Sigh. Rueful shake of head. "Ditwads," muttered under his breath.

Apparently they didn't get the memo from Consumerist not to buy anything on Black Friday.

Yeah, I agree. Ditwads. Sheep who fall prey to every little add about the (five) laptop computers that are priced at $199.

@zentec: There were five? Oh, I'm sorry. When we said five, we meant one. Our store display. And we regret to inform you that we can't sell that unit as we need it to show off the five we have in sto-- oh wait, did we just say five again?

Well, we have these economically-price laptops over here for only $2399.

These are the type of people that advertisers target. It reminds me of those zombie movies where they all automatically follow each other with that stupid look on their faces.

Only these people are more dangerous. They have credit cards to max out.

It's always interesting how these kinds of things basically never happen in Japan for some reason. Though I suppose nothing beats the inanity of the Chinese, who throw their children over the wall of Disneyland so they can get inside.

...social Darwinism at its finest!

I avoided the mall because of crazy people. I didn't figure it was worth being injured over it. There's a real potential for danger here and I can't believe I'm actually surprised that a pregnant woman would dare go to the mall on Black Friday. Is it really worth it?

What the *%^& is wrong with people?

My God what is wrong with us?? Is anyone else as disgusted by this video as I am? Is this what corporate America has turned us into?

I wish this video could be shown over and over and over on TV all thru the "Christmas Season (which now runs from Sept. thru December) so people could actually see how pathetic we all have become.

I wonder if ANY of those people realized, for even a moment how they were acting almost animalistic?

What a bunch of sheep we are! Corporate America and the media have us so brainwashed that when they ding their little bell they KNOW that we will be standing outside the locked mall doors, in the freezing cold, waiting for them to ALLOW us to come in so we can buy a bunch of stuff we really can't afford for people, especailly our children who jsut wish we would spend more time with them instead of buying useless gifts they really don't want. Why do we do it, is it because we think people won't love us if we don't?

And all of THIS to celebrate a Holy Day???????

@SkyeBlue: Black Friday is a Holy Day?

But I agree; the hype created by merchants, Internet sites leaking deals and the media have turned this day into nothing short of dangerous.

@SkyeBlue: "We"? Hey, nothing is wrong with me.

I really just don't get this "black friday' frenzy. Don't people know the best deals are the day AFTER Christmas?

@satoru:

IIRC, Japan doesn't have any really serious "shopping" holidays. There are a few where people give gifts, and retailers sure wish everyone would jump on the Christmas bandwagon, but there's nothing like here.

@I Will Not Stop Feeding My Fat Baby: Agreed. Some people are stupid, others are perfectly well-rounded.

@SkyeBlue: Who says everyone shopping on Black Friday can't afford what they're buying? Do you know the financial situation of every person in America? Some people (me included) LIKE giving gifts for Christmas, and would prefer to catch things on sale, rather than pay full price. Personally, I have my eye on a portable GPS unit and there are several good deals to be had.

Now, if you also know the mindset of every child in America, can you please go ahead and telepathically ask my cousins what they would like for Christmas?

Nice video finds, Ben! They must of uploaded those after I looked this morning...

i love the end when the reporter or crew member says "the real story is stupidity here" and someone replies "i think we have that". [or something like that].

that made me sick to my stomach. and so glad i'm doing ANY shopping today!

@SkyeBlue: Yep, and this is precise thing that people think elevates American culture above all others and justifies instigating war after war to spread and defend such degeneracy.

"We're fighting to protect your freedom". Yeah, sure buddy. I wake up everyday thinking this is what freedom is all about.

I live in Boise and the mall was giving away 500 Wii's to the first 500 people at the mall. When 10,000 (quarter of them being drunk college students) people show up it will never end good.

I'm glad the Target in VA was not like this.

ah, the annual Running of the Fools.

@theblackdog: Which Target in Va? I wanted to avoid Wal-Mart and Target as much as I could, but I guess it's possible that Target shoppers are more civilized than Wal-Mart shoppers...we stood in line for a Wii and there was one man who had come from a Wal-Mart and said that people were pushing and grabbing everything that looked good.

Red State antics!

@CaffeinatedSquint: how dare you question a pregnant woman's desire to spend money (it's the Ah-MURuh-kin way, you know)! we instead reserve such judgement for those who have the audacity to have a glass of wine in their 3rd trimesters.

I actually got my shopping for the season done today...hit up Target for the most part. Crowded but they seemed to have plenty of everything and people were being quite polite. The whole giveaway thing as was being practiced here tends to be bring out the worst in people.

At least it's good to see obese people running around trying to lose a few pounds and save a couple dollars.

All golly, look at all the good little sheep, doing what their corporate masters demand.

In their (ever so slight) defense, those doors really suck.

My home state isn't getting any good publicity lately. Oh well, at least we're good for crazy senators with wide stances and our proper video documentation of our insane displays of pointless consumerism.

Black Friday is so depressing, and videos like this aren't helping. Show of hands: How many people left the house today solely because we had to work?

Sounds like the front row at a Morrissey show.

SCOOBYDOO: of course "Black Friday" is not a "Holy Day"! Well, maybe it is to those people in the video, I don't know. What I was referring to, somewhat unclearly I guess, was all of this that is supposedly leading up to what is supposed to be a celebration of one of the most Holy Days of Christianity!

CAFFEINATEDSQUINT: NO, thank god, I do not know the financial situation of everybody in America! And if I were to reread my post I don't think I mentioned that EVERYONE in America could not afford to buy gifts, I was thinking of the people, even some I know personally, like one of my neighbors who lives on a fixed income of a little over $700.00 a month who went so far in debt buying gifts last year that she had to write a post-dated check at a Check Cashing Service at horrible interest rates just to be able to pay her bills back in January.

And yes, I have to stand by my statement that many people do spend more than they can afford to, especially at this time of year. How many people do you know who are probably STILL paying on credit card debt they wracked up from last Christmas, at 18-24% interest rates? It is something to think about. I remember reading not long ago that the average American family has about $8,000.00 in credit card debt. Obvioiusly, someone somewhere is spending ALOT more than they can afford!

I spent $400 on a Wii, accessories and a game. I'll have that paid off next month. I hope people have more sense than to spend what they can't pay for, but it takes all kinds...

I'm canadian. No sales to be had, but I went to Ikea and bought myself sheets and a pillow. Just so I could feel all commercial and warm and gooey inside. (that, and I find the idea of "buy nothing day" inherently stupid. I'd much rather have a "buy nothing christmas.")

@ceejeemcbeegee: Don't people know the best deals are the day AFTER Christmas?

Kinda hard to explain to the kids that Santa is a cheap bastard.

I did know a family that always bought next year's presents the days following Christmas. Sad thing is they would put the next year's presents unwrapped in a closet. The kids had a whole year to look at what they were getting for Christmas.

@Eilonwynn: I am proud to say the only thing I bought today was gas, chips and a soda.

@DallasDMD: Oh, come off it. This is called running to get a hot deal where the first people to get there win out. Also, note the ages of most of the people - tons of people that look like students that probably turned out because something free! was being given out - and it was a holiday for all of them to boot.

And moreover, in large, congested crowds, that sort of inability to move or almost appearance of stampeding through a confined zone is very hard to avoid and is an element in human psychology and behavior in large crowd situations, which is not at all exclusive to any particular human, American or otherwise. It's why doors open outward for egress in almost every worldwide building code.

@satoru: "Though I suppose nothing beats the inanity of the Chinese, who throw their children over the wall of Disneyland so they can get inside."

...WHAT? I don't think I've ever seen that happen before, nor have I personally experienced being thrown over a wall just to get inside Disneyland (I'm Chinese). I just waited until afternoon to buy their discount ticket. Of course, sounds like a uniquely Japanese phenomenon- in the one in CA I've never heard of that happening before.

@trollkiller: Funny,

in eastern europe people give each other gifts on New Year's day :) Religion and $$$ gifts are on different dates. Better this way.

@chouchou:

I think the whole "wealth is a sign that you're graced by God!" (unless you're in some sinful business) crowd would disagree.

@TechnoDestructo: Didn't Jesus threw a fit in the temple, because of all merchants selling crap?

Don't think ''the birthday boy'' is very thrilled.

And if this is Jesus' birthday, shouldn't people give gift to the person who's birthday it is?

(Just my rant over commercialization of a family holiday)

@trollkiller: You can just keep the holiday Epiphany and give them gifts on Jan 6 when the magi actually showed up with gifts. Then there's no "cheap bastard" accusations thrown around. ;)

@ceejeemcbeegee: Not for some of the insanely cheap doorbusters. For most everything else, yes. But everyone thinks that the "3 minimum" or "10 minimum" or "20 minimum" will include them. And we will do whatever it takes to make it happen. :)

@chouchou:

I think the atheist camp has the hardest time trying to figure out why 'christians,' who ostensibly worship a man who encouraged everyone to give up all of their worldly goods to follow their god, seem to be so hell-bent (har har har) on accumulating material wealth.

I still like Creflo Dollar's church in Atlanta, with the ATMs in the vestibules and the credit card readers and change machines on every usher's belt.

@EtherealStrife:

I vote that we legalize murder on Black Friday. Does that count as social darwinism?

When I have kids, I'm going to teach them that the Anti-Santa's birthday is Dec 25th. The real Santa's birthday is Dec 27th. But not to tell the other kids (or, "suckers" as Saint Nick refers to them under his breath when he's not waging elven war against the Fake Evil Santa).

And the real Santa really appreciates a kid that can mix and shake a wicked martini for his Dad. Every day. As soon as he shows up at the door. (Dad, not Santa, who prefers a glass of single-blend Irish whiskey left for him).

Sure, he'll be a strange, mildly paranoid kid. Well, more so than usual.

Hey, just a thought. Anyone want to guess what the lede would be if it was in an urban area, and these were Black consumers bumping into each other? The mind reels, but I'll bet "riot" "gang violence" and "looting" would figure prominently.

@synergy: I had to look that up, pretty cool. Thanks

TRAI_DEP: The media only does that when they want to have a lead in for the nightly news and scare us "afeared" white folks so that on the next night they can report on the rising tide of gun sales!

I'm MORE scared of the media, the corporations, and politicians than I am of crime, what can I do to protect myself from THEM?

Truly sickening. And it appears that the least attractive people in Idaho all got together in the mall parking lot.

The pregnant woman is a particular cretin.

@sassenach: I guess she figured being pregnant would get her special treatment. Not so honey, this is Idaho.

Materialism breeds insanity.