shop 'til you drop: horror's condemnation of overconsumption

[@Yharazayd]

shout out to peter strickland's *in fabric* and brian yuzna's *society* ... also, self-plug, i think my video on the people under the stairs is a good companion piece to this one so maybe check that out too okay bye

[@BeanMagoon]

society is incredible, vouch for that one

[@DanTheElevator]

Society immediately jumped to mind as I watched this video.

[@binkusbonkus]

I would highly recommend Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. The whole books is fantastic, but the titular short story would slot in perfectly to this videos analysis

[@Yharazayd]

@@binkusbonkus thank you! always on the hunt for good books, placing a hold with my library immediately

[@Enbionic_Titan]

I love your videos and essays. You're literally one of my go-to's on YT, along with Skip Intro, F.D, and Kadijah. This one hit me so hard in my anti-capitalist heart that I'll have to come back to it later. That Blitz Day story made me so angry and sad that I had to shut it off. 7k was a pittance and they couldn't even pay that... I saw Thanksgiving last November, and I nvr rooted for a villain more lmao

[@jonfro-mez]

The story you tell at the beginning is truly horrifying. A life lost over some fucking TVs.

[@mangyfossa]

What's even sadder is I'm sure he's not the only one. How did we get here, when manmade goods that we will never ever truly need become superior to human life. It's disgusting. I can't think about it too long without wanting to destroy everything I have and never get anything again. It's just not worth it...

[@ahobimo732]

I agree. It was intense. But I can't say it surprised me at all. Human beings can be quite reprehensible.

[@c0ffinfl0p]

Thats Long Island for you

[@wodthehunter8145]

Eli Roths "Thanksgiving" is literally based on this event.

[@jesusisunstoppable4438]

And Yet you love Apple iPhone, Computers etc etc Documentaries on YT Showing Apple using Forced Child Labor and People Dying from the horrible working conditions. And you don't give damn.

[@thalia9789]

Anytime I see someone say they miss "the chaos of Black Friday" or "Black Friday isn't what it used to be" I think of that poor man that died at Walmart. I think It's sad that capitalism has fucked with our heads so badly that we're now idealizing things that actively harmed/harms us.

[@chibiktsn3]

Exactly! I understand reminiscing if you had some good Black Friday memories, but the longing is weird.

[@supme7558]

One person gimme a break

[@0SlowOperator0]

Go live in Communist North Korea if.you think its so bad here. Youre just an ungrateful brat.

[@wxytxtrs6563]

⁠@@supme7558 There’s more than just 1 person that has died like this in the past decade. Besides, it’s still one person too many for something as flippant as buying a TV. How would it feel if somebody you loved was that one person, and other people had a general disregard for their loss of life? Life is precious and infinitely more valuable than consumer electronics, don’t allow anything to numb you into apathetic submission. When people stop caring about other human lives, only a select few win- and it’s not you or me.

[@SamWilkinsonn]

The only excitement some people had in their mundane life. I can see the attraction in their shoes, however sad it may seem from an outsiders perspective. They should try find a hobby to scratch that itch instead though. Consumerism’s hollow.

[@GiulianaBruna]

When big discounts arrive I always remember my mom saying that "the business never lose, so that's the price they could be selling it" but we keep falling in the trap like they got us hostage.

[@Vapourwear]

That’s not strictly true. Things are frequently sold at a loss, and not just “loss leaders.” Shit they don’t sell costs them money in opportunity to stock/sell something else. “Shop Around the Corner” milks this for endless laughs and is utterly worth a watch.

[@danlowe]

@@Vapourwear Please don't apply mom and pop economics to an international corporation with the GDP of a small country and the means to secure debt and offshore supply chains that significantly alter the purchasing power of a dollar in both that market and ours. Store level shrink is not a loss unless it becomes a pattern common to the whole infrastructure of the company. Store level margins only matter when your economy isn't a money printed offshore stock buyback ponzi. God I hate this economics 101 interpretation of our political reality.

[@Vapourwear]

@@danlowe you realize your assumption that we’re talking about a giant worldwide operation here is just as presumptive as what you were accusing me of being here. In fact, more, as I hedged and admitted that the situation OP’s referring to frequently does occur. I hate this reading skills 101 interpretation of the shit that I write on the Internet.

[@madscientist916]

There are times when you’ll sell things at a loss that they open the door for more sales on peripherals where you make more money. I don’t remember which, but I know there was a video game console (I think it was maybe a Nintendo one) that sold at a loss because they wanted more consoles sold because it would lead to bigger profits on 1st party games.

[@ElkiLG]

God, the 7000 dollars fine. And the reason they didn't want to pay was probably because they thought "if we have to pay, it means we could be held responsible for the next time this happens too".

[@danielcantiego9374]

Business smarts

[@emily-crawford-soprano9181]

Based on this fabulous essay, is this why we currently group ourselves online based on what we consume? “Book girlies” “cottage core” or pick an aesthetic. It’s like we feel distant connection based on our clothes and makeup and books. But all too often, it’s a shallow connection.

[@shalalala4875]

wow I never thought about that but that feels really spot on

[@flowerheit4512]

idk i feel like the aesthetic is a surface representation of shared values, or at least shared hobbies, right?

[@lucia-di-lammermoor]

Only in the west, lmao.

[@AC-dk4fp]

Its all by marketing design. Hence video game publisher taglines like 'For the Players'. Humans are tribalistic by nature and marketing can't change human nature so it has to exploit it instead. Subcultures were organic originally but you don't get paid for waiting for organic subcultures to pop up.

[@Voingous]

@@lucia-di-lammermoor So true! Le based countries like Japan, India, and China would never sort people into categories for ostracization!

[@simplenough]

Horror - consumption is bad! Also horror - go see these 37 sequels!

[@Yharazayd]

😂 i'll put that on the studios though

[@sydney9011]

You'll have to take that one up with Charles Band, haha!

[@otterzrkuhl]

That's more corporate Hollywood than the horror genre itself but the irony is there lol

[@scream1996]

no cause let's talk about it

[@simplenough]

@@scream1996 ok, let’s talk

[@bakedpotato1717]

“The judge sided with OSHA” Oh thank god, some justice “Walmart was fined $7000” I hate this country

[@diegowushu]

Even in my shitty 3rd world country something like this would end up with the store manager in jail (and whomever told them to do stuff this way probably too) and some hundreds of mils in fines, what are you guys even doing there.

[@kiing.diimon4984]

@@diegowushurapidly becoming fascist. That’s what we’re doing lmao

[@TreeHairedGingerAle]

And then they didn't even pay it. 😑

[@lorelig]

$7000 is what a human life is worth to that judge.

[@adrianghandtchi1562]

And they didn’t even want to pay that, And kept pushing it away until they paid for in 2015. Yikes yikes yikes

[@sho_alii]

Although not a horror film in an explicit sense, yet still influenced by and has clear undertones of horror. The Stepford Wives (1975) also carries interesting social critique and satire of domestic culture, briefly in relation to consumerism. Namely the link between housewives and shopping, which is most clearly showcased by the film’s eerie ending.

[@saramoreira9847]

Sorry to Bother You is another good one to watch, all the horrendous things that happen in the third act are driven by greed, consumerism and capitalism.

[@sho_alii]

@@saramoreira9847 Definitely, the film really starts entering new territory genre-wise by the third act. Great film! Another fantastic film that dives into similar fields is Network (1976). One of the greatest films of all time imo!

[@legendaryfrog4880]

There's also another aspect of 'They Live' that is often laughed at, but is actually genius. In the alley, Piper is trying to get David to put on the glasses, but David keeps refusing and openly declares 'I don't want to get involved'. The scene is long, but it's very instructive on just how hard it is to get people to change their minds and see the truth. We don't want to know the truth. We'll fight our friends to not see. Carpenter is a genius.

[@jumpingman6612]

This, brilliant movie

[@FedericoPalma]

Plato's Cave... somewhere in the 400's b.C.

[@Cryostal]

Just like christains not accepting Islam

[@legendaryfrog4880]

@@Cryostal Or Muslims not accepting their god is made up.

[@G36C-556]

​@Cryostal Christianity and Islam are mutually exclusive, unless something crazy happens to bring us together, we stay apart

[@tayzers69]

the culture of consumerism is difficult to escape even when you have a bone deep hatred for all things that stem from it. when youre isolated, when youre miserable, when the world is constantly beating you down, what do you turn to? even therapy is really nothing more than a product. humans have certain social needs that must be fulfilled, but in a world where the soul is being increasingly rapidly sucked out of everything and whatever manages to break through is stifled and ridiculed, what else do we have to turn to but the temporary dopamine kicks? what can else can we get attached to when we're estranged from friends, family, peers, and ourselves? there really isnt a choice. some people are strong enough to resist it on an individual level, but as a collective, there really is no other choice but to participate or languish in feeling ostracized and outcasted, possibly on a permanent level. there is no escape. im sure there are advertisements in hell too

[@danlowe]

I agree, and I think we'd normally find comradery in our common ground but we're also being conditioned to blame our dissatisfaction on each other, to blame social movements or groups of people. Never the concrete institutions themselves

[@graceomalley5572]

im sure the advertisements in hell are for our own planet too "Come to Planet Earth! It's Hell but you can PAY to get out of it!"

[@JB52520]

Yup. Life is over. No money, no effective medication, burned out on therapy, not helped by hospitals, not helped by ECT, no access to [cognition enhancing lifestyle substances], and no way in hell I'll ever again feel the slightest affection from anyone. I need to die and just can't. This is hell.

[@harrypottah8889]

@@JB52520how old are you fam?

[@wolvepotter5858]

Grown adults fighting over several Cabbage Patch Kids is still the height of comedy

[@Iquey]

Then it becane Stanley cups..and then peche pots in australia.

[@HeatherHolt]

I remember the tickle me Elmo phase when i was a kid. Seeing parents fight over the last laughing Elmo doll at Kmart like toilet paper during Covid.

[@FuegoJaguar]

then green pieces of paper with no inherent value

[@bobblueford]

Somebody should speed up the video and add the Benny Hill music to it.

[@SlapstickGenius23]

@@Iquey Did you mean Le Creuset peche pots? Otherwise, Le Creuset is still a good quality design brand.

[@kembizorina]

I feel like maybe the reason why They Live (1988) is a favorite amongst far right people is because it's a narrative about mass conspiracy. Despite the fact that the movie is an 'up yours' to Reagan and capitalism/consumerism, far right viewers probably love it for the 'we're not like you sheeple' thing and that's how they miss the actual message of the movie.

[@Reverse_Cat_Cowgirl]

Yes, and I think conservatives tend to be more nostalgic as well. So, a movie from a time long gone gives a sense of comfort and reassurance in your beliefs that it used to be better.

[@shalalala4875]

it’s also a testament to just how effective far right brainwashing has become- fringe theories that Jewish people and liberals are the real boogeymen mind controlling everyone and everything- not capitalism, no, it’s Jewish people and liberals and feminism that actually hold all the power and are enslaving the masses. Far right propaganda has convinced people that they are victims of progressive ideas, and of actually marginalized groups. Misplacing the blame on someone ‘other’. people living in poverty are indoctrinated to misdirect genuine dissatisfaction with the failing of society and poverty away from class inequality and toward ‘the left’, immigrants, ‘liberals’, etc. And what used to be a fringe theory has become really effective far-right radicalization for people who feel disenfranchised. So the same far-right people who watch that movie really resonate with it, really believe it. And it’s like, you guys were on the right track by questioning wealth inequality and classism but you didn’t keep looking and thinking further- you got swept up in the false, easy ‘answer’ which is to pin the blame on whoever society having a moral panic about at the time.

[@spectrumefp]

Not as weird as Paul Ryan loving Rage Against the Machine.

[@jakebeach8308]

If far right people are good at anything, it's missing the main and obvious point, and assuming it supports their completely unhinged view on the world.

[@djorankeil]

I think there's also an element of looking solely at the surface of things. It seems like a pretty pervasive thing when it comes to misunderstanding art by, in particular, the far right. Like all the songs played at Trump rallies, as a for instance.

[@fizzymilk2246]

such a great video. $7000 is the price they put on a human life, if that's not horror then idk what is

[@HUeducator2011]

This was great! This made me think about Covid-19 and how dystopian ads were during the time. Nasty nasty work

[@uncanny_mac4660]

"Please spend your money or covid wins! we're in this together."

[@willytodd2750]

Ads? What about the governments? inb4 a bunch of Trump Vaxxed brainlets jump in here. Sweden never had any lockdowns, they still exist and didnt have any more of a problem with covid than any other country.

[@mariapaz6379]

My queen has spoken, thank you for blessing us with your content. Edit about the topic: I feel like the most horrifying part of hyper consumerism is how ubiquitous it is. You cannot get out of the machine, unlike in "matrix" and "they live", there is no magic object or action that can get you out of here or let you see the truth, every effort to fight consumerism, leads to the efforts itself getting consumed. Trends like minimalism or cottage core, which were *sold* as a new lifestyle for people who wanted to escape hyper consumption, got packaged and sold as instagram prefect photos and videos. You cannot fight it, you cannot run from it, we speak through our phones, study from our laptops, live in our homes, wear our clothes and everything is bought. Even the mirror that we use to look at our reflection was once a product sold at a great deal.

[@LynnHermione]

Actually most of us are away from hyperconsumerism because we dont have money. Americans often forget how much of their hyperconsummerist cultire is NOT replicated elsewhere. My country had black friday ONCE, the next year all shops faked the discounts, people said fk u, and no one cared about black friday again. I don't even buy new clothes anymore, I buy the bargain bin at second hand shops or make my own, bc I am not paying that much.

[@bugzilly]

I think there are things we can do, they just require community building to actually accomplish. Capitalism takes away community and separates us, then repackages the things (often connection and identity) we want as products. It would be difficult if not impossible to completely disentangle from this, but I think it is possible to get out of a lifestyle of OVERconsumption. We can stop buying things we don't need, stop relying on purchasing stuff for self care, make things, give things away, and forge relationships with others who are doing the same thing to build a greater web of community sufficiency! It's not hopeless, but it does require work and time

[@tau-5794]

You're conflating "capitalism" with modernity and nihilism. This isn't what you get when there is the free exchange of goods and work, this is what happens when people don't have anything to believe except a completely materialist worldview. Trust levels have eroded all over the world and it's not companies causing it, they're just taking advantage of the situation that was spurred on by much more powerful actors who want us to be hate and spite filled plebians.

[@ughIdontwantto]

in a video about the dangers of vapid consumerism, a shein commercial interrupts you mid-word. it can't get more meta than that

[@ughIdontwantto]

oh, that part about bush jr's stint forgot to mention the irony of U.S. jobs being outsourced en masse at that time; factory labor moving overseas, so nearly everything (even US flags) were no longer made in america. the pockets of those at the top of the chain were being filled, and US money was lining the pockets of foreign factories, enriching them while americans found themselves out of work and with less purchasing power. yet we were told to keep buying because look how cheap these products are now!

[@marielanomade]

14:45 That moment was so unsettling to me and my dad when we saw Bush make that speech. We were both thinking ''Wth? No. We all need a good cry and reflect on things.'' It felt so much like the western world was told to carry on as if nothing had happened when in fact several buildings and thousands of people were suddenly missing. It felt callous and out of touch.

[@emmawilson5784]

Especially when 9/11 happened due in part to greedy airlines who wanted to cut cost on security measures

[@haleymist09]

I remember that. We were looking for a leader and uplifting words. And that's all we got? Yeesh.

[@hotrox2112]

"Mission Accomplished"...

[@Sweetinfernalcreature]

I love this kind of horror! Everyone makes fun of it and says it’s dumb and maybe it is a little camp, but I love how it has such a serious undertone, but it has a silly concept like killer donuts or a killer dress or jeans…so great! Edit: I want to add that jingle all the way and so many 90s movies often used the lust for a child’s toy for their kid because they were absent parents (for many reasons, some not by choice) was a major trope. Also, I remember seeing the coverage of that Black Friday sale on the news. I was 17. I never liked Black Friday sales but that turned me off so much. I will never ever go to those mega sales like that.

[@sukonetei4789]

If Dawn of the dead isn’t mentioned in this I’m going to kick off Update: GAHHHHHHHHHH DAWN OF THE DEAD MENTION 💥💥💥💥💥

[@marypurcell5223]

It’s a more tenuous connection, but I think of Scream and the fact that Ghostface’s costume was mass-produced from a Halloween store. It prevents the killers from being easily tracked by purchases, but I think it can also be tied to commodification and consumerism. The costumes are cheap and available, and is bought by (at least one) student to play a prank. Also, the sequels emphasize how the costumes became popular and thus more heavily prodcued amid the Woodsboro killings. The movies focus more on the commodification of violence, but I think there’s a thread of consumer culture in there as well.

[@TreeHairedGingerAle]

Us: _Watching capitalism ceaselessly creating war, suffering, sickness, homelessness, loneliness, confusion, misinformation, exhaustion, environmental destruction, corruption, abuse, coercion, and desperation_ ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ The owning class: "...Hey, have you considered shopping about it? 🤷🏼‍♂️ Because you probably just aren't buying enough."

[@RIVALContentJammerz]

Right, because none of that ever happens under communism. The socialist left were the ones all about censoring opposition and locking people down. Grow up.

[@lainiwakura1776]

Funny, all that stuff is rampant in communist nations.

[@thetaarakian]

Any video where The Stuff is a main talking point is huge bonus points. One of my favorite horror movies as a kid. This was an excellent video and a great look into portrayals of consumerism. Another big example of the absolute power of consumerism is the drive to re open in 2020. The whole "My mother would give her life to keep our economy strong" and all that.

[@Scriven42]

WAIT, it's just literally bubbling out of the ground and buddy's like "Yummy, bottle this and away we go!"?? Were they Nestle?

[@yeahreally9185]

This is how we discovered artificial sweeteners lol. Except it was a chemist in a lab randomly licking shit off of his fingers

[@photostrips]

"Tyler durden really ate when he said..." PLEASE I'm obsessed

[@unthinkablethailboat]

3:45 “Horror has always been a great genre for exploring the deep-seated and/or flaws of Society.” slick edit right there

[@baileywatts1304]

I think an important bit of context for The Stuff is that the film came out about a year and a half after the artificial sweetener aspartame was approved for commercial use and about a month after it hit the shelves in dang near everything under the brand name of NutraSweet

[@saintdeleter]

monroeville mall mentioned. i worked at the guitar center at monroeville mall. there have been quite a few shootings there. when i was a kid i played at the mister rogers playground in the mall. then the big kids kept telling me there was zombies there and it made me scared and i didnt wanna play there anymore.

[@saintdeleter]

they should make a dawn of the dead about abu dhabi. theres 100000000 malls over there. some of the craziest architecture of all time. bigger than some of the towns i have lived in. all built by slave labour. there is ideas to be discussed certianly

[@WendlaBergmann]

I think often of the poor victim of the Walmart rush, especially lately when people talk about [x singer] tickets sales skyrocketing and stupid sippy cups, and the way workers are treated in between all that. Looking forward to watching the video ❤

[@badusername1128]

John Carpenter was right about Reagan (and possibly everything - I need to watch They Live apparently) So happy you came back to KZbin! I love hearing your perspective and your voice!

[@Reverse_Cat_Cowgirl]

I know I will always look at holidays differently after my retail job, and that's crazy to think about. The pandemic panic shopping was pretty bad too. You just see people reacting at their most basic instincts... all rational thought temporarily gone and its disturbing.

[@Mayizzle8]

I was 7 when 9/11 happened so I don't really have any distinct memories of the aftermath, but that portion of the video immediately made me think of the Boston marathon bombing and the fact that not even a day later every single t-shirt stand in the city was selling "Boston Strong" t-shirts. Always felt so weird to me that they were so ready to pounce on the merchandising opportunity and people just bought right into it

[@Strange9952]

Demand and supply

[@FishareFriendsNotFood972]

The Ultra Right unironically self-own on a weekly basis, lol

[@TylerRamos-h2o]

Basically everything they say is a self own because they’re wrong so often lmao

[@Vapourwear]

It’s the same on the left, they just wear less clothes doing it…

[@invisibleloki26]

Right...because nobody of left wing persuasion has ever embarassed themselves politically before...what a good faith comment section this is!

[@Carolina57685]

For the people who like musicals, there's this Starkid horror musical called Black Friday that deals with an eldritch horror of sorts coming to humanity in the shape of a weird doll. It takes place on black friday (ofc), it has cults, it has tunes, it has criticism of the american government, it's got it all! It's available for free on youtube in the Starkid channel! They also have another musical heavily based on Invasion of the Body Snatchers called The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals and that one is even better imo.

[@emmamaki5862]

Honestly I was a little disappointed the video itself didn't discuss that musical given the whole opening spiel, so I'm glad to see someone in the comments pointing it out as it's really a prime example of basically all the themes discussed here

[@Carolina57685]

@@emmamaki5862 we must spread the good word of starkid to all!!!

[@Mysticbladegod]

Minimalism, Frugality, anti consumption, and degrowth are the solution. Less is more.

[@Gisiebob]

put it on a tshirt and sell it to get the word out. we all need to buy more degrowth merch. these feel good things to say don't get us there, we have to recognise that our system of incentives that we made are the problem, and until that problem is addressed it will not go away.

[@tau-5794]

Degrowth is just fancy wordage that really means top-down artificial impoverishment of ordinary people.

[@weirdo3116]

minimalism is just another way for people(snake oil salesmen) and corporations to sell you things. only this time they're literally charging you to have less stuff.

[@LennyTruce]

I wonder if Poltergeist is part of this genre in Horror? Particularly, the home being filled with goods like merchandise and tv sets.

[@Roseforthethorns]

Oh definitely!!! Even the development they live in is built in order to make money from the families moving there- despite the disrespect to the land and the spirits already there

[@djorankeil]

Poltergeist is the only horror movie that has ever scared me. I saw it when it first came to FTA TV when I was about eight. Clearly, I watched too much TV without supervision and something coming for me through a TV resonated :D

[@Gisiebob]

is there any recognition of why the things are there in the narrative? is there any indication that the sets might be unexpected or should be unexpected?

[@otterzrkuhl]

I recommend the movie Slaxx from 2020. It's about a possessed pair of jeans from a new line that's about to go on sale. The movie is silly but has some genuinely serious moments about the clothing industry and how obsessive with discounts and getting the hot new product literally destroys people.

[@Yharazayd]

i actually checked it out doing research for this video. it didn't quite stick the landing but hell i had fun watching it

[@janettewong9900]

Weird Al Yankovic’s parody of New Kids On The Block’s “The Right Stuff” (“The White Stuff”) is quite possibly a reference to the last movie

[@Vapourwear]

O-R-Eoo, O-R-E-O…. ;D

[@Ladyknightthebrave]

I think you've already gotten comments to this effect but I think the reason that They Live is so popular among conservatives, is because by unfortunate happenstance it's falling into the same sort of language used by conservatives. They always discuss their punching bag of the day as the other. 'They are coming for your children.' 'They are ruining your way of life.' frankly the language about atrocities going ignored is how they feel about like... Trans people being able to use the correct bathrooms. That to them is the atrocity. Incredible video btw 💜

[@tau-5794]

The atrocity is prepubescent children getting peer pressured into engaging in permanent disfiguring surgeries, and then when they inevitably regret it later in their lives they think there's nothing they can do other than end it all. This is not the kind of behavior that should be held up by a sane society with any basic human decency.

[@cleigh3796]

​@@tau-5794 I appreciate you spreading sanity but I can't help but feel that you're wasting your time responding to that person. She believes in gender identity ideology and believes that the 'correct' bathroom for a male who identifies as a woman to use is the women's restroom. That tells you how logical and non-brainwashed she is on anything related to the topic.

[@ps1hagrid786]

@@tau-5794 Prebubescent surgeries? Are you perhaps dramatizing puberty blockers? Also it's not really peer pressure when it's health care recommended and provided by a professional. Your misrepresentation of trans suic!d3 is simply appalling. Studies have proven that gender affirming care reduce not only suicidal ideation but attempts as well. The high risk comes from harassment and being hunted like animals by their community. Alienation is the greatest driving force. And I find it most horrendous that someone " just thinking about the kids" would throw actual victims and successful attempts under the bus in order to somehow justify the spooky hypothetical living within the confines of their imagination. And even if someone isn't happy with the results and chooses to detransition, it's a tiny enough minority to not render gender affirming care completely useless. A few of those who do end up regretting it are not worth sacrificing the countless more who don't. Its proven efficacy should not be understated to appeal to paranoid sentiments. The fearmongering has to stop.

[@blacksailsfan4life]

@@tau-5794but i’m sure you are perfectly fine with doctors and parents forcing gender on their intersex children through surgery and hormones.

[@blacksailsfan4life]

@@ps1hagrid786yeah, the only surgery like that is what’s done to intersex children. conservatives are fine with it as long as it enforces their ‘two genders only’ agenda.

[@legendaryfrog4880]

It's so infuriating that the fine was only 7k, no arrests were made and Walmart still refused to pay and payed more to appeal. We really need a better punitive system in the U.S.

[@Zyxie_Zyxie_Zyxie]

I’d say one of the best depictions of overconsumption and horror is the music video of XS by Rina Sawayama

[@BaldingClamydia]

I worked at WM for 5ish years in my early 20s.They don't call it blitz day, just blitz, but I never knew why until now. My dept was toys, and I worked two black fridays. We had to come in a 3:30 am (and I was a 2-11 employee) and got to go home when the rush started to fizzle out. They haven't started valuing their employees any more than when they let him get trampled, I can tell you that

[@kezia8027]

Absolutely phenomenal. It isn't often that a topic this nuanced, detailed, and expansive gets done justice, but I truly believe you've discussed this topic in a way that truly does it justice. Well founded, rounded and explained points, and honestly this has given me so much to think about, both in regards to my own biases, and also about how others interact with products, and the differences between them and myself. Phenomenal video. This could be shown in schools.

[@zacheryturner8694]

Just to add to the list already made in the video I think the director cut of the Film adaptation of Little shop of Horrors is also a well done example of Capitalism get its comeuppance

[@Mesenteric]

And rather than say “you just killed one of our workers, we’re closed,” they kept ringing people out.

[@jennyrodriguez811]

Rewatching again, don't love the horror genre, but I always love your insights on how art is used to reflect about society.

[@cloudy6113]

Oh wow this was soo good.That part about the glasses and how u see the world for what it is but then it becomes painful.I get it! Never knew a film was out there like that.We need more of it.

[@TreeHairedGingerAle]

Been one of my favorite movies since I was a kid. There's a lot of different layers like that throughout. Highly recommended movie!

[@ArchLars]

_"They're after the place. They don't know why; they just remember. Remember that they want to be in here."_ - Peter, Dawn of the Dead (1978) As the zombies are shambling about trying to get into the mall. A bit on the nose, but I still love it 😄 Also George was a real one for casting any actor regardless of background for the roles. He did this before anyone, got a lot of flack for it. RIP to the legend.

[@jackmonaghan8477]

The musical adaptation of Roger Corman's 'Little Shop of Horrors' has this as a theme too, especially in regards to the musical's ending (in both the stage musical and director's cut/original workprint of the 1986 film adaptation).

[@shalalala4875]

this is such a great commentary and conversation, I am floored. Please don’t stop sharing your thoughts and ideas. 🌻

[@jennrat2982]

😂@ the first ad being for " Buy from Temu..shop like a millionaire.."😁👍

[@Kellan__they-them]

I read the title and immediately knew Dawn of the Dead and They Live were going to be mentioned. Which is telling, I think. This topic has been explored in popular films since at least the 70s and, as is rightly pointed out, is just as (or even more) relevant now. Edit to add: I was in middle school when 9/11 happened, and my parents indeed went out and bought American flag bumper stickers for their cars soon after. I remember feeling weirdly embarrassed about how tacky it felt to me.

[@ddahlia3607]

i feel like this channel is one of the few video essay creators left that actually makes interesting videos that go more than surface deep 😭

[@normalaboutdhmis]

the brave little toaster is literally just “elevated horror” for a younger audience. (even though its not necessarily for kids)

[@dfolz1101]

I saw they live when i was 19 and it immediately became one of my favorites of all time. Baffled that somebody could ever read it as right wing.

[@maggiefitzgerald4470]

This is an awesome video. The horror genre (and science-fiction as an extension of it) are so valuable because of what they reflect back to us. I've watched so many videos on overconsumption (in an honest effort to try to minimize my own spending and consumption) and this is the first one that really feels permeating. Thank you for this!

[@barbiekeke1999]

Ah! I got so excited when I saw the title for this video and it did not disappoint. The Child’s Play inclusion was very insightful. It’s a favorite film of mine and I’ve thought much about it, but never about the consumerism aspect of it despite how glaringly obvious it is in the first two films with the excess production of all the dolls being visible and the amount of good guy merch that exists. But linking our culture of overconsumption with loneliness to Andy’s loneliness kinda made me a lil sad like oh! wdym that kid and all of the kids and adults today just want a friend through a product…great stuff as always :) looking forward to what’s next and will be watching the companion video soon

[@dumpsterhag]

Black Friday the musical by Starkid is the epitome of this concept and it's so good. It's not subtle in the slightest - it's very on the nose with its messages - but I love how it blends cosmic horror with consumerism to tell an ultimately very human story. 10/10 would recommend

[@egresham02]

I really enjoyed how you used horror movies to tell how capitalism and consumerism take hold of our lifestyles. I recently watched They Live and thought how fitting this movie is right now. Thank you and continue creating amazing videos.

[@gfadkghjreoi]

8:18 i gasped at this connection, my god

[@CBT5777]

I love "John Carpenters The Thing" It's a movie about paranoia and isolation. Absolute brilliant movie!

[@ems786]

Thank you! Quality content. I live in Australia and it helped me to reflect on my childhood in the early 2000s compared to my current habits, and the greed that is impacting our country and leaders.

[@vvitch-mist20]

I've been really thoughtful about how I buy things, and while being broke leaves me with little options, I can at least be more mindful about what I pick. Buying things I will wear often for years, even if it's seasonal. I don't care about trends, if I like something from a trend I'll pick it up, but only if I want it.

[@JowalQPhotos]

Thank you yt algorithm, been awhile since I’ve stumbled into a solid video essay, great collection of films as examples

[@PenciltipWorkshop]

the opening black friday riot scene in Thanksgiving was most likely inspired by the black friday riot you described at the start of the video. edit: i finished the video and see you mention Thanksgiving but not want to talk about it. fair enough.

[@dirkvoltaar]

Just discovered your channel! Excellent video. I’m generally too much of a scaredy-cat for horror, but Dawn of the Dead and They Live are two of my favorites. I feel like their critiques/portrayals of consumerism have only become more relevant with the advent of e-commerce. That story about the Walmart employee is tragic _and_ scary. Anyway, I look forward to consuming more of your content.

[@NaikaVideo]

Once again, a wonderful video Yhara! Cheers! Love these 80s horror films!

[@scratchingmusicofficial]

one of your best videos yet. so well researched, written, edited, everything. whenever you upload the standard just gets better x

[@youtubesucks8024]

Whoa….criminally underrated channel. Well done, this was a marvelous piece.

[@MarsMellow84]

Walmart does not care about a single one of their employees or customers. Stop shopping there and working there!

[@benadams5212]

W for not talking about films with L sourcing, and W for talking about some classics love your style of videos and writing keep it up :))

[@fearoffrying]

This is amazing. I love “alternative” horror and idk how I have never heard about The Stuff before now! Thank you!!

[@joeisonlyaverage1313]

Love the video!! I think the talk of consumption and greed has a lot of ground to cover in horror. definitely something I wanna try and look into myself

[@goosewithagibus]

Erm... Um.... I would like to add a correction. The most recent example is no longer those Stanely cups, it's now that little tote bag from Trader Joe's. This world makes me sad. Excellent video.

[@Liz-jj3zo]

This channel us so obviously underrated

[@speedfreakjive8843]

This is such an astutely presented and researched take on what is wrong with our society through the lens of horror. Reagan and Friedman economics, 911-All of it. Fucking amazing. Subscribed

[@crystauruss]

Me and my family went to Hawaii in 2014 and we got there on black Friday night. We needed tents and blankets so we went to the only market we also had in Brazil, Walmart. I still remember to this day how mesmerized my parents were after going into the store in the scariest night of the year

[@talentlesshag]

Babe, Yhara Zayd uploaded, I’m not dissociating for 26 minutes

[@chibiktsn3]

Barbara Kruger shoutout! I will say, at least Shepard Ferry always cited her as a major inspiration, but I always thought he was the one who owned Supreme. I learned several things in this video, wonderful work!

[@AMERICANZOMBIETODAY]

We are living in a Zombie Apocalypse of the Mentally Dead. The majority of people have been zombified. All we can do is look for other survivors.

[@petietheamazing7234]

Highly recommend Team Starkid’s “Black Friday”, it’s not as subtle about its messages but it’s pretty good

[@TheSymbioteRagnoro]

Excitement and Anxiety is the best I can describe how I feel watching this video. Amazing!

[@Ofcourseitsgonwork]

honestly you should make this a series, would love to hear you speak about a few more films

[@inglewood826]

U just inspired me to watch all the horror movies I like, and write essays about each one of them detailing WHY I think it’s SCARY ❤

[@TheDoomWizard]

We're not citizens. We're consumers.

[@riekabinges]

I missed my heart surgery for this🥰

[@morphingfaces]

That's disheartening but at least you have your priorities sorted hahaha

[@milapartment]

i thrift shopped my entire life and it was never cool when I did it. i was just poor.

[@Bubblebiba]

I am beyond blown away by this video. I have learned so much, thank you : )

[@Rahshu]

I think exploring why rightwingers glob onto these messages and interpret them in the clearly opposite intended way would make a fascinating essay. I still don't really get why it happens myself.

[@sydney9011]

Wholly surprised you didn't discuss the opening scene in Thanksgiving which was ABSOLUTELY a callback to the Walmart Black Friday Blitz. If you haven't see that one, definitely treat yourself to the campy fun!

[@Yharazayd]

i mention in this video that i intended on talking about thanksgiving but chose against it given eli roth's stance on the genocide in palestine

[@sydney9011]

@@Yharazayd oh oops! I had no idea about Eli, and I guess I missed that part, I listen to videos at work (𖦹﹏𖦹;)

[@Yharazayd]

@sydney9011 it's totally fine! i didn't know either, had already written my portion on thanksgiving to include in the video and only found out before editing it all together. videos are always better to watch at work anyway, helps the time go by faster 💗💚

[@sydney9011]

@@Yharazayd true, and yours are some of my faves! Once again, apologies for the annoying overlook, I know u must get that a lot!

[@xeno_dork]

@@Yharazayd I did catch the bit about Thanksgiving at the end of the video, and of course wondered what the deal was, but you said personal reasons, so I respected that and wasn’t going to probe. I greatly appreciate you elaborating here when you didn’t have to, because I didn’t know that before about Eli Roth, and I’m glad I know!

[@Investigator86]

Thank you for sharing your analysis, I really appreciate your work

[@wywrd_mtnt]

just discovered your channel and i will be making my way through all your videos cause this one was stunning

[@InfectiousGroovePodcast]

I worked in retail from the mid 90s until the early 2000s in southeast Michigan. We never had anything this bad at our location, I did see some insanely bad things up close & personal. It's unbelievable to me what people are capable of when they get so focused on what they view is best for them and them alone.

[@randomnerd3402]

Was not expecting to hear the name of my hometown of Long Island to be mentioned in the beginning. Never heard of that instance in Walmart but it doesn't surprise me one bit

[@MissPenny9250]

I love your commentary , shits real

[@DaveReynolds-y3v]

I like your approach to commentary. Very effective.

[@keithramsey5637]

This showed up randomly in my feed. But you got an instant “LIKE” and “Sub.” Because I consider myself a “bad consumer,” not because I have to be, but because I want to be, this video resonates with me. 👍🏿

[@QueenOfHeartsx]

oh Yhara. this video is much needed.

[@johngiffoniello143]

The whole time I was watching the awesome video I had the lyrics to "Smash the Control Machine" by Otep playing in my head on a loop. Especially the lines: Exploitation is contagious and Work. Buy. Consume. Die.

[@patsysolatzzo2962]

I don’t think people realize how crazy stores were when people were transitioning from bubble tv to flatscreen. Black Friday deals were bananas in the early 00s I remember my foster mom got an entire tv stand for like $70 and it was normally hundreds and possibly thousands when big back tvs were popular..