The Apple iPhone 4GS was set to go on sale in Beijing, China last night, but instead the store was pelted with eggs after would-be customers–many of whom waited overnight in line–were told that the scheduled sale of the device would not take place.
As I thought about this story, the symbolism of the egg-throwing is such an appropriate response to the nonsense we see perpetrated in the world.
I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if people, fed up with corporate and government nonsense, took to the streets and pelted the offices of the offenders with “eggs.” Once the eggs burst on its targets the slimy ooze woud soil whatever it touches. Before long, the stench of the sulfur begins to rise and all will see and smell the egg on the face of the offenders.
After all, what sense does it make to live in a world where people would wait overnight for what amounts to electronic toys, all the while everything else crumbles around them? If people will stand up and fight tooth and nail for an iPhone, responding as an angry, egg-throwing mob, then why do so few stand up in the face of egregious human rights violations and continued exploitation and mistreatment by government and corporate entities?
I suspect that the answer is less complex than we might think. Perhaps it’s much easier to be consumed by the day-to-day distractions of things–electronic devices, video games, reality television shows, and other media programming–than it is for us to flex our brains and squeeze out a single thought.
Yes, in a world where it’s just too much trouble to do the simplest things, like prepare our own food, it’s easy to see why people prefer the ready-made solution–right down to our thoughts, our ideas, our feelings, and ultimately who we are. So many of us rely on the media to tell us everything: what to think, what to wear, who to vote for, where and what to eat, what to feel, what we are and what we should aspire to be.
But, what if we all just decided to rise above the noise of this stuff we surround ourselves with, and take a look around? When we’ve emerged from the fog, would we like what we see? Would we pick up that metaphorical egg and pelt just one thing that doesn’t represent the best of humankind?
I believe that if we could manage to do this one act, it would be the tipping point for continued actions on behalf of all of mankind– we would no longer be satisfied living within the distractions that have become our reality.
Dissatisfaction is the greatest motivator for change, and as long as we are satisfied with mediocrity, we will never see the change that we need.
Enraged shoppers pelt Beijing Apple store with eggs
BEIJING (Reuters) – Apple Inc’s flagship Beijing store was pelted with eggs on Friday when hundreds of enraged shoppers, many of whom had waited in line overnight, were told the store would not begin sales of the iPhone 4S as scheduled.
Shoppers and security staff scuffled before daybreak after an announcer with a bullhorn told the surging crowd that the phones would not go on sale and that they should go home.
Apple’s latest iPhone, with voice-activated technology, was being introduced in China on Friday to great anticipation. But fears of chaos given the unruly crowd outside the store apparently prompted the cancellation. Source: RawStory.com
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