Friday 28 November 2008

In which a person dies on Buy Nothing Day

Today is North American Buy Nothing Day. In a sickening irony, a worker at a store that shall not be named, was trampled to death by those wanting to buy their 'fair share' of discounted consumer goods (a.k.a. cheap plastic crap). Does this not just say it all about what has gone so horribly wrong in our society?

I don't know if a cup of tea is going to cut it for this one.

8 comments:

hmd said...

I saw that hit our news. Ugh. Happy freakin' Christmas, right? Ugh! I'll stay home and hide, thank you :)

Lee said...

That just makes me feel ill. How can the family of the deceased ever come to terms with that? It's horrific, and sick.

Anonymous said...

Unbelievable. Or actually too believable. Such a tragic result from people searching for what they think is happiness and, instead, losing their humanity.

Theresa, I'll join you for that cup of tea...

Theresa said...

Heather, ugh is right. It makes you want to just throw up your hands in despair.

Daharja, I just don't know. I can't imagine how the family will cope. I don't know how the people who trampled the victim can look themselves in the mirror. Such sadness everywhere.

ABP - it is indeed tragic on so many levels. I think I will go and have some more tea right now. That sage plant from the farmer's market makes some delicious tea :)

EJ said...

This is so interesting. While I sympathize with the friends and relatives of this person it seems almost a symbolic event.

Why is this death so much more sensational/noticed than miners, truck drivers, loggers, or other workers dying from work related sicknesses and accidents? Sweat shop workers, cashiers with aching arms and backs. Caustic chemicals inhaled and then spewed into rivers to produce our precious, essential plastics and metals.

Could it be that it showed us the stark truth (soon to forgotten I'm sure) about our habits and their hidden costs?

All of these deaths and injuries feed our consumerism, greed and desire for cheap stuff.

Theresa said...

You're right EJ - this was just an obvious type of death by consumerism. There are countless consumer-related deaths and injuries that go unnoticed every day. Or virtually so. One that does stick in my mind though are the three temporary 'foreign' workers who died working in the tar sands earlier this year.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I missed that news story. Tragic...and a sad commentary on our consumer driven society, too.

Simply Authentic said...

Too sad....it happens every year and it's the most ridiculous thing ever. I don't think any of those people truly know what the Christmas spirit is....