This Year's Haul: 2020

[Vasteel]

And that reality is that every person at work at that Microcenter is straight up endangering their lives and those of others, and most don't have a real choice about being at work, and have to because their employer can skirt the closures on the reprehensible basis that some people's ability to work from home is more "essential" than their safety. Gamevet did not need to add another vector to that risk to save a few on a graphics card, and voted with his dollars on where he stands on it, which is either great that they re open, or that he doesn't actually understand the situation.

[Vasteel]

Yeah they claim Reality, but you will hear none. They'd rather exaggerate a little fiction.

[Opaque]

And that reality is that every person at work at that Microcenter is straight up endangering their lives and those of others, and most don't have a real choice about being at work, and have to because their employer can skirt the closures on the reprehensible basis that some people's ability to work from home is more "essential" than their safety. Gamevet did not need to add another vector to that risk to save a few on a graphics card, and voted with his dollars on where he stands on it, which is either great that they re open, or that he doesn't actually understand the situation.

It's not so simple though.

microcenter probably isn't going to get the payroll loan as a small business, and even if they do they need to not layoff staff and have work for them. This situation sucks, but businesses that are open NEED to sell product or they won't survive this. Is there risk? Totally. This is a war and everything we do outside our homes is a risk. Do those employees have a choice? Kinda, yeah. Do they inherently want their company to fail because no one is shopping there? No.

We can all stay home 100% of the time and have nothing to go back to on the other side, or we can take necessary precautions, limit what is open, and try to flatten the curve without destroying our economy entirely. It's not a matter of IF most of us will get this, but WHEN. The idea of social distancing and selective stores being open with rules, is to slow the spread and try to keep our society viable on the other side. Long term, completely shutting everything down won't work much better than completely opening everything up.

[Vasteel]

Sure thing there, champ. You keep that positive can-do attitude and hard work up, and I bet you'll make middle management before you know it!

[Opaque]

Just so we're on the same page, your counter point to my interpretation of our current social and economic situation is a personal attack about my attitude?

Just checking.

[Vasteel]

I am attacking your "But THINK OF THE ECONOMY!" position which is just you parroting the bosses' line, even as the whole thing is crumbling around you and they are pulling their biggest game of pick up yet, yes. But even to address your lickspittle argument, why exactly should Microcenter, a subsidiary of Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc, get a get bailed out, when so many actual small businesses will not, and why are their profits or even survival and continued existance more important than the lives of their employees and families, or even one single human life?

[kingoffighters]

Congrats MVS, that is a nice car. I am surprised no one jumped on your on non-essential purchase. Or maybe I shouldn't be surprised.

[Opaque]

I'm not only talking about them.

I know people that own breweries and they DESPERATELY need people to order things take out of they will fail and lose everything. I know people that own second hand game stores that DESPERATELY need people to phone in orders for curb side pick up or they will fail and lose everything. My wife is a GM for Gap, her understanding right now is that roughly half the businesses in her mall will close, and those employees will lose their jobs, if the mall collects rent during the shut down.

If we open 100% everything with no restrictions millions of people will die to the virus. If we close 100% of everything millions of people will die to lack of necessities. There is the best possible middle ground somewhere in there, and while none of us know exactly where it lies, I think we can all agree that wanting our economy to be a thing on the other side of this isn't about saving corporate profits, it's bout keeping our own jobs and lifestyles. I want my company to succeed not because I want some CEO to get a bonus, but because I want to pay my mortgage, car payments and so on. My friends that have been laid off and are worried about their companies vialbility on the other side of this are worried about themselves. Don't get it twisted.

Counter point: Vasteel is a doo doo head.

[Dunlap]

I know people that own breweries and they DESPERATELY need people to order things take out of they will fail and lose everything. I know people that own second hand game stores that DESPERATELY need people to phone in orders for curb side pick up or they will fail and lose everything. My wife is a GM for Gap, her understanding right now is that roughly half the businesses in her mall will close, and those employees will lose their jobs, if the mall collects rent during the shut down.

And yet

Imagine these small businesses do shut down, by choice, or by law. Their livelihoods sacrificed in order to help minimize the outbreak. And their would-be customers squander that sacrifice, so they can get that new Final Fantasy at WalMart.

[gamevet]

The bickering over all of this is just rediculous. Every business is a part of the local, state and national economy. I made the purchase I did, because the prices of ALL electronics is going to skyrocket, as supplies in electronic components is going to become more scarce. The Typhoon in Japan caused major shortages in Hard Drives and RAM for several years, and the same is going to happen in the next couple of years for everything electronic. I seriously doubt that we'll see a PS5 or Next Box this year, because of it.

I'm sorry for those that are struggling right now to make ends meet. It's bad for a lot of people, especially in the service industry. Hell, I may be cutting my own hair in a month, if business doesn't get back to usual soon.