 iterations. But even that determined stalwart finally broke. I derive a great deal of pleasure in breaking someone of using her customer service position (especially in government customer service positions--where they know they can't be fired) as a forum for exacting some sort of personal vengence for whatever perceived connection I might have to her self-imposed misery. Of course, it is also good to go explain my behavior to the person's manager afterwards. Another related fun activity is to go to some high-end clothing store wearing clean, blue collar "work clothes" (which is what I wear when working around my home and other properties). Please note, I don't do this just for the sake of testing people, I really do wear such clothing most of the time and I have a job where I need to have business suits so I often wear my normal clothing when shopping for office clothing. When the clerk indicates his or her (about even distribution I have found) perceived superiority to me, and only when it is clear that the clerk would rather show me the door than the merchandise for fear of being soiled by proximity to someone who might work with his hands, I like to inquire as to what other accomplishments, besides being a store clerk, this self-important servant to the well-heeled has to warrant addressing me with such royal snubbishness. Then I also like to visit the manager thereafter. It is even more fun to do this with a wad of $100s in my wallet which I count through as I relate to the manager that I was hoping to do some shopping there but clearly the staff would prefer I leave. I will know that I have achieved success in this scenario when the manager replies: "Sir, I can see that you are not only a handsome man, but a powerful man as well."
I know, I really should learn to control myself. It's not a pretty sight when I unleash my stand-there-and-smile-until-they-acknowledge-me combination. Perhaps a good anger management program would help.
It's a shame and I wonder why it doesn't happen more often. The part that gets me is why is an eight month pregnant woman out in that crowd knowing she's going to be jostled? All for a cheap video game.
ReplyDeleteThe almighty consumer is king and his thirst for more stuff must be quenched. This is the confluence of two problems: an economy driven by untenable consumption and what can be summed up as "I guess that's how they were raised." I am also surprised that this has not happened more frequently.
ReplyDeleteThis is why economic models are wrong half of the time - economists simply can't factor for human greed and stupidity.
ReplyDeleteThis happens every year (perhaps to a lesser extent)- but amid the current economic climate, it makes for better storytelling...
What is being left out in the news reports is; given the size of the typical Wal-Mart shopper, it only took 3 gals to trample the poor guy to death.
ReplyDeleteThis bargain mob mentality is just a very fine notch above looting mentality, the distinction being only that one occurs during a legal activity and the other an illegal one. But the mentalities associated with the two acts are otherwise identical. I have no desire to coexist with such people.
ReplyDeleteI was watching a new Walmart commercial last night where the employees are playing bells with the checkout lights. Then this morning, I was going through the Sunday Walmart circular and I have a question to ask. How come those people featured in the print ad and commercial, don't work or look like the employees at any of the Walmarts near me?
ReplyDeleteSamShapiro - And in the TV ad, all checkout lines were manned weren't they?
ReplyDeleteDoc, they certainly were but I think that is what the commercial was about, that they would have more check out people this season. More check out people with their blue shirts tucked in, without cell phones to ears and greeting you with a smile.
ReplyDeleteI have a problem with the ones who don't say A WORD to you at all. These folks check you through and then don't even tell you the amount of the total bill. That is what the little monitor is for, I guess. I ALWAYS then ask, "oh, how much is the total?". Some will even turn the monitor closer to you without saying a word. Makes my blood boil. I guess I should exercise my right NOT to shop there, but until TARGET makes an appearance in this town...
ReplyDeleteRoger, ahh! You have hit on what was once one of my easiest buttons to push. Then, I finally decided to retaliate. Here is what I do when someone fails to recognize that I am the customer he or she is supposed to be serving (almost always it is a she who does this...and almost always a she who appears to hold me accountable for some injustice her predecessors experienced nearly a century ago). I just stand there, smiling, until the person acknowledges me. Then, as I begin talking, if she looks away, I again stop. My record for this has been about 12 iterations. But even that determined stalwart finally broke. I derive a great deal of pleasure in breaking someone of using her customer service position (especially in government customer service positions--where they know they can't be fired) as a forum for exacting some sort of personal vengence for whatever perceived connection I might have to her self-imposed misery. Of course, it is also good to go explain my behavior to the person's manager afterwards. Another related fun activity is to go to some high-end clothing store wearing clean, blue collar "work clothes" (which is what I wear when working around my home and other properties). Please note, I don't do this just for the sake of testing people, I really do wear such clothing most of the time and I have a job where I need to have business suits so I often wear my normal clothing when shopping for office clothing. When the clerk indicates his or her (about even distribution I have found) perceived superiority to me, and only when it is clear that the clerk would rather show me the door than the merchandise for fear of being soiled by proximity to someone who might work with his hands, I like to inquire as to what other accomplishments, besides being a store clerk, this self-important servant to the well-heeled has to warrant addressing me with such royal snubbishness. Then I also like to visit the manager thereafter. It is even more fun to do this with a wad of $100s in my wallet which I count through as I relate to the manager that I was hoping to do some shopping there but clearly the staff would prefer I leave. I will know that I have achieved success in this scenario when the manager replies: "Sir, I can see that you are not only a handsome man, but a powerful man as well."
ReplyDeleteI love it when Mudge gets up on his hind legs like that.
ReplyDeleteI know, I really should learn to control myself. It's not a pretty sight when I unleash my stand-there-and-smile-until-they-acknowledge-me combination. Perhaps a good anger management program would help.
ReplyDeleteMudge...."Would you like your change?"
ReplyDeleteDan - That's more like it.
ReplyDeleteI just deleted an Anonymous post in which the writer rendered an uncivil opinion of another correspondant.
ReplyDelete