Black Friday: Cost of Living?
The 50-inch plasma TV cost $798.
The 10 megapixel camera cost $69.
And the Black Friday shoppers determined to get those door-buster bargains cost a Wal-Mart employee his life.
The ugly scene that shocked America during the Thanksgiving holiday played out just before 5AM, with no police in sight. An unruly crowd of 2,000 people broke down the doors of the store in Valley Stream, New York, and in the process trampled 34-year-old Jdimytai Damour to death.
Four other people in the store were injured and treated at a hospital.
Wall-Mart said it had added extra security staff and installed barricades, among other measures. “Despite all of our precautions,” said a spokesperson, “this unfortunate event occurred.”
The police detective in charge of the investigation had a different view. “I’ve heard other people call this an accident, but it is not,” he said. “Certainly it was a foreseeable act.”
At least part of the incident was caught on surveillance cameras, but news reports pointed out that even with the video and eyewitness accounts, “officials acknowledged that it would be difficult to identify those responsible.” There were plenty of suspects, however, beyond the store and the shoppers, including the economy.
“I think it ties into sort of fear and panic of not having enough,” said a consumer psychologist, noting that a “herd mentality” can make individuals feel anonymous to the point of trampling someone. “Fear combined with the group mentality?” the psychologist pondered. “It doesn’t surprise me at all.”
Others blamed the media for having cheered on shoppers in numerous stories leading up to the Black Friday incident, which one reporter described as “the ungovernable mix of greed and thriftiness.”
Tell us what you think: Where does the responsibility lie in this case? With the crowd? The store? The police? The economy? The media? Why would people in a group do something they would never do as individuals?
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Black Friday
First i think it’s the stores’ fault. The security stinks. Why can’t they keep the prices lower all year so things like this don’t happen? Then I blame it on the economy. People are desperate , no jobs, no money. Then I blame it on the people being too greedy.
sue t | 1 year, 3 months ago
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Getting Stuff - A Combat Sport
Fault lies in ourselves, folks. We’ve created a culture of greed and stuff, otherwise known as wealth. And, now we’ve made it into a blood sport. Shame on all of us.
Deborah R Herr | 1 year, 3 months ago
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Such a tragedy
I was surprised to read about such an incident. Was it really worth it to trample someone? This is why I don’t shop during “Black Friday”. Just seeing the greed in someone’s eyes sickens me. Give it a few months and that special item you seek will eventually go down in price. That is the trend, people.
Sandy | 1 year, 3 months ago
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Human Nature
Human nature is to blame.
So now what?
I suggest we all just sue each other in one big class action suit.
Sheree Engbrecht | 1 year, 2 months ago
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retail responsibilities
I feel that the person getting trampled to death is the store’s fault. The store should have required the customer’s line up before opening, first come, first served. Then, give the customers numbers, according to the item they wanted and their place in line. For instance, If you were the first one in line and you wanted one of the 20 TV’s on sale, you were given the number 1. The next person in line for the TV’s, is number 2. Until all the numbers are given out according to the number of sale items. That way there is no rush for sale items when the doors open.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Merry Christmas
Well this is just another case of how heartless some human beings can be. The only person that is to blame in this case are the individuals that would partake in this type of behavior. As far as Walmart, they should have had more security, but they are not to blame. Our society needs to wake up (which I think seeing our economic conditions many will be forced too). We need to go back to the way things used to be. Slow down, respect each other, teach kids morals and values, and stop living beyond their means.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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What's to be expected?
Retailers fault. Entrance should not have been wide enough to allow so many in at a time. “PERIOD”
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Hobbes and Locke
It’s the fault of man that he died. Being human means to be aggressive and greedy when it comes to obtain thing and that’s only because we are equal that we seek that which every other person wants. So who’s to blame? I’ll let you guys decide. I’m just a guy with the words to get you people thinking about life and all that it brings.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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It's WAL-MART"S bad
In my opinion luring shoppers with door-buster prices and not preparing for it leaves WAL-Mart totally responsible. WAL-MART should have consulted with a high profile professional events promoter at the very least for security measures. It takes only a few overly anxious customers to create an uncontrolled stampede. It’s sad for the family of the employee and for equally sad for those customers trapped in middle of the mayhem.
Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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Money is to blame
First of all, in response to an earlier comment: we are not all to blame. I will take responsibility for my actions, but I have nothing to do with society the way it is. I did not create it or ever passed a law. Anyhow, money is the not so obvious evil to blame. In a world where materialism is success; all the men who trampled on the poor lad raced to their destined object of spending and beat the crowd and therefore were “successful”. This outrage may seem to be intolerable but is, in fact, tolerable and encouraged depending on whether or not “success” is of high value to you.
Money needs to go or these seemingly unethical practices will continue to climb the ladder of greed which rests on the wall of insecurities. That will be realized soon enough and there is always hope.
Anonymous | 1 year, 1 month ago
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