The Grey Lady reports that H. Lee Scott Jr., the Chief Executive of Wal-mart has decided against opening a location in New York City due to the intense opposition from unions, lobbyists, lawmakers, and other assorted community groups who have fought to stymie their efforts every step of the way.
But as Mr. Scott sees it, there is another reason Wal-Mart has such a hard time making inroads into some of the nation’s biggest enclaves. Speaking about what he sees as snobbish elites in New York and across the country, Mr. Scott added, “You have people who are just better than us and don’t want a Wal-Mart in their community.â€
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These people are snobs. But I also see their point of view (though I might disagree with it). They seem to really believe that Wal-Mart is ushering in an “Anthem” like existence of everyone dressed in the same grey outfits performing backbreaking work with little prospect of advancement and a soul crushing sameness.
In their world of small shops stocked with fresh produce, fresh meats, and boulongeries there is Variety. There is Living. All it takes is the better part of an afternoon a couple of times a week, along with buying fresh bakery everyday. Everything is organic (?), and Life is being Lived.
Of course the real world of two wage earners to support the ponzi scheme, with commutes, and toss in children, who has the time? The uppercrust who aren’t workaday folk who can limit their labors or hire someone else to do all the marketing. The rest of us have precious little time to waste in buying food and household items. Wal-Mart can provide a faster (and usually cheaper) way to get that chore done. That’s why people shop there.
It would be great to work only 20 hours a week, and not commute an hour each way, and mill about shops and stalls and Live. But that’s a luxury the great unwashed don’t have.
And as for their perception of an Anthem-like existence, it’s merely a fixation on their part that Wal-Mart is going to do everyone in and their lifestyle will go with it. They simply resent the reminder that some people have to use provender to get themselves through life.
And if they felt that those little shops were better than Wal Mart, they would simply choose to shop at those places, instead of at Wal Mart.
They are denying choice to their fellow citizens for their own snobbish vanity.
Maybe Mr. Scott will finally wakeup to the reality of who he has been “conceding” ground to of late… and quit behaving like Wal-Mart can somehow appease the ignorant hate of the left.
This is just so silly. Wal-Mart isn’t going to set up shop there, not because there isn’t enough demand, but because a few NYC snobs don’t want other people to be able to shop there.
I realize that these are supposed to be intelligent and civil comments, but I’m sorry, those people are assholes.
Whew, NYC dodged another store where consumers may want to spend their money instead of their other higher priced shops.
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