Wal-Mart Worker Trampled Analysis

A few days ago the class discussed an article about a Wal-Mart worker that was trampled to death by impatient shoppers on black Friday. Relating this to the AWOL I came to the conclusion that consumption has become a competition. Thousands of people lined up in front of Wal-Mart in long island all for the same reason, buy as much as possible for the least amount of money. If thousands lined up in front of a normal everyday Wal-Mart in a small town, imagine how many of people were followed in there foot steps and did the same all over America for every mega "super-sale" store. It has become part of our culture: showering family and friends with gifts as a way of showing our love and affection for them. Companies plan months in advance strategizing how they are gonna draw in as many costumers come holiday season, promoting big sales and buy one get one free items. I don't think many people realize they have fallen into the trap, they are buying things they might never had thought of buying before until they realized it was on "sale", in reality they are spending more money than saving. The fact that a innocent Wal-Mart Worker was killed because people where in a race and cared more about racking up as many materialistic things they could get there hands on shows that this obsession has gone a little too far. It is a never-ending cycle, because our generation has been raised in this type of society they will most likely grow up the same way, falling into the same trap of consumerism. It shows what a greedy and money hungry society we live in, people will do anything to save a few buck and companies will do anything to make as much money off of them as possible.