A KyndCulture Rant: *I* am starting a war on Christmas.

[KyndCulture]

Stupid Stupid fucking Americans. The culture of keeping up with the Jones, having the first and best of everything, the culture of stupid.

Today in the paper, I read that a woman was trampled to death at a chain store to get the only playstation 3 to be put on the shelf that day. Give me a break. She died for something that her kid will shelve in less than a year. She died for the culture of stupidity in this country.

On ebay, PS3's are selling for $1800 - $2000. TWOTHOSANDDOLLARS, for a game? That's 3 house payments and a car note. This happens every year with some new toy, gadget, game or gizmo. And every year someone gets hurt or killed by mobs of raving stupid idiots.

So yes, *I* am starting a war on Christmas, a war on STUPIDITY. Mothers and Fathers of USA, your kids would much rather have you ALIVE on Christmas than to open a playstation3, they'd much rather you could actually PAY for your house and car in January instead of owing your first born to Mastercard.

Please, get a grip people. Christmas is just one day a year, why don't ya tell your kids you love them every day of the year instead of risking life and limb to impress them on one highly overrated day.

:nuke:

[Donnachaidh]

1. Bet she'll feel stupid explaing THAT at the Pearly Gates!

:rofl:

[KyndCulture]

2. *LOL* for real!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

4. Yeah. Her Death Was Really Funny. Grow Up.

[KyndCulture]

6. Her death was a waste.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

9. All Premature Deaths Are A Waste. They Are Also All Tragedies That Should Not Be Made Fun Of.

[Coventina]

14. I would be hesitant to say *ALL* premature deaths are a waste.

Have you ever read the Darwin awards?

Some of those people....well....some people seem to invite their "untimely" deaths.

I'm not saying that is true in this case. The poor, deluded woman was, in her mind at least, doing a "good" deed.

The store should be held somewhat accountable for creating such a dangerous situation.

[katinmn]

16. This death is without question testament to a screwed up society

We learn that materialism is "good" beginning at age 2 when marketers create a sense of "need" among youngsters watching television, visiting fast food stores, or taking part in other facets of American culture.

I agree it is both a tragedy and a waste that a mother died over a rush to buy a toy. This will not be the only such tragedy this holiday season.

It is good to discuss and condemn the tragedy. It's taking personal responsibility for improving our society. This wasn't just another accidental death like falling off a roof. She died over a perceived need to have a stupid overpriced toy.

[KyndCulture]

22. EXACTLY!!!

These people are dying DYING to feed the american addiction, to consume as much as possible without responsiblity for consequences.

It is but a mere REFLECTION of everything else that is wrong in this country.

What was the bullhorn moment? GO SHOPPING.

[tabasco]

59. Affluenza ! Great show on link TV.

It really describes how we become conditioned as children to be consumers.

I recommend it to anyone who has not seen it.

The culture of wasteful consumption has devastated our environment.

[ProfessorGAC]

32. Commentary Is Not The Same As Ridicule

The Professor

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

33. Maybe The "LOL" And ROFL Emoticon Weren't Obvious Enough To You.

If you don't think mocking the woman's death and rolling on the floor laughing about what she's gonna have to say at the pearly gates is making fun of a serious situation and quite distasteful, I don't know what to tell ya.

But labeling an insensitive joke followed by an ROFL emoticon as commentary instead of ridicule has got to be one of the absolute silliest logical assessments I've ever come across here.

This wasn't commentary. It was a poster taking a story about a poor woman who just got friggin trampled to death, and turning it into some insensitive joke while laughing heartily about it. Condone that all you want. I personally found it to be extremely insensitive, in poor taste and unbecoming of the qualities I'm proud of within our community.

That's just me though. I generally as a rule don't like seeing people who just died in tragic fashions being mocked instead of mourned. But to each their own Mr.GAC.

[KyndCulture]

36. get over yourself.

My heart goes out to their families... but I'm sorry, I'm not going to give a pass who does something this stupid... she might as well have gone bungie jumping without a harness.

[Texasgal]

39. And you were complaining about the

"big tent party" ??

Shame on you! You cannot be "liberal" only when it suits your agenda....

[KyndCulture]

53. bullshit. I AM being liberal.

I am really upset by this.


I figured I would get flamed...


But this is my very very LIBERAL opinion an I am sticking to it.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

43. Wasn't Really Talking About You Or Your Thread, Ya Know.

You were kinda an accomplice with your 'LOL' and all, which I did quite honestly find a bit distasteful as a response to the other distasteful post, but the meat of my comments are not being directed at you. Not sure if you realized that or not. :shrug:

[roody]

49. tasteless yet humorous

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

51. Nope. Just Tasteless.

How bout you call the relatives and children of the woman who was brutally trampled to death and ask them if they find the joke humorous.

Some things just shouldn't be mocked, especially within hours of their occurrence.

[treestar]

55. I don't think it can be avoided in some cases

Face it, the people we don't know don't matter on an emotional level that seriously. If they did, we couldn't function. Over 100,000 people died in that tsunami, we'd be prostrated with grief on that alone.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

58. So Be It. Doesn't Mean You Immediately Make Jokes And Mock Them.

Not having the ability to feel the emotional anguish for every person that suffers a tragedy is one thing. Immediately after that tragedy minimizing it to such a heartless degree as to make a joke about that person's tragedy while laughing heartily about it is another thing altogether: And an absolutely disgraceful one at that.

[treestar]

61. Tragedy presupposes sympathy with the person, too.

We don't know her, and we don't sympathize with what she was doing at the time. If she was serving her country, or saving the life of some kid in a fire, it would be different.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

65. If Someone Needs To Be Engaged In War Or Running Into A Fire In Order For You To Have Sympathy For

them being trampled to death, then I really feel for you as a human being.

[uppityperson]

62. Irony, not mocking.

You rush out to buy that expensive toy and get trampled to death by others trying to do the same thing= Irony. Sometimes we must laugh or else we drown in our tears.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

64. Actually, That Isn't Irony At All. It's Tragedy. Not Sure What Definition Of Irony You Learned.

But regardless, laughing at it heartedly within hours of its occurrence was not defense against protecting oneself from having to feel the pain of the tragedy, it was just simply cold, heartless and disgraceful.

But feel free to think of it however you choose. I obviously have my opinion on it, and think we are better people here than to do such things.

[uppityperson]

66. Her dying was tragic. The manner was ironic.

Irony:
An outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected.
Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs.
An occurrence, result, or circumstance notable for such incongruity.

Tragic indeed and we all cope in different ways. Please do not cast judgement on those of us who cope differently as we have out reasons.

[BlackVelvet04]

3. The Land of the Free and

home of the stupid.

I can't think of any material thing in this world I would stand in line for days for.

[peace13]

11. Food and water come to mind. N/T

[sinkingfeeling]

5. I'm giving a water buffalo and a goat to a couple of families thousands of

miles away from me, in the names of my family members this Christmas.

[Canadian Socialist]

44. sinkingfeeling, that is an interesting gift

I've been racking my brain for something not commercial to give to my parents and siblings (they do NOT need any more stuff!). To give a gift like a water buffalo and goat to a needy family in a third world country would be perfect (in said parents and siblings' names of course). How would I go about doing this? If you could PM with the necessary, it would be much appreciated!

[mopinko]

47. heifer international

http://www.heifer.org/

i did this last year for all my kids teachers. you can give bunnies, chickens, goats...
an old and venerable charity. heartily recommended.

[Canadian Socialist]

56. Thanks so much, mopinko!

Now, I need to figure out how much I can afford... I think my 13 year-old niece would love to be the donor of a goat... heee.

[Blue Fire]

7. I saw a brawl and stampede on CNN this AM by a bunch of morons.

A manager of some store came outside when he opened and told the knuckleheads waiting in line something to the tune of if they wanted a PSIII they better race for them. People were fighting. People got trampled. What a bunch of dickheads! These are the kind of fuckheads who probably have no clue the US just held mid-term elections, much less who won!
Far too many Americans have a screwed-up consumeristic mentality. I'm with you, KC!

[Coventina]

12. That manager opened up a great potential for a lawsuit.

Geez, he basically egged the people on to behave in a dangerous way.

A pox on both their houses (the greedy consumers & the stores)!

[ms liberty]

8. I'm with you, sister...

I'm so sick of the commercialization of it. The Christmas decorations came out BEFORE Halloween in the stores. Endless Christmas ads already. Radio stations playing Christmas music 24/7 already.

Instead of being worried about whether or not Old Navy is saying "Christmas" or "Holidays" in it's ads the RW fundies should be worried about how Christmas is marketed as an excuse to indulge in your shopping addiction. But they're not - because they're all show. "Look how great an Xtian I am!"

What would Jesus buy? Food for the hungry. Housing for the homeless. Clothing for the naked. He would NOT be buying a new playstation for a kid who's got everything except the newest version.

Sorry - didn't mean to take over your rant with my own!

[flying_monkeys]

17. That would make a great signature line....

"What would Jesus buy? Food for the hungry. Housing for the homeless. Clothing for the naked. He would NOT be buying a new playstation for a kid who's got everything except the newest version."


Excellent.

[ms liberty]

26. Thanks, fm...

I get so irritated at the RW fundies who pay more attention to the old testament than they pay to the words of Jesus, which are conveniently printed in RED - in EVERY bible! - for easy reference!

If they'd listen to Jesus more often, they might spend some of the money on things he'd approve of rather than on their fine new million dollar fellowship halls.

[kestrel91316]

27. Can I steal your idea for a sig?

[katinmn]

10. Great rant. That reminds me that Buy Nothing Day is coming up!

http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/index.php



I love the Zanta X-Mas card.
http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/downloads/xmas/gift_card_voucher.pdf

For the record, I will celebrate Christmas by gathering with loved ones. My mom will complete the last of her radiation and chemo treatments on December 20 and we'll all just be happy to have her with us.

[KyndCulture]

13. Great reminder

Buy Nothing Day!!


All the best to your Mom too.

[brer cat]

45. Bless you, and my best wishes to your mom!

Your values are in place.

[shadowknows69]

15. Sign me up General Kyndculture

As I was driving through our dilapidated town square the other day I saw the giant Menorah displayed there along side the nativity and was reminded of the time thousands of area pagans started a petition campaign to admit a simple and ambiguous pagan symbol (IE not a pentagram) and was publicly lashed by the leaders of a local church. We were called devil worshipers and it was said we just wanted to attack christianity although the local jews were strangely silent about our apparent attack on Hanukkah. We failed needless to say and a year later the pastor of that church was indicted for fraud, theft and tax evasion charges and the church run out of town so there ya go. Christians the holiday season that you hijacked from so many older religions has been attacked and defeated by YOU. Not us.

<edited to change BORROWED to HIJACKED.>

[katinmn]

18. Oops! More PlayStation Violence (Wisconsin)

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/816150.html

PlayStation 3 hopeful buyer injured trying to buy console in Wisconsin
Associated Press
Last update: November 17, 2006 – 9:26 AM

WEST BEND, Wis. — A person was injured Thursday morning outside a Wal-Mart department store racing for a chance to buy one of 10 coveted video game systems the store will put on sale Friday.

An assistant manager announced to a crowd of about 50 people that the store was only going to receive about 10 of the Sony PlayStation 3 game consoles and the store official placed 10 chairs outside of the store, police said.

At the signal, the customers were told to run to try to occupy one of the chairs to be able to buy the system at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.

A 19-year-old man ran into a pole and struck his head, injuring himself. He was taken to the hospital for treatment, police said.

[katinmn]

19. Another PlayStation3 killing! (Connecticut)

http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2006-11-17T151641Z_01_N17360595_RTRIDST_0_TECH-SONY-PLAYSTATION-SHOOTING.XML&rpc=66&type=qcna

Man shot waiting to buy Playstation 3 in U.S.
HARTFORD, Conn., Nov 17 (Reuters) - A man was shot early on Friday morning outside a Wal-Mart store in Connecticut while waiting to buy a new Sony Playstation 3, Connecticut State police said.

He was one of 15 to 20 people lined up outside the store when confronted by two armed men who demanded money at around 3:15 a.m., Lt. J. Paul Vance said in a press release.

Police said the victim had confronted the armed suspects and was shot. He was treated at the scene and transported to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center across the state line.

Police were searching for the two suspects.

[katinmn]

20. Other incidents around the country

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/bvanVfHgdbw2he/Person-Shot-in-Connecticut-PlayStation-3-Line.xhtml

Other Incidents
In Palmdale, Calif., authorities shut down a Super Wal-Mart after some shoppers got rowdy late Wednesday. In West Bend, Wis., a 19-year-old man was injured when he ran into a pole racing with 50 others for one of 10 spots outside a Wal-Mart.

In Lexington, Ky., police were investigating a drive-by shooting that hit four people with BB pellets outside a Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) store, causing minor injuries, according to WKYT, whose own reporter was hit as she interviewed buyers in line.

A Best Buy in Boston, aware it had only 140 of the consoles, got smart -- its employees gave out tickets to the first 140 people in line so everyone could go home.

[eeyore]

21. Sony has very likely limited the PS3 supply on purpose...

The same exact thing happened last year with the XBox 360, and Sony learned from Microsoft's supply and demand game. These machines have been hyped and anticipated for literally years, and instead of making plenty of them for Christmas, they have limited the supply severely, ensuring that people will be literally stampeding for their product.

Fault the idiot American consumer all you like, but the companies do bear some responsibility here. I actually tried to pre-order a PS3 to sell on EBay, and the store that I usually buy from at the mall was limited to less than 5 pre-orders. Normally there is no limit to how many people can pre-order, and those who do get their machines before those who don't.

Sony created this situation, and they love the notion that people are willing to die to get a PS3 for their kid for Christmas.

[KyndCulture]

23. Of course Sony et all bear responsibility too..

but if the American idiot consumer would STOP taking the bait, they wouldn't do it.

Like I said above, this is just a mere reflection of the root of all evil in this country.

[eeyore]

25. Videogames are a larger industry than music these days...

When was the last time you saw anyone waiting in line for tickets to a concert? Unfortunately this is where poplular culture is right now, and the industry built up to hype these games has been pumping up the release of this machine literally for about 3 years, perhaps longer.

The bizarre thing to me is that these things are actually selling. When I saw the projected $600 price tag a few years back, I thought that this would be a very bad move for Sony. What parent in their right mind buys their kid a machine at that price that doesn't even come with a game to play? That's right, you have to buy the actual games separately, and they retail on average for $60 (also a new high).

[G Hawes]

46. Sony bears responsibility for the personal idiocy of individual idiots?

I don't think so.

[katinmn]

30. Of course they limited supply. Greedy bastards.

And they knew there would be fools rushing out madly to buy their crap and that there would be accidents and violence just like in years past. It's the bottom line not humanity that they care about.

[kiahzero]

60. Yeah, it has nothing to do with the manufacturing problems that have been reported for a year (n/t)

[undergroundpanther]

24. It's not just xmas this shit goes on

Read about a Riot at a discount store to buy $2000 and up purses!! Purses of all things. This is stupid culture and it's not only once a year.

JOPPATOWNE, Md. -- Pandemonium forced managers of a discount store in Joppatowne to close shop briefly after hundreds of unruly customers began scuffling over deeply discounted designer handbags.

http://www.unknownnews.org/051115a-Panther.html

[KyndCulture]

28. Al Franken is joking about it, but I'm pretty serious.

My heart goes out to all the families who lost a loved one in the war for christmas gifts.

[KyndCulture]

29. Bwahahaha my lil rant made it to a certain freeper site.

Yo, Freepers - I suggest you ALL go get in line to buy a playstation 3. RIGHT NOW.

[dogday]

31. Actually this is has nothing to do with Christmas

you see this type of activity at many different stores during various parts of the year... I always like the one where the women go after the bridal dresses myself... Anytime a new toy that has been hyped properly becomes available, you will find the jones there trying to get one first just so they can have bragging rights.....

[KyndCulture]

34. kick

[demigoddess]

35. I'll sign on with that, I am so tired to all the hype from Oct. onward.

But sadly the closest we can come to actually boycotting xmas is to order presents by mail, or early in the year, or make our presents. Also this year I think the gradkids might get gift cards where they can choose their gifts online and miss all the crowds and crushes.

[roody]

50. My strategy is to do nothing. No cards, no gifts, no

nothing. Just my part to support the war on Xmas.

[KyndCulture]

37. kick

[KyndCulture]

38. Can I get one more nom.

[Synnical]

40. Good on you, Kynd

:bounce:

As an atheist, I hate Xmas - took me years to get my family to understand that I just don't "do" xmas. They were angry at first, but okay with it now.

A Rec for you and I.

[tinfoil tiaras]

41. I agree. I hate black friday, the day after thanksgiving

Where all the typical american consumer sheeple flock to the department stores to do all of their damn X-mas (yes, that's what I said. The X originally stood for the Greek letter "chi" (for Christ) and it was a way for the early Christians to celebrate Christmas when they were being persecuted by the Roman Empire) shopping. We always get our gifts way in advance.

That woman dying over a PS3. That's horrible and ridiculous. :(

[Codeblue]

42. It isn't Christmas that's the problem

It happens to be factors that really don't have anything to do with Christmas.

However, I think a war on this EARLY Christmas nonsense is quite the way to go. I'm tired of seeing Christmas ads before Thanksgiving and hearing Christmas music everywhere I go for over two months.

[alarimer]

48. I am so fucking tired of this shit

These stores bear at least some responsibility too. They advertise that they have X number of these games systems (or whatever hot toy it is this year) but in reality have only half the number they advertised.

But I am so sick of our culture. So damn sick of all the ridiculous hype for toys- so tired of the buy, buy, buy attitude that I want to puke. What the fuck is wrong with people? Have we completely lost any ability to think for ourselves or are we going to keep allowing our corporate masters to run roughshod over us in this manner? Keep us pacified with the latest gizmo or gadget while they steal the very foundation of this country right from under our noses. WAKE UP!

[KyndCulture]

52. hear hear!!!!

And that is the crux of the issue

[SidDithers]

54. Kick for that most excellent rant...

Sid

[KyndCulture]

57. Thanks Sid.

[Generic Brad]

63. My family is having an Anti- Christmas

This afternoon we bought $29.00 worth of luau decorations at the dollar store. We are going to have a luau on December 25th instead of Christmas complete with sandals, shorts, aloha shirts, grass skirts, and sun glasses -- exactly what is needed to cheer up a dark Minnesota winter day. Summer party decorations are all on sale now too.