Truly a *Black* Friday

I am already sick of the holiday season. Well, maybe I'm just sick of greedy, unappreciative people who have this sense of ENTITLEMENT that just won't go away.

For example: Amazon.com. My all-time favorite place to shop. They are running their Black Friday deals again this year, and I cannot begin to count the number of posts on the website that are people doing nothing but complaining about how "terrible" the deals are. Um. Excuse me? First of all, there are hundreds of thousands of people out there shopping for deals. Something that does not appeal to you may certainly appeal to someone else. And who the hell are you to complain anyway? It's not like the stores are REQUIRED to not only discount items, but to turn around and make sure that (personal survey, maybe?) that EVERY SINGLE ITEM is one that you, yourself, personally want.

Another example, and one this is even worse (to me, anyway). Again, amazon. I got invited to participate in a program called Amazon Vine. Basically, amazon sends a newsletter out once a month with a bunch of stuff on it. Books, electronics, toys, food...whatever. You can pick out two items from each monthly newsletter, with the understanding that you will review 75% of the items you get. These items are then yours to keep. For Free. Let me say that again - FOR FREE. I personally am so excited to be part of this program - I get to select new stuff, and only have to spend a small bit of my time writing an honest review. I have gotten things I didn't know existed, and have gotten things I've had my eye on. Honestly, I owe them for allowing me to participate! But, again...we have the jackasses.

Several posts are made, every single month, about why this person didn't get the cool camcorder that someone else may have gotten, or how come that person didn't get anything besides books, or why so-and-so got cat food when they don't have a cat. GOOD GOD, PEOPLE! First of all, the newsletters always have several things, so bypass the flippin' cat food and find something else. Second - this is a privilege. You are getting these things for free. You are NOT entitled to the camcorder, or printers, or anything else. If you get something you wanted - Great! Be excited! But, if you don't, then please do not whine about it. Third - if you *don't* get something you wanted, the BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS. Read a new book. Try a new snack food you may not ordinarily purchase. You may not like it, but at least you've tried something new.

Then we have the absolute, ultimate example. People so filled with the sense of entitlement, the belief that they are owed, that they are willing to not only trample a man to death...but to CONTINUE TRYING TO SHOP afterwards!! People were still standing in line when they were trying to clear the store! Are you kidding me? What gives any human the right to trample another - let alone over a flippin' television? It makes me sick. The family of this poor man are now left trying to find any meaning in the death of their loved one.

The sad thing is - these people are breeding. They are passing their "I am owed" attitudes on to their children, who begin carrying that torch at a very young age. Like feeling entitled to an "A" without having done the work. This is why our culture has become what it is, and why our race may not survive. We are willing to go to war and to kill over what we believe to be "ours".

Who are the animals again?!?