Greed is not just the province of wealthy bankers. The stampede at a Walmart on Long Island reminded us that greed, one of the classic Seven Deadly Sins, can grip anyone, anywhere. From the New York Daily News account about the death of 34-year-old temporary employee, Jdimytai Damour
Roughly 2,000 people gathered outside the Wal-Mart's doors in the predawn darkness.Chanting "push the doors in," the crowd pressed against the glass as the clock ticked down to the 5 a.m. opening.
Sensing catastrophe, nervous employees formed a human chain inside the entrance to slow down the mass of shoppers.
"They took the doors off the hinges," said Wal-Mart worker Jimmy Overby, 43. "He was trampled and killed in front of me. "...
Even officers who arrived to perform CPR on the trampled worker were stepped on by wild-eyed shoppers streaming inside, a cop at the scene said.
"When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling, 'I've been on line since Friday morning!'" Cribbs said. "They kept shopping."
"I look at these people's faces and I keep thinking one of them could have stepped on him," said one employee. "How could you take a man's life to save $20 on a TV?"
In Inferno, Dante decided that the punishment for avarice should be having your face pressed into the earth for eternity (in Circle 4)--a reminder that you had cared too much about earthly concerns.
Note: I'm going to try classifying news according to the seven deadly sins (lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride) and cardinal virtues (chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, humility). Email me your nominations or post them in the comments box.
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This is a result of the brainwashing being done by mass media, convincing society that you will look better and feel better if you own more things.
Pardon my insensitivity to the topic, but I'm captivated by the image of, what I assume, are the greedy being punished in Dante's Inferno (Hell) - any idea who the artist is? And/or from whence it came??
Thank you ever so much for any info... Simply horrible about that employee - makes me ashamed to be an American these days...
Mob psychology and physics is at the heart of this, (and add a little game's theory if you like.)
Mob psychology because the mindset that leads to the big push is present and builds while people wait with anticipation. Everyone wants to get in and the push from the mass of people in the rear make it impossible for anything but forward motion to occur, when the doors open or collapse. Physics is a part because of the force that is exerted by everyone pushing (mass and force). And games theory is a part because people are acting for individual gain to their own detriment. (i.e. Each person in that mob contributed to the death of that employee, and the net result is a bargain obtained while being contributory to the death of a person. Not a good bargain if you ask me. It will weigh heavily on most people that they were contributory to the death of an innocent person for a cheap price on a consumer "good".)
The store should be subject to investigation and suit for not taking precautions. The society and the citizenry should reflect on their values. It is a sad story, but something can and should be learned from it.
BWH, this looks like the work of William Blake. While I have not seen this piece before, it is of that style. Also Blake did create illustrations of Dante's Inferno, so with some confidence I will say it is by William Blake.
I was wrong. Here is a link:
http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/gallery/0605avarice.jpg
The piece is entitled: The Avaricious by Gustave Doré
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