Is this a sane society?

BBC NEWS | Americas | Woman crushed in rush at DVD sale: "Ms Ellzey said some shoppers had tried to help her sister, and one employee helped rescue the woman, but most people just continued their rush for deals.
'All they cared about was a stupid DVD player,' she said.
'I told them, 'Stop stepping on my sister! She's on the ground!''
Ms Ellzey said Wal-Mart officials called later to ask after her sister, and the store apologised and offered to put a DVD player on hold for her.
Wal-Mart Stores spokeswoman Karen Burk said she had never heard of a such a melee during a sale.
'We are very disappointed this happened,' she said. 'We want her to come back as a shopper.' "

Those of us that live outside of the United States will smile glibly and say something like "Only in America."

That is a comforting thought. Something like this incident could never happen in our society. But if we are honest with ourselves, we know it can happen, has happened, here.

When the stampede for material possession blinds us to wellbeing of those around us (or under our feet) can we honestly say that we live in a sane society?

We smile and laugh at "those crazy Americans" because, deep in the dark corners of our own psyches, lies the beast.

Like domesticated cattle to the alter of consumerism we are lead by the power of the free market.

There is nothing free about financial capitalism. It's own master and it's own slave. Power is a substitute for a fulfilling, productive, individuated life.

Dilate your mind.