Saturday, November 30, 2013

Black Friday

Now that Black Wednesday and Friday have passed. I read a few stories of injuries and deaths, yes DEATHS from Black Wednesday and Friday Shopping. Then while scrolling my Facebook Newsfeed I came across a link that sparked my interest.

You can check the link out yourself here at blackfridaydeathcount.com.

Black Friday Death Count

Black Friday Death Count

Deaths Injuries
Deaths Injuries
2013 Shopper Pepper Sprayed, Arrested in Argument Over TV at New Jersey Walmart - 1
2013 Thanksgiving Day bargain shoppers send 11 year-old to hospital - 2
2013 Teen returning home from Black Friday shopping fell asleep at wheel, killed in wreck 1 4
2013 Man Stabbed During Black Friday Event at Carlsbad Mall - 1
2013 Newport, Arkansas Walmart employee injured during Black Friday sales - 1
2013 Scenes of chaos during chain store's Black Friday sales in Ireland - 1
2013 Several injured in Black Friday-related shooting outside Kohl's in Illinois - 2
2013 Black Friday: Virginia Man Stabbed In Walmart Parking Lot Over Space - 1
2013 Rialto Walmart brawl sends one police officer to hospital - 1
2013 Shopper carrying TV home from Target shot in Las Vegas - 1
2012 Father charged in crash that killed daughters after Black Friday shopping 2 5
2012 Two People Shot at Tallahassee Walmart Over Parking Space - 2
2012 Black Friday Shoppers Hit By Suspected Drunk Driver In Walmart Parking Lot - 2
2011 Black Friday Worker Rescued From Canal After Losing Control Of Car Due To Exhaustion - 1
2011 Black Friday: Target Shoppers Step Over Walter Vance As He Collapses, Dies 1 -
2011 Fights break out at Rome Walmart during Black Friday shopping - 2
2011 Woman Wounded in S.C. Black Friday Robbery Attempt - 1
2011 Off-duty police pepper spray NC shoppers - 20
2011 Shooting outside Calif. Walmart, 1 wounded - 1
2011 Black Friday pepper-spray attack at Walmart injures 20 - 20
2010 Former Marine stabbed in Best Buy store by violent customer - 1
2009 Clarksville Woman Trampled During Black Friday Shopping - 1
2008 SoCal Toys 'R' Us Shooting Leaves Two Dead 2 2
2008 Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede 1 4
2006 10 Injured in SoCal Black Friday Mall Stampede - 10
2006 Salt Lake Tribune, The : Red-hot on Black Friday‎ - 1

I understand that people want their deals, but seriously though at what cost? The fact that some people in society are more jubilant to push and shove each other for a flat screen TV rather than sit with family calmly and peacefully is disturbing. This year some stores opened on Thanksgiving Day! In some cases shortly after most people are finishing Thanksgiving Dinner. I digress, the important issue here is that there is a death count for shopping, Family Shopping.

The chaotic mess and waves of people shopping for deals on "stuff" and "things" directly after giving thanks for what you already have and being thankful. Maybe we like being a hypocritical society it seems. Now an internet big board keeping count of how many people die from fatigue or trampling from Black Wednesday Shopping. This video: 

Not affiliated with a certain site, with a strikingly similar layout, touting Cyber Monday death counts. Spoiler: there aren't any!

 

Why do we feel this is okay? Being arrested over a television, or dying even for items that are basically crap, yes crap. The doorbuster deals are for items that are made by cheaper parts and less features. 
That's just one little tidbit from this video from buzzfeedvideo below:
 

I know some will say, "It didn't happen like that where I am from..." However with Black Wednesday and Friday inching closer and closer into Thanksgiving, people trading more and more of what has become very precious time with loved one's for waiting in long lines for cheap prices and even cheaper products. Turkey Day begins a day before the actual holiday with much preparation in most cases. Families preparing for large groups of people to eat a hearty meal with all the trimmings. When the okay is giving to dive in, the feeding frenzy begins. We consume and overindulge not caring about the potential negative and damaging consequences of overindulgence, We like how good it feels. We do it the same way every year. What the hell happened to Black Friday? We treat it like Thanksgiving. As always follow me on Twitter and like us on Facebook at Our Neighborhood Times.

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