not my kink...

[jay]

TKIOK, but I still felt disquieted last night at the sight of people in tents lined up outside the local Target store, waiting for some videogame player to be released (today?)... It looked like addictive behavior to me, but (shrug).

Comments

[geekchick]

I'd imagine a fair percentage of them were waiting to try and get one so they can sell it on eBay and make a chunk of change.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

*nod* The local paper had photos of some of the tent-lines, and pointed out that the potential resale value is a huge motive. There's a shortage, and some of these folks are there to double their money, come Christmas-shopping time.

[geekchick]

The $45,000 bid is hopefully a joke, but the $1700 ones probably aren't.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

(shakes head) That's... hard to imagine. What do they lose by waiting a month or two and paying the regular price, or even getting a discount?

[geekchick]

You're certainly not going to get a discount anytime soon, the prices don't drop on game consoles very quickly if they're at all popular.

Some people just like to have the latest and greatest; people do it with mp3 players, computer equipment, cars... I personally don't want the first iteration of a new console no matter what it is, I'd rather wait until more of the bugs get shaken out and there's a wider selection of games available.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

(nods) I'd be wary of paying a premium to be someone's unknowing beta-tester... OTOH, I tend anyway to be a late adopter of consumer things. (I drive a 12-year-old car, you gave me my mp3 player for my birthday, work finally insisted on giving me a cellphone, etc...)

[elgecko.livejournal.com]

There's a guy back east who hired a bunch of homeless people to go get them. $100 for the day plus food.

It's being reported that former presidential candidate John Edwards, known for Wal-Mart hatred, called Wal-Mart and asked them to reserve one. Wal-Mart then apparently said go stand in line like everyone else. Ultimately a volunteer went and camped for him.

Addictive behaviour? You betcha!

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

Oddly, wrt hiring the homeless, I both like this notion AND am very disturbed by it.

There were at least three reports of violence (including shootings) connected to this that came across my awareness today.

I also admit to some confusion about WHY one would buy a game console. *shakes head*.

Then again, I have kinks of my own, per the icon.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

If he's hiring others at that price, it must be for resale...

[elgecko.livejournal.com]

One peaked on eBay at US$30,030. =)

[geekchick]

One article I read yesterday estimated that maybe 5%-10% of people waiting in line at one store were going to actually take it home and play it, most of the folks were intending to resell.

[deedeebythebay.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree with you more!

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

(nods)

Already my offspring are lobbying for a copy of Nintendo's new handheld system ("Nii" or something?) but I've told them that they'll have to save the $300 themselves (or enlist grandparents to cover half, or something). Sigh...

[deedeebythebay.livejournal.com]

I guess I should be thanking my lucky stars then that it has never interested my girls. They don't mind playing on other people's systems when they visit but they seem to have no need of it in our house. /relief!/

[joelzero.livejournal.com]

That would be Sony's Playstation 3.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info.

[hazelpeach.livejournal.com]

Yea, I saw some kids lining up at Wal-Mart, waiting in line. I was baffled. Because I'm like: I wouldn't let MY kids stand out there at midnight, waiting in line to get a gaming console! I'd get it whenever I can later on.

Gotta love that, eh?

Thanks for airing my private thoughts. I did think it was addictive. I mean, we do have Xbox, PS2 & Gamecube, but we never stand in line, nor do we let the kids play more than an hour a day. They have consequences to follow. (Meaning if they play outside for four hours, then they can get an extra hour. If their room is a mess, they don't get to play. If they come home with bad reports/grades from school, then it gets taken away for two weeks.)

So when people hears that we have three, they're like, "OMG, you are sooo addicitive.." I'm like: Whatever, dude. Only kids play on that. It's rare that myself and my sweeties play on it, and when we do, it's family time! The kids come down and cheer us (or just one of us) on.

I rambled. I sowwie. :)

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

We got a GameCube a couple of years ago as a Christmas gift from one set of grandparents to our kids... and I've often wondered if that was a blessing or curse. Constant enforcement of limits on its use...

[hazelpeach.livejournal.com]

Yea, you said it perfectly.
"Constant enforcement of limits on its use..."

But at least we're the 'good' parents, bec we do enforce that. There's other parents that use it as a babysitting tool.. When I was a child, my parents never cared what I did, and I often do wish lately that my parents were good as I am now... y'know?

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

NMK either.

Waiting in line to shop? Ewwwwww! Two things I hate that really don't go great together.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

(nods) All it lacks are mushrooms :).

NOKE (Not Our Kink Either)

[juverna.livejournal.com]

Don't have Xbox. Don't have PS2. Don't have Gamecube. Don't have GameBoys. Don't have computer games (well, I've been known to play Solitaire and Minesweeper, and the kids do have some Blues-Clues-type games that they play on their ancient hand-me-down Mac once in a while). Happy not to have them. Expecting that they won't really float across the kids' consciousness for several more years, and that'll be just fine, thanks. :)

Re: NOKE (Not Our Kink Either)

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

I'd be happier if our GameCube disappeared, as well as both TVs... I mutter darkly around the household about "brain rot"...

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Did I ever mention that my dissertation was on internet addiction? ;-)