Here's a a glass raised and a weary tired smile, to all you poor bastards that are looking towards the next month in Retail...People might be trying to save $$$, but no matter what, they still shop for X-MAS. It's something else altogether, and God Bless Us All,. as well as the Mailmen/Women too!! CRB:)
Black friday
- Thread starter CRBSMILE
- Start date
CarversDog
RIP
CRB, you might care to check out my Black Friday op-ed at Carver's Dog, posted late this afternoon.
Incidentally, I was out today and noticed that the proletarian stores like Target and WalMart (ugh) were dealing with overflowing parking lots; the more high end retailers, not so much.
Incidentally, I was out today and noticed that the proletarian stores like Target and WalMart (ugh) were dealing with overflowing parking lots; the more high end retailers, not so much.
Father Luke
Founding member
I won't be doing Christmas this year.
I will check it out post-sweet! OH! There have been "horror" stories abounding-
about poor 70 year old Wal-Mart hosts being run over for TV'S & Garvin GPS' available for WAY under market prices! It's the CABBAGE PATCH fiasco allover again!!! People ar FUCKING CRAZY!! Cindi B.:)
CarversDog
RIP
It's more than just the Cabbage Patch phenom redux, Cindi, it's the death rattle of the post World War II consumer-driven form of capitalism.
FL, we won't be "doing" Christmas in the form of exchanging gifts because we simply don't have the cash flow this year, but since we are in our own digs in the first time in (well, eight years for me) we will be celebrating the holiday with a tree, decorations, and good cheer. We owe it to ourselves after years in residential hotels, some good (the Glendale Days Inn in L.A.), some downright subhuman (the Liguiria and the Golden Eagle in North Beach, S.F.)
FL, we won't be "doing" Christmas in the form of exchanging gifts because we simply don't have the cash flow this year, but since we are in our own digs in the first time in (well, eight years for me) we will be celebrating the holiday with a tree, decorations, and good cheer. We owe it to ourselves after years in residential hotels, some good (the Glendale Days Inn in L.A.), some downright subhuman (the Liguiria and the Golden Eagle in North Beach, S.F.)
Cindi, I saw that too. Crazy is right. A man in Long Island was killed. Maybe we can blame this all on the economic situation. Hell, I'm just going to blame Bush.
Yeah, Father Luke. I'm getting sick of it too.
Bukfan
"The law is wrong; I am right"
I read your Black Friday article, CarversDog. It's incredible what happened at Walmart. Trampling people to death for a bargain sale - that's materialism at it's worst. I'm still shaking my head. It even made the news over here.
Don't go for bargain sales if you don't have health care insurance...:eek:
Don't go for bargain sales if you don't have health care insurance...:eek:
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CarversDog
RIP
It's crass materialism, Bukfan, the possession of goods for the sake of possessing goods. How the hell do these fools think they're advancing their lives by purchasing electronics? As I stated in the op-ed, when's the last time you heard of a mass stampede at a book store opening, an art gallery showing, a classical music recital? This is the America and the Americans that John McCain and Sarah "You Betcha" Pailin represented. Thank fucking God they are now the minority because a few of them revealed today what sick fucking bastards they are.
I'm not surprised it made the news overseas. I should watch the BBC News tonight.
I'm not surprised it made the news overseas. I should watch the BBC News tonight.
Bukfan
"The law is wrong; I am right"
Yes, it's a weird concept that material possessions equals quality of life, as if anybody gets a more fulfilled and happy life owning the latest gadgets. The capitalists sure have succeeded with their indoctrination of us through the commercials. Hopefully that will change...
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1913; Stravinsky's Rite of Spring premiere in Paris.
As for the rest of your comments, I agree whole-heartedly.
CarversDog
RIP
So we have to go all the way back to 1913? Two years after the Russian Revolution? Nice work, PS. Thanks.
LickTheStar
Sad Flower in the Sand
Yeah we had a line of... FOUR people outside my bookstore today at 8:45... 15 minutes before opening.
We were busy most of the day after, but... well, no one was trampled, and no pregnant women went to the hospital because of getting caught up in a wave of mindless cattle shopping for expensive shit.
I may sometimes hate that I'm a part of the consumerist culture... but there's something to be said about books, especially over Best Buy.
We were busy most of the day after, but... well, no one was trampled, and no pregnant women went to the hospital because of getting caught up in a wave of mindless cattle shopping for expensive shit.
I may sometimes hate that I'm a part of the consumerist culture... but there's something to be said about books, especially over Best Buy.
CarversDog
RIP
Selling books is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay different than peddling in flat-screen TVs or video game systems. I don't care if you're selling Dos Passos or Stephen King.
a few years ago when i was living in new orleans i turned on the tv on black friday and saw the funniest news: someone had gone out the night before and put superglue into the locks of all of the major retail stores so when all of the throngs of shoppers were waiting to shop at 6 in the morning, none of the doors would open. people were livid, wanting satisfaction. it took many hours before all the locksmiths could show up and correct the situation. i was laughing my ass off in bed with hangover at all the "consumers"......
I never do Christmas.
One time I wanted to bring my empties to the liquor store,
the streets were empty, I was wondering why.
I had no clue it was Christmas day and the stores were closed.
Father Luke
Founding member
I can relate.
mjp
Founding member
I have lots of gadgets. Tons of them. I don't buy them to fill a void in my soul, or because I'm a mindless zombie consumer hypnotized by evil capitalist advertising. I buy them because I feel like it. Electronics have fascinated me since I was old enough to unscrew the cover from the light switch and stick the screwdriver into that hole in the wall to see what the hell was going on in there.
I also own (and make) more art than you do ("you" being the average person reading this let's say - not any one of you specifically, of course), and more books, music and musical instruments.
So there goes the theory that modern technology necessarily equals the death of the soul and traditional "culture."
People who line up at Wal-Mart and trample each other to get in at 5 a.m. are an easy target. To equate all manners of consumerism with those types is lazy. To suggest that people who consume some of the same things that those type of people do is like comparing Barack Obama and Malcom X because they are both black. Draw your own parallels there, but the ones I'm thinking of aren't pretty.
I'm as big a Luddite and advocate of the old ways as the next crank or crackpot, but to dismiss the changes that are going on in society with a big THE END IS NEAR sign is shortsighted and dare I say, stupid. The end is not near. It will take a lot more than the eventual (inevitable) collapse of America to signal the end of anything.
I also own (and make) more art than you do ("you" being the average person reading this let's say - not any one of you specifically, of course), and more books, music and musical instruments.
So there goes the theory that modern technology necessarily equals the death of the soul and traditional "culture."
People who line up at Wal-Mart and trample each other to get in at 5 a.m. are an easy target. To equate all manners of consumerism with those types is lazy. To suggest that people who consume some of the same things that those type of people do is like comparing Barack Obama and Malcom X because they are both black. Draw your own parallels there, but the ones I'm thinking of aren't pretty.
I'm as big a Luddite and advocate of the old ways as the next crank or crackpot, but to dismiss the changes that are going on in society with a big THE END IS NEAR sign is shortsighted and dare I say, stupid. The end is not near. It will take a lot more than the eventual (inevitable) collapse of America to signal the end of anything.
oddly enough, I think I'm kinda glad I don't have any money :P
but, know a days people get the new gadgets for plain propaganda, which sucks, because I do not have the fault that people can't use their "stuff" properly, the constant minor improvement to gadgets forces an unnecessary upgrade for things that there is still plenty live in it, it sucks. I have been forced to start using WIN XP, when I was perfectly happy with Win98, now I'm being pushed to use Vista.
advertising has gone way out of the bar, luxuries are not necessities...
but, know a days people get the new gadgets for plain propaganda, which sucks, because I do not have the fault that people can't use their "stuff" properly, the constant minor improvement to gadgets forces an unnecessary upgrade for things that there is still plenty live in it, it sucks. I have been forced to start using WIN XP, when I was perfectly happy with Win98, now I'm being pushed to use Vista.
advertising has gone way out of the bar, luxuries are not necessities...
CarversDog
RIP
Must be all those years slinging words for trade mags and porn tabloids, MJP, but, yes, sometimes my non-fiction work leans slightly toward the hyperbolic. I apologize if anything I wrote offended you.
Bukfan
"The law is wrong; I am right"
I believe the Russian Revolution was in 1917...;)
This materialism goes way beyond McCain and Palin and Bush. And I don't want to defend any of those three but I think it is fair to say materialism was strong under Clinton/Gore as well. It's a much bigger problem than politics. I don't hear Obama saying he's going to instead increase interest rates. If he did, you have a point. If he does you have a point. Time will tell. But I say he allows them to be cut away to promote spending instead of saving and that is key. It was a large problem I had with Bush after 9/11 -- GO SPEND and be a PATRIOT. To hell with that.
Yes the Russian Revolution was 1917. Well I saw my cousin on Thanksgiving. He told me how he plans it all out for that day. Ugh is what I have to say to it! I do my shopping when there are no crowds to contend with at all. I'm glad that sort of thing is just for one day. If it was like that all the time I would boycott Christmas all the time!
the sheep
in centuries past
audiences at symphony concerts
were not afraid to act out their
displeasure at works which
offended
them.
in our time
I have either attended or
listened to
hundreds of concerts
and never have I heard an
audience
express even the mildest displeasure
with any
work.
have our musical artists improved
to such an
extent?
or is it the decay of courage,
the inability of the
mass mind to
reach its own
decisions?
not only in the world of
music
but in the other world?
the next time you hear
a symphony concert
note
the obedient applause,
the death of the bluebird,
the shading of the sun;
the hooves of the horses from
hell
pounding on the barren
ground
of the human
spirit.
Charles Bukowski- Betting On The Muse
in centuries past
audiences at symphony concerts
were not afraid to act out their
displeasure at works which
offended
them.
in our time
I have either attended or
listened to
hundreds of concerts
and never have I heard an
audience
express even the mildest displeasure
with any
work.
have our musical artists improved
to such an
extent?
or is it the decay of courage,
the inability of the
mass mind to
reach its own
decisions?
not only in the world of
music
but in the other world?
the next time you hear
a symphony concert
note
the obedient applause,
the death of the bluebird,
the shading of the sun;
the hooves of the horses from
hell
pounding on the barren
ground
of the human
spirit.
Charles Bukowski- Betting On The Muse
LickTheStar
Sad Flower in the Sand
But... but... I really love my kneejerk reactions to things that bother me. It helps me to glare at the surface very, very clearly...
I have gadgets too. Mainly video games, so I kind of understand. I spend at least as much time gaming as I do reading (usually gaming is before my son and wife wake up and reading is after they go to sleep).
CarversDog
RIP
1910 was the Mexican Revolution, not the Russian revolution. I always get my bloody insurrections confused with one another.
mjp
Founding member
I wasn't offended, and I enjoy a knee-jerk reaction as much as the next guy. The things I found disturbing in all this - which is why I posted that rant - was mainly the dismissal of people who may shop at places like Wal-Mart as somehow less-than, and to a lesser extent, the wailing against "consumerism," whatever that is.
The Wal-Mart bit is classism and elitism, and I think - correct me if I'm wrong - not in keeping with the spirit of the man this site is named after. The anti-consumption thing is tired, and kind of hypocritical. Unless you're living off the grid and posting to this forum with a hand-cranked computer (and magic internet connection) somehow.
All this looking down the nose, it's not cool, baby!
The Wal-Mart bit is classism and elitism, and I think - correct me if I'm wrong - not in keeping with the spirit of the man this site is named after. The anti-consumption thing is tired, and kind of hypocritical. Unless you're living off the grid and posting to this forum with a hand-cranked computer (and magic internet connection) somehow.
All this looking down the nose, it's not cool, baby!
CarversDog
RIP
I've been living off the grid as a freelance writer for over 15 years now. I'm a cash and carry guy, I don't own a car, a house, or a single credit card, and I plan to do most of my holiday shopping at the Dollar Store.
"At this time there are too many people afraid for their jobs, there are too many people buying cars, homes, TV sets, education on credit. Credit and the 8 hour day are great friends of the establishment. If you must buy things, pay cash, and only buy things of value -- no trinkets, no gimmicks. Everything you own must be able to fit inside one suitcase."
(Charles Bukowski, 1970)
"At this time there are too many people afraid for their jobs, there are too many people buying cars, homes, TV sets, education on credit. Credit and the 8 hour day are great friends of the establishment. If you must buy things, pay cash, and only buy things of value -- no trinkets, no gimmicks. Everything you own must be able to fit inside one suitcase."
(Charles Bukowski, 1970)
If I had to work a hand-crank or foot-pedal to use my computer I think I'd find an easier way of wasting time. There's always sleeping and staring at the wall or going outside to stare at something. Like mjp said, these gadgets are here now. I don't think they eat your soul or anything anymore than just laying around reading all day would eat your soul. I don't pay full price for most of my art so I may be cheating someone. I hope Hemingway is not offended if I found a 25 cent copy of The Old Man and the Sea at a used bookstore.
chronic
old and in the way
They showed what sick fucking bastards they are when they thought Palin was a great choice for VP.
There's something to be said for a paycheck as well.
I've been in Big Sur for the last five days so I was blissfully cut off from all news and media. No TV, no radio, no newspapers. I hadn't heard anything about this Walmart massacre until I read it here. I have to say that I'm not surprised.
Think I'll go back to Big Sur.