Shopping Zombies Revisited

Like an old cat toy, I was dragged to Twelve Oaks Mall today while passing through Thunderville. Luckily, I arrived late, about 8:30 p.m. The crowd of shopping zombies was thin because of the late hour, or possibly because of the deflated, overspent consumer-oriented economy. Hard to tell.

By nine o'clock, the gates to the store fronts started to come down. I could only look at the unneeded, cheap, plastic crap through the windows. The overpriced, ridiculous clothing made in third world countries by slave labor were out of reach. When these stores fail to open after the commercialized Christmas season, no explanation will be needed from the Wall Street Journal, NPR, or any talking heads of other news outlets.

The scene at Twelve Oaks brought back memories when, a year ago, I covered the invasion of the Shopping Zombies at Meridian Mall in Okemos, Michigan. It was one of the best actions I've seen. Check out the pictures below. These Shopping Zombies invaded the mall's territory with a message about over-consumption. I was frank in my observations that the shoppers and the Zombies became indistinguishable after a while. They blended in perfectly. It was scary.

Well, I received word tonight that a Wal-Mart worker in Long Island was stampeded to death as shoppers stormed the doors at 5 a.m. These brazen consumers did not hesitate on the way to the bargain selves. These shoppers even rushed past rescue workers trying to assist the fallen worker. I find no humor in this tragic story whatsoever. In last year's action at Meridian Mall, art imitated life. This year, someone literally paid with his life.

-- Rico Thomas Rico

2007 Shopping Zombies Revisited