teen walks into Target looking for a tie for a job interview. photo goes viral

[Liberal_in_LA]

?w=680&h=431

Audrey Mark told CNN affiliate WTVD she was shopping at a store in Raleigh on Wednesday when she noticed something unusual.

"I see this young teen being hovered over by this Target employee," Mark said.

Curious, she got closer to see what was going on. The employee was not just tying the teen's tie, he was imparting some wisdom as well.

"I hear him peppering him with all this advice on interview skills and handshakes," she told the affiliate.

Employee Cathy Scott said the teen walked into the store looking for a tie.

"I asked him if he needed help, and he told me he needed clip-on ties," Scott told the affiliate. "We didn't have any."

She turned to her co-worker, Dennis Roberts, and asked him if he knew how to tie a regular tie. He said yes, so the teen bought one and handed it to Roberts.

But Scott and Roberts went a step further and prepared the teen for his interview.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/06/us/target-tie-teen-moment/index.html

While all this was going on, a curious Target shopper noticed the heartwarming scene and snapped a photo.

“It was a very quiet simple moment, but it was very profound honestly kindness… from strangers… in a Super Target,” she recalls. “He leaves and all these Target employees are screaming ‘Bye! Good luck! Tell us how it went.'”

“We were just here to help a young man get a job and forward his future,” said the employee who tied the tie.

The Target workers later popped by the Chick fil-A to talk up the teen and see how he did on the interview. The manager said he’d make a decision by the end of the week.

http://consumerist.com/2015/02/06/target-workers-caught-on-camera-helping-teen-job-interviewee-tie-his-tie/

[brer cat]

1. What nice people.

Not too busy to help a young person start off on the right foot.

[Enthusiast]

21. There are some left.

I know. The ones on my TV aren't very nice.

[VScott]

71. I'm surprised no one here is trashing the kid for wanting to work at Chick-Fil-A

[Kingofalldems]

76. Isn't that special.

[SammyWinstonJack]

79. Ugh.

[yeoman6987]

90. It's an honest living

No liberal would bash a person trying to get a job. Good for him. He doesn't have anything to do with the owner of the company. What a great story!

[NJCher]

139. +1

Cher

[onecaliberal]

2. Hello human kindness...

[sgtbenobo]

3. I hope these are the 99%....

....that we are keeping.

Carry on.

[mountain grammy]

4. It's called solidarity and we could sure use more of it..

working people helping people get work..

[Orrex]

5. Is this real?

Or another of Target's stealth-marketing campaigns?

[7962]

13. Just cant leave a tender moment alone, can you?

the news isnt ALWAYS bad!! All you gotta do is look for the good stories!

[Orrex]

28. We'll see

There are plenty of "good stories" to be found, and most of them don't conveniently portray a corporate monolith as an oasis of human compassion.

[BubbaFett]

47. most of our lives take place within

the confines of or under the influence of corporate monoliths.

[cwydro]

51. Well, it is kind of odd

that they're in the sporting goods or toy section, rather than menswear - where one would assume ties are normally found...

[7962]

74. Those big stores arent exactly crawling with employees either.

I had to look thru two different depts in a Wal Mart once just to find someone to get a price

[cwydro]

183. Well, I do have to say

that it is usually easier to find an employee in Target than in Wal-Mart.

But I hear ya there.

[ND-Dem]

190. yes. and they dont have a lot of free time to help customers with their wardrobes. i could

find it more likely if the two employees were working out of menswear, but not out of toys.

[7962]

201. Others have said it was sporting goods. Its hard to tell

And you also dont know the stores layout; the depts could be near each other. The Target in my area has the clothing across from the toys

[KT2000]

175. he already bought the tie

and then the clerk helped him - likely where there were not so many people.

[ND-Dem]

192. why wouldn't the (2) employees help him in menswear where he bought the tie? and where there

are some mirrors? and dressing rooms?

[joshcryer]

205. The woman looked for someone to help with it.

The guy who could tie the tie may not have worked in mensware. Such cynicism.

[snooper2]

256. I think we need to hire a private investigator to look into this for DU

We have other questions-


Did they help him fix his collar?

Did he say thank you?

Was the lady on the floor really checking him out?

Did he really buy the tie in menswear, usually NEVER a register there it would be a first!



SO many fucking questions

[treestar]

77. It was the employees

Who were doing this.

[Orrex]

89. Employees of the corporation

Until we get independent confirmation that this is a spontaneous occurrence not conceived or driven by the marketing department, I'm going to err on the side of overwhelming reality & recent experience and conclude that it's a deliberate ploy by Target.

Others are free to draw their own conclusions, but they shouldn't mistake their pollyanna faith in human compassion for a "better" or "more realistic" way to view the world.

[yeoman6987]

92. Lol. Are you always this negative?

[Orrex]

128. Are you always so quick to believe in the goodwill of corporations?

My attitude is not negativity; it is realism.

Your attitude is not positivity; it is benighted pollyanna wishful thinking.

[yeoman6987]

132. I'd rather be a bit naive then cynical and bitter

Better for the blood pressure.

[Orrex]

133. If you're naive and you get fooled, then you'll get screwed.

If you're cynical and you get fooled, then you'll be pleasantly surprised. It's a simple equation.

You also accuse me of bitterness, which is a lie. I'm not bitter; I simply don't accept that viral internet images are impervious to doubt.

Further, you make the predictable mistake of equating cynicism with anger, which is simply foolish.


Have you never heard the phrase "trust, but verify?"

Instead, you adopt an attitude of "trust, and attack anyone who doesn't." That sounds pretty damn bitter, if you ask me.

[yeoman6987]

142. I never said you were bitter.

Where do you see me saying that you are directly bitter?

[Orrex]

146. Directly? Nowhere. But you clearly implied it in post 132

I'd rather be a bit naive then cynical and bitter

If you weren't addressing that to me, then it was either careless or intellectually dishonest of you to post in that way. Especially since many on this thread have already accused me of anger and have asserted that I should "get a life." After being repeatedly called out in this manner, it's not unreasonable of me to expect that others will call me out in the same way.

If I wrote, in the context of this exchange in which I have been identified as cynical, that "I'd rather be cynical than be a boot-licking coprophage," the some would reasonably infer that I am applying that description to you, even if I insisted that I am not.

[yeoman6987]

158. Careless yes dishonest know.

We're cool. Quite frankly I hope the story stays true.

[KittyWampus]

148. This isn't a story about a corporation or a corporation's goodwill. And you comments about others

being naive points to your own cynicism. Cynicism is most often people trying to feel superior.

I have posted many times about guerilla marketing and how corporations can subtly influence the most savvy person.

But this sounds like most of the people I know… simply being helpful.

[Orrex]

189. Yeah, yeah

I've stated many times here that if I'm wrong then I will happily admit it. Will I get the same assurance from everyone now advocating so passionately for the corporation?

And make no mistake, this is ultimately about the corporation. You can pretend that the only possibility is that this is about a private citizen performing an act of altruism, but not long ago Target was revealed to have pursued a marketing campaign with an unusually good-looking young man whose image in a Target uniform went viral, leading to countless people eagerly sharing a positive image of Target, exactly as intended.

And that crap about "feeling superior" is a bullshit red herring, because the very same claim can be made about one side or the other in any disagreement. It can be as readily be asserted that anyone scolding me for my lack of faith is also trying to feel superior, and it would equally be bullshit.

You can do better than that.

[LanternWaste]

254. No more and no less than the only possibility is PR and marketing.

" You can pretend that the only possibility is that this is about a private citizen performing an act of altruism.."

No more and no less than some half-wit will pretend the only possibility is PR and marketing. (Insert distinction without a difference below to validate trendy cynicism found on most t-shirts and bumper-stickers)

[Orrex]

255. But I have from the outset allowed that it might be genuine

Or from near the outset--admittedly not in my first post. The fact that I was able to allow for that possibility--and to admit that I was wrong--shows that your analysis doesn't apply to me.

Almost no one in the thread has been willing to say "I think that this story is true, but I believe that corporations might do such a thing." That's all I was asking, that people accept the very real possibility. It amazes me even now that so few seem able to do so.


Also, I've read a great many of your posts, such as they are. You of all people should be less hasty to fling around the term "half-wit."

[KittyWampus]

147. wtf? It isn't pollyanna faith. It's reality. MOST people want to get along and want to be helpful.

I will repeat that- MOST PEOPLE WANT TO BE HELPFUL.

In fact, that's an attribute of humanity that is easily manipulated.

[Orrex]

186. You've stated it yourself

It's a trait that is easily manipulated. Further, people's expectation of kindness is easily manipulated, too. That's why dishonest viral campaigns made in this style are so effective.

However, since most people don't film and post pictures of themselves being kind, it's not unreasonable to voice suspicion of such pictures, especially when those pictures happen to represent public relations gold for a corporation with an established history of exploiting viral marketing in exactly that way.

The amazing thing isn't that some hard-assed cynic would question the authenticity of the event but rather that so many would refuse to consider that it might be false.

[ProfessorGAC]

263. C'mon Orrex

We see eye to eye pretty often, but i think you've gone off the rails on this story. People working the floor at a discount house are not part of the corporate vision.

They just work there.

[KT2000]

176. a good human being -

not corporate monolith. The clerks went to Chik fil A where he had his interview and they found out he passed the first interview and had 2 more to go.

[Demit]

35. The shopper who recorded the tender moment made sure to publicize where it happened

in her post on Facebook. Many of the comments to that post are about how wonderful Target is. The TV station who ran the piece made sure to emphasize that it happened in a Target store.

It's very possible that it is a manufactured tender moment.

[treestar]

80. Didn't Target have a good reputation for treating employees well?

I thought it was on that list, with Costco.

[Demit]

95. My point is, this feel-good video is likely a marketing tactic.

Marketers look at social media and know that "going viral" is a cheap way to advertise. So is getting something featured on the evening news. So many people will associate Target with feeling good, long into the future, long after they've forgotten why. Even if they find this "shopper" (and really, who goes around recording "nice" things they see happening during their busy day then posts it?) and she fesses up to the whole scene having been a setup, it won't matter. The feel-good feeling will remain, because it feeds into what people want to be true.

Lol, you know people do this stuff for a living. They've studied it, they've researched it, they've written PhD theses on it. They know what works. Babies & puppy dogs & things that make us go "awww" have been working for a very long time.

[treestar]

97. It could happen either way

I'm just saying it is not impossible the employees just did this. Maybe happening to have the video is suspicious. But then anything can end up on video these days.

The things that can go viral can do good, like the lady bullied on the school bus or this latest, the guy who walked so far to work. People are good sometimes.

[Demit]

114. Both things can be true: it was a setup, but the employee wasn't aware of it.

You know, arguing that this might be a setup is NOT the same as saying that employees can't be good. Or that people can't be kind. I don't know where you're getting that.

But I'm curious: why would it be remarkable that employees would be kind and helpful to a customer anyway? Especially if customer traffic is slow and they're just standing around? I used to work at a department store. When I was behind the jewelry counter I loved helping guys choose something for their girlfriends. When I sold scarves, I loved helping women with color & pattern choices. I loved chatting with customers, answering questions and helping in any way they needed! If nothing else, it passed the time.

I didn't feel it was remarkable in any way. But apparently, people are seizing on this video because they feel that employees in stores aren't helpful & kind. That's a shame. That's pretty cynical.

[treestar]

117. I think it remarkable

Most people are caught up in their day to day struggle. People hold doors and the like, but usually don't have time for extended talking to customers. If anything, things must have been slow right then.

And if it's that common, why would Target need to set it up and what use would it be to make them look good? People are going in circles here.

[Demit]

127. It's called goodwill. It's called public relations. It's called promotion.

It's called keeping your name out there. It's called BRANDING.

Why does Monsanto, or BP, or GE, put those commercials on public television with the waving fields of grain, and babies smiling, and sunsets? They're not selling a product at that moment. Their purpose is to get you to associate those warm & fuzzy images with their BRAND. It's not an intellectual response you're having to those things, it's visceral. And they know that. They've studied the shit out of it. Target has an in-house marketing department as well as at least one ad agency, and both are lousy with B school grads who majored in marketing and were hired to find ways to maintain & promote the company's corporate image.

[KittyWampus]

150. LOL! So Chic-fil-a were also in on it too, huh? I double whammy of marketing.

I'm laughing at the cynics in this thread.

Reminds me of the same dynamic in conspiracy theorists.

[Demit]

225. I don't see any reason they'd have to be, no.

[treestar]

163. Target could do that to, to much greater effect

than a silly stunt with nice employees.

Some ads come right out and say how great their customer service is.

And is there something wrong with promotion? At what size is a company no longer validly doing it?

[Demit]

179. Then you should apply to Target's Marketing Dept to tell them

how they should be conducting their advertising & promotion. They're probably really in the dark about it & wondering where they can turn for ideas.

[treestar]

238. not a fair response

you've twisted the initial premise just to make a snarky remark.

The issue is why would they bother with this ploy. You've taken the ploy for granted as a premise that they did it on purpose in order to apparently void my point and allow yourself to take a shot at me as an added luxury.

And you still have no proof that it happened that way; just your pre-conceived notions about the "corporations." The employee could quit, tell on them, and have that go viral, and he'd get enough sympathy for a huge fund to get started in his name.

[Orrex]

240. But Target has done this before. (now edited)

They've deployed Target-positive imagery in a successful bid to create viral awareness of the company. The fact that they have done this means that it's not necessary to rely on "pre-conceived notions about the "corporations."" Instead, we can rely on this particular corporation's own recent history.

Why is it important for you to insist that such a viral campaign is impossible, when Target has already made use of it?

[font color="red"]On edit: After further reading I have learned that the "Alex from Target" viral campaign isn't nearly the open-and-shut case that I understood it to be. Target denies any responsibility for that marketing ploy, and Breaker a company not affiliated with Target, appears to have been behind it in an attempt to demonstrate the potential reach of viral marketing. I maintain that my cynicism is justified, as evidence by the fact that Breaker was able to mount such a campaign with so little effort. In this age it is simply irresponsible to deny that corporations are capable of employing such tactics.[/font]

[Demit]

241. I got snarky b/c I'm bored with your argumentativeness.

I have responded to you in good faith several times. But you end with multiple questions that are designed to drive the topic in your preferred direction, something to do with corporations and how you feel they are being attacked. You are very argumentative & I'm not wasting any more time or thought responding to you.

[snooper2]

257. Can you waste some time on me?

Oh..

And you are right, this has to be a ploy....They have probably been working on it for months!

You know what else? They have ex-CIA psych ops since the creation of the company. You know their logo is designed to numb your brain before you ever enter so you SPEND MORE MONEY!

Just...

Well...

Just stare at it for a minute!

[electricray]

120. No, Target is not good to their employees

Target is only marginally better than Wal-Mart in terms of employee wages and benefits, but they are virtually the same on scheduling, etc. Not only that, they are notorious union-busters. Check this union busting video out.

[Android3.14]

17. Ah ha, so other people noticed

I was wondering if I was the only one. It's appearance did have a contrived feel to it, didn't it? The CNN link is interesting, and makes me wonder if that news outlet is complicit.

[former9thward]

18. The corporation haters show up on schedule.

Corporations are all evil so this must be a conspiracy by them. Get a life...

[Android3.14]

23. Really? The "corporation haters"?

Thanks for the chuckle.

As far as my need to "get a life", you have to wonder who has the more satisfying existence, the person who is perceptive enough to question what might be behind the curtain, or the shmoe, for a couple of dollars, gushing about the tripe the carnies shovel on the stage.

I'm sensing projection here.

[former9thward]

50. The only projection is your post #17.

Says a lot more about you than anything else.

[Android3.14]

55. That doesn't even make sense

I have no reason to "project" anything in this case, except the idle observation that tickled my curiosity.

Look, I understand we all need to make a living, but pretending to be a member of a community in order to market brand names has to be a job that just sucks away the soul.

It's sad.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

83. I cant believe i read that on DU "corporation haters" wow, I really am in the Twilight zone

Dont feel alone, the denial and defense of the corporate terrorists is never ending.

We deserve it though, if so many of us are so blind, I guess we deserve it.

[treestar]

113. Terrorists now?

You really expect DU to be a place where we all think of corporations as terrorists?

Now, how large does the company have to be? Or all owners of any business regardless of size?

[cui bono]

156. So wait... is DU supposed to be a corporation loving forum?

I'm so confused...

Just how far right has this place gone? I knew a lot of people on here now are center-right because they have to defend their "team captain" against any criticism that seemingly hurts their feelings, but are we now not allowed to be critical of corporations either?

[former9thward]

169. DU is incorporated.

Hope that doesn't bother you too much. And last I looked nobody is forbidding you from saying whatever you want about corporations. Is DU supposed to be a place where posters totally invent silly CTs about them when some video is posted??

[cui bono]

170. You claim people can say whatever they want but then you call them "haters".

And if you think that scenario isn't plausible and is a "silly CT" then you are the problem with our country. Just throw out critical thinking and swallow what the media tells you without even thinking about it. No wonder you resort to name calling when someone says something you dislike.

[former9thward]

171. You said "corporation loving"

when someone tries to challenge a post. As far as name calling don't throw stones when you are in a glass house.

[cui bono]

173. You do understand that full quotes and context matter, right?

And really, that's all you have to say? What do you have to say about calling people "corporation haters"? I would love to know what's wrong with being critical of huge corporations and why that makes someone a "hater". Because you know as well as I do what "hater" implies.

[former9thward]

178. The poster I replied to said this was a set up by Target.

He/she said that without ANY evidence whatsoever other than it is a big corporation so naturally they are evil and up to no good no matter what. It that is your view of the world spin away...

[cui bono]

185. No, they did not. They were speculating. Again, full quotes and context matter.

What they actually said:

Ah ha, so other people noticed

I was wondering if I was the only one. It's appearance did have a contrived feel to it, didn't it? The CNN link is interesting, and makes me wonder if that news outlet is complicit.

Then you proceed to attribute your inaccurate interpretation of what that poster said to me. Yet you still haven't anwered to my original point of you calling people "corporation haters" - which is made even worse when you read the post - quoted above - that you were replying to when you said that.

I wonder why you get so defensive when people are speculate that a major corporation may be setting up a promotional stunt. As if that has never happened before.

If you really are a constitutional lawyer I'm worried for our country.

[former9thward]

202. "It's appearance did have a contrived feel to it"

No it didn't. Only a CTer who reflexively hates corporations would say that. What evidence is there that they were setting up a "promotional stunt"? Please tell us. Worry away....

[joshcryer]

211. DU is supposed to support the working class.

Who, btw, work primarily in corporations getting minimum wage.

This story isn't about Target, it's about the working class employees, who btw Target literally forbids from forming a union. This story is about the American struggle. Target can exploit it however they wish, if you make it about Target because of that, you are diminishing the role of the working class individuals in question.

[cui bono]

243. Um... okay. Did you reply to the wrong person? n/t

[joshcryer]

244. You seem to think supporting workers is...

...the same as supporting the corporation.

[treestar]

81. Why couldn't it have happened?

The employees in the store are not the "corporatists."

It would be news if the store punished the employees for doing it, wasting time, so to speak, and you'd believe that all right.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

85. Nobody is picking on these great employees, who work for a corporation which doesnt give a shit

about them

[treestar]

86. How do you know this of that corporation?

Or is it true of all corporations?

What about LLCs? Do they not give a shit about their employees either?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

93. You mean like an LLC that owns the local garden nursery store?

Of course not, using word games like that is beneath you.

LARGE corporations like Target, for the most part, most of the time, treat their employees like shit compared to what is a decent wage and benefit package and so on.


http://www.glassdoor.com/Hourly-Pay/Target-Hourly-Pay-E194.htm



most of these are not LIVING WAGES

there is a thread here about what a living wage is

[treestar]

96. You think LLCs are always small businesses?

and corporations always large?

Since you rail against the legal form of business, I'm supposing even sole proprietors could eventually violate some threshold of success.

Many times on DU we've have people tell us mom and pop businesses do not always treat you well, either.

When I worked for others, I was always treated well enough. That included small and large companies.

I just don't assume they are all out to get me.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

100. Jesus KRIST on a cracker, I was pointing out the entity type ISNT relevant, all big

business happen to be corps or LLC, etc , or most

the word has no meaning.

Either you think by and large corps in America treat their employees well or you dont, I not only dont believe it I know it isnt true.

Many small ones may not either, but we are talking about Target and the like, arent we?

[treestar]

105. No, you have the option of thinking it depends on the company

maybe some large companies treat employees well. They have the resources to.

Maybe some small ones don't. I know I shared space with a guy who didn't get health insurance for his secretaries back in the 90s. He was a right winger Rushbot who didn't believe in it. And he could find people to take the job (usually they had a husband whose job covered them). Yet Target has health insurance, an probably did before it was required by law. so aren't they better than he was?

You just have this blind hatred of business of a certain size and make assumptions about them. Do you know what the value threshold is before a business becomes an evil thing?

[treestar]

87. You'e the one saying the employees are in on some sort of set up

So they were forced to do this?

Why see everything in the most negative light possible? Maybe the employees did it on their own. And knew they could without getting into trouble.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

91. You have me confused with someone else, I say Target doesnt deserve these great employees.

I say anyone working for a living has my full respect but the owners dont, not usually anyway because usually the owners are assholes and are greedy and dont give one shit about anybody but them-self.

[treestar]

98. Kind of an unfair broad brush

I mean really. As soon as one is able to own a business, that's a bad thing? Is it a bad thing to want to own a business?

What about people who own stock in their retirement plans? How much can you own before you are a bad person?

Or the people who inherit - are the Kennedys bad people? They must own a lot of stock and thus own shares in profit seeking businesses, and their ancestor started one.

Somebody has to do it, or there would be no jobs.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

101. You are defending Target

to survive you would have to be a team leader and you would have to have a spouse or partner who also worked full time

you see they have you used to this as the new normal....doesnt have to be this way

[treestar]

102. OMG!

Target of course, is the root of all evil.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

104. Did you look at what they pay people?

[treestar]

106. Minimum wage at the very least

And more to people in management than in sales clerk jobs?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

111. NOT a living wage...

[treestar]

112. What's that?

Has that level been determined?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

115. Sure has

http://livingwage.mit.edu/

Where is this place?


Raleigh , NC, I think.

Let's take a look


this page is for Raleigh

http://livingwage.mit.edu/places/3706355000

If a person married wants to support him or her self, his or her spouse and one child

i.e. 3 people they must make $18.49 an hour...looking at Target you have to be in management before you get near that. YOu have to be a Senior Team Leader before you can support your family. Wonder how many years it takes to get to that position.

Unless you think both adults in a household should have to both work full time jobs to survive?

[treestar]

116. Why single out Target?

There a likely many companies who pay less than the living wage for many positions.

My teen relatives got jobs that don't pay that at a fast food establishment and a state park. Should those entities be condemned? Or is it alright when it is teens who still live at home?

How are you going to get this living wage made into the minimum wage?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

118. OH, I am NOT singling them out, they are simply part of this story, why are you defending

stock portfolios of mostly rich people over the working class?

To prove I am not singling them out, look at this and then list for me the companies where non skilled labor can support families.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026193947

[treestar]

161. Where did I defend stock portfolios of mostly rich people?

As it is, it is legal for them to have them, but they have nothing to do with these Target employees helping someone.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

162. Your entire position is a defense of the Oligarch's and Wall Street system that is killing America

that is how I see it...anyway

maybe you need to watch this

[treestar]

166. OMG

Where did I defend "the oligarchs?" From what charge?

What even is the "Wall Street System?" Capitalism? I agree with capitalism and a good strong safety net with high taxes for the rich to make sure everyone has a decent living, health care, etc. So I don't see that we are going to destroy "Wall Street."

Even democratic socialist types of states still have companies. Sweden has them. What do you make of that? Or do you find Sweden to be also run by Oligarchs?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

167. But you instantly came out in defense of the corporation and made it a point to argue with those

of us who actually do support all those things.

If you think what we have now is what you described, then you are mistaken.

Of course rational states like Sweden has some capitalism, as we should have, but we dont, we have capitalism run amok


TARGET among many others do NOT pay a living wage, I say FORCE them to or seize their ass

[joshcryer]

212. Of course they don't.

But these employees have no choice. Do you think the working class has a choice but to work for the megacorporations in this country?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

233. Not until we the people revolt and say we arent willing to work two jobs, full time

just to survive.

What happens when a female in a relationship gets pregnant?

We have no choice because we have allowed this system to take hold, we are all equally to blame and we are all equally responsible for the change that is necessary.

[snooper2]

258. They can learn to weld and make badass dragon smokers

A mighty BBQ
Full story: Grilling on your backyard dragon
Here stands the "Guardian of the Feast II," a $90,000 grill sculpted from stainless steel and recycled propane cans. To capitalize on the skills he honed as a metal worker, Ed McBride, a self-taught artist, works mostly with used metal gathered from local businesses, neighbors, recycling centers and his personal scrap yard.





http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fsb/0808/gallery.grilled_dragon.fsb/index.html

[Android3.14]

99. Not following

I have little doubt it happened.
I question the motivation for the article.

[Drunken Irishman]

153. Everyone to DU is a corporatist. Well, except for Warren, Bernie and Greenwald.

[treestar]

157. you corporatist apologist you!

Dissolution to all corporations!!!!!!

[Jamaal510]

197. LMAO! nt

[ND-Dem]

20. i wondered that too. because why are they in the bike/toy section? and why does that suit

appear 3 sizes too big?

[NuclearDem]

24. Yeah, why can't all job seekers afford a tailor?

[HappyMe]

25. No kidding.

He may have had to borrow the suit. It also looked like the Target employee picked a quiet area of the store to help the guy.

[Orrex]

27. Or Target may be trying to generate positive sentiment.

At this point I'd say that my explanation is at least as likely as the "official" viral story.

[HappyMe]

31. Until there is proof, I'm still going

with the fact that there are decent people out there.

[Orrex]

33. I'm not disputing the fact that there are good people out there

But you're ignoring the fact that corporations in general--and Target in particular--make use of manufactured feel-good viral marketing all the time.


Until it's shown to be genuine, I'm still going with the fact that corporations spend millions to portray themselves in a positive light.

[yeoman6987]

94. So go find out for us.

We will be waiting with bated breath.

[wolfie001]

154. Here's a touching Maryland story for you yeoman.

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/01/26/woman-suing-target-after-her-son-commits-suicide/21134843/

Target sucks. They've also closed all of their Canadian stores because they had to deal with those "pesky Unions".

[yeoman6987]

160. Very touching indeed.

[treestar]

168. That could have happened anywhere for any number of reasons

And let's see how that case turns out. A suicide can not be blamed on other people, and many other people could have been unpleasant to the guy.

[wolfie001]

182. If the store were Unionized, the asshole store manager....

....would have reacted much differently. The police never charged the poor lad with anything. It was a power trip on the part of the SM.

[Orrex]

26. So the answer is found in the toy/bike section?

If the story took place at Walmart or McDonalds or Staples, I suspect that most of us would assume it to be a hoax. But for Target--which has executed similar viral marketing in the recent past--we're simply to assume that it's genuine in this case?

[HappyMe]

32. Yeah, because all the people employed at those

places are automatically evil asshats that would never help somebody.

[Orrex]

34. Is that your opinion? Because it sure as hell ain't mine.

You immediately assume that a photo is real because it portrays a monolithic corporate entity in a positive light. Why?

[HappyMe]

36. Levis, Costco, Starbucks,

Calvin Klein and Trader Joe's are all considered good liberal corporations. If this story was about one of them would you be calling bullshit on the story? They are all monolithic corporate entities.

I don't happen to believe that every positive story about a person helping another is bullshit and shady.

[Orrex]

38. Yes. Yes I would.

You are welcome to your rose-colored world of "fool me twice, go ahead and fool me again."

[HappyMe]

39. I wouldn't exactly describe myself that way,

but you know best.

[Orrex]

41. I would describe you as too eager to believe a feel-good tale

As to whether or not I know best, that's not for me to say, but I'm perhaps less likely than others to be fooled by certain types of propaganda.

[HappyMe]

44. I would describe you as too cynical

and easily lead by certain types of propaganda as well.

I guess we're at an impasse.

[Orrex]

48. But consider:

The only reason that you think the image is remarkable is that you think people are generally unkind or indifferent. This reveals a profound cynicism in its own right.

[HappyMe]

53. Oh ffs!

You're really reaching there.

[Lucky Luciano]

60. Both of you! Go to the corner! nt

[HappyMe]

61. lol!

*whines* Aaaw! Do I haaave to?

[Orrex]

69. Am I? Then why is the story remarkable, in your view?

If it happens all the time, then there's absolutely no reason to make a big deal about it.

If it doesn't happen all the time, then it's unusual, and my point is supported.

[treestar]

109. This line of argument is unfair to the other poster

Now you're sure there is so much good in the world?

Yes people should be made a big deal of when they do good things. Why not? That encourages others to do good things.

[Orrex]

123. Equally, it should be pointed out when corporations do shitty things.

If I am wrong in this, I will be happy to be proven wrong.

But if I am correct, what will be the response from all those who are now arguing so passionately for what turns out to have been a corporate viral marketing ploy?

[treestar]

164. Clever marketing ploy I suppose

Especially since it didn't cost them much.

I'm sure you will be around to point out the shitty things they do. What have they done wrong recently?

[Orrex]

196. They are union busters, and they pay a shitty wage

And they have a history of manipulative viral marketing ploys. That's enough to make me suspicious.

This isn't a case of some anonymous guy on the street being filmed while anonymously helping some anonymous guy on the street, which I honestly believe to happen all the time. Instead, this is a case of an on-duty Target employee being filmed in his Target uniform while helping a Target customer shop at Target.

My cynicism, even if incorrect in this case, is well justified.

[treestar]

234. Name any company that pays more than the market wage

as it is modified only by the minimum wage.

You haven't proven your other statements at all; simply ask for the reader to swallow your conclusions about "union busting" entirely whole.

[Orrex]

239. You're arguing that they don't suck any worse than other companies that suck.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

electricray has already provided documentation of their anti-union tactics HERE. I await your informed rebuttal.

Further, Costco famously pays a better-than-minimum wage and is serving almost exactly the same kind of customer profile as Target.

[ND-Dem]

64. +100

[treestar]

108. It's all relative as I could describe you as too eager to believe

it is a fake.

[Orrex]

121. My belief is consistent with Target's recent behavior

And it's less likely to give me a false sense of the corporation's benevolent nature.

As survival strategies go, I'd say that mine is more in tune with reality than is the unquestioning belief that this must be real.

[ND-Dem]

63. "good liberal corporations" = oxymoron, i think.

[WillowTree]

54. It portrays one employee in one store in a positive light.

I would find it exhausting to have to find a reason to be negative about everything that crosses my path like that.

Have a pleasant day, inasmuch as you're able.

[Orrex]

66. Actually, it requires very little effort.

[dir class="excerpt"]I would find it exhausting to have to find a reason to be negative about everything that crosses my path like that.It requires only a healthy and realistic skepticism of anything that conspicuously paints a corporation or its representatives in a conspicuously altruistic light.

Your condescending attitude reveals a profound pessimism in your own character, so you should be less hasty to scold people who don't cling to their rose-colored glasses.

[treestar]

107. It portrays those employees in a positive light

not the store. Who said it reflects on the store in any way?

If they wanted to make themselves look good and sell more, they'd probably be better off claiming they have lower prices or the like. Or nice employees, without this indirect method.

[Demit]

119. As I said upthread, this is a known method of marketing.

It costs next to nothing. Compared to creating ads and buying ad space in publications, or a spot on TV, or raising employee salaries, this COSTS NOTHING. And the goodwill it creates is priceless.

People do advertising/marketing/public relations for a living. I mean, if you really are not familiar with this aid to business, the video would fall under public relations. And I would say it has been WILDLY successful.

[treestar]

165. The First Amendment means they will get away with it

unless you can use your First Amendment right to convince all the people who work at Target that they are being abused. And all the customers. Maybe you can shut down Target, I mean, how dare they be a big store.

And they aren't the only ones.

[Demit]

174. ?????

I have no idea what this means, or what your bugaboo is. Good luck finding someone else to argue about it with, though.

[Orrex]

122. They are representatives of the corporation

You can pretend that they're not, but they are.

If they wanted to make themselves look good and sell more, they'd probably be better off claiming they have lower prices or the like. Or nice employees, without this indirect method.

That's simply naive. The corporate business model is to engage the consumer on multiple fronts, not all of which lead directly to increased sales.

[KittyWampus]

151. Maybe the fellow employee who knew how to knot a tie just happened to be in that section.

Your comments are so much like conspiracy theorists and their yarns.

[Orrex]

193. How so? Because I suggest that a company might do as it has recently done before?

Target has a recent history of undertaking exactly this kind of viral marketing campaign. Why do you refuse to consider that they might do it again?

Your claim that it's a conspiracy theory is simply a feeble attempt at ridicule.

[KittyWampus]

203. No Orrex YOU ARE THE ONE CLAIMING IT'S A CONSPIRACY

YOU are the one who holds "The Truth".

The rest of us are naïve, rose-colored glasses simps.

It's funny but you don't even realize you are literally saying the corporation in question conspired to pull one over on consumers.

lol

Maybe they did or maybe they didn't but it's your certainty and your need to insult others that makes it all so ironic and funny

[Orrex]

213. SHOUTY-CAPS make you no more impressive or convincing

And your clear need to scold me betrays the need to feel superior that we were discussing upthread. Interesting. Why do you feel that way?

I haven't called anyone naive for refusing to agree with me but rather for refusing to admit even the possibility that this is a hoax perpetrated by a company that has recently executed exactly this kind of viral marketing campaign.

Those whom I have acused of wearing rose-colored glasses I have so accused for their explicit willingness to believe the sunny side of a story regardless of what reality might have to tell us.

And I've declared repeatedly that acts of kindness like he one shown are commonplace, whereas no more than one or two have agreed that Target is capable of this exact type of viral marketing ploy. Not even you.

Further, I have expressed my willingness to admit my error if I'm shown to be incorrect, while ony one other here has done so. Again, not even you; in a display of cowardice you insist that you've taken no position and therefore can't be proven wrong. That's both wishy-washy and intellectually dishonest, but not at all surprising from you.

What you describe as my "CONSPIRACY" theory would require the knowing participation of four or five people. Hardly a reptile overlords scenario, and it can easily be shown to be incorrect.
You are predictable and unimpressive.

[ND-Dem]

57. you can get a suit that fits at goodwill.

[NuclearDem]

58. Assumptions after assumptions after assumptions.

You'd rather compound unfounded assumptions into oblivion than even entertain the idea that maybe, just maybe, somebody who works for a big company did something kind for someone.

[ND-Dem]

62. kind of like the assumptions you made in order to attack me. reread the post. here it is:

Last edited Sat Feb 7, 2015, 12:40 PM - Edit history (1)

20. i wondered that too. because why are they in the bike/toy section? and why does that suit
appear 3 sizes too big?

[7962]

82. Sonofabithch some of these replies are ridiculous.

Just a simple story and its assumed to be false. Why? Just because its a Target? Lord knows WHAT posts we'd see if this were a Wal MArt employee.

[Demit]

129. Why? Because some of us worked in advertising.

We're attuned to bullshit—how to sling it and how it is slung.

We're just saying be aware, things aren't always what they seem.

[7962]

130. If you worked in advertising, EVERYTHING is bull. This isnt an ad.

As i said in another post, with the internet being what it is, if ANY of these people were remotely connected to anything corporate or ad related, someone would find out in a heartbeat. Probably someone llke you, who used to be in the business of advertising. Dont think that people who dont like target for whatever reason are trying their damndest right now to find the hole in the story.

[Demit]

144. No, that's wrong. Not everything is bull.

Some of it is true because it has to be, by law. The rest of it—and this is where the magic is—the best advertising/marketing only SUGGESTS what might be true...then it sits back & lets you, the mark (oh excuse me the audience), fill in with what you WANT to be true.

[joshcryer]

210. How would you pull this off?

What steps would you take to recreate this kind of campaign?

[Demit]

226. You hold a pep rally with employees...

& remind them to be extra special nice to customers, because sales were down last year. Nothing unusual there, department stores hold pep rallies all the time. You tell them that spotters will be circulating & there will be rewards. A rewards program, nothing unusual there. Then you send out the spotters. Maybe the spotters are relatives of management. Maybe they think it's just an innocent management policy, to improve customer service via employees recognition, a sort of Candid Camera thing. Maybe they get a little something for their time. Maybe you hire the kid, maybe he's real. Who knows, nobody's found him. Nobody wants to. It's such a feel-good story, white people help black kid in the South, nobody wants it to be a setup. The photo gets posted to FB with gushing copy & goes viral (for how to get a FB post to go viral, there's advice all over google. It's actually kind of sad).

The tv station gets a tip, or one of their interns tasked with trawling the internet finds the post, so they send a crew to the store for video, for the usual human interest segment. It doesn't hurt that it features a local business, local tv stations are tasked with promoting local businesses. In the voiceover they make sure to say the Target name as often as possible.


The thing about "conspiracies," joshcryer, is that the people involved only have to have a little bit of information each to do their part. What they do, the small part they play, can be totally innocent or ordinary. People forget that not everyone has to be "in" on something for it to work.

[joshcryer]

246. That sounds awfully... like everyday... life.

It doesn't sound like a concerted viral campaign.

[Demit]

264. So now you see how it would be orchestrated.

You're right, most of it, including tipping off the news org to pick it up as a story, is old school.

The viral part comes in with social media—getting all the "likes" and "shares" that makes an item trend. Everybody with something to sell knows that the best advertising is Word of Mouth, b/c it's the most believable.

[lunasun]

149. Clueless ......> ."why does that suit appear 3 sizes too big?"

He should just eat cake

[ND-Dem]

184. yes, poor people always wear sad sack charlie chaplin suits to job interviews. speaking of

clueless.

[lunasun]

187. Sometimes the available thrift stores do not have someone's exact size when needed . He was wise

To look as professional as he could in this economy and job market and glad there were others to mentor not just diss his suit choice and shrug him off with the news of no clip on tie and an eye roll

[ND-Dem]

188. I wonder what kind of job a person who's too poor to have anything but an oversized suit is

applying for?

CEO?

What kind of low-wage jobs require suits these days?

A pair of slacks and a jacket or vest would be better than that sad-sack ensemble.

[lunasun]

198. Yes I am standing by my clueless statement Eom

[ND-Dem]

199. you do that. but i notice you don't answer the question. suit interviews are rare for most

jobs these days, especially for the poor. almost non-existent.

he's a young guy, very young. the only job interview I can think of where someone that young and poor *might* wear *something* like a suit would be a bank teller job. but a suit would be overdressed. most small office jobs you don't interview in a suit either.

so what great job is this kid interviewing for in his sad-sack suit?

[lunasun]

230. Nope my friend's wife just got edged out of a min wage job yes min wage job by a young man in a suit

She told her husband she should hhave dressed better for the job meeting
When she arrived she realized many applying were dressed up .
The 4 called after the meeting were better dressed although she did not know their experience she mentioned the young man because she commented that at his age he could not have much experience .
The job at minimum wage was to work at a nursing home ( on the floor) . You worked as you gained knowledge and credit to become a certified nursing assistant which if you are certified after 6 months , pays a few $ more than minimum wage
Not in an office but on the nursing home floor serving or wiping residents+ the job does not make you middle class and you would wear a nursing home uniform in most cases . So yes I call the people applying at Chikfila etc. poor. You can call them what you see from up there
Do you need a suit for CNA work ? , NO but when maximum number for the meeting room space as is the case these days people show up for a paying job training position of which only 4 will be hired. , you need to stand out esp. if your experience is lacking, + better look respectful and serious which a suit or dress equates these days . Not the only story I can relate but you do not want to believe the present day job economy just mock a young man's clothes
Out of touch + clueless imo and no more time to educate you so last response . Just glad you were not at Target that day to put him down or even talk him out of a tie but these folks work at target so they do have a clue about what it takes now days to get the kind of job they have thus the counsel about how to act also .
OK now you asked for an answer

[ND-Dem]

232. I've worked at a nursing home and know a lot of people who work at nursing homes. They're mostly

women, and make slightly above minimum wage. Male CNAs are few and far between, and they don't interview in suits. It's laughable.

[KT2000]

177. the young man purchased the tie

like at the checkout counter - then the clerk showed him how to tie it. Maybe the toy section was convenient. The young man may have borrowed the suit. He is only 15.

[IronLionZion]

37. OMG they're just so devious and manipulative!

The horror! The horror!

[Orrex]

40. You would rather be blindly credulous than cautiously skeptical

I don't find that admirable.

[IronLionZion]

134. You're not paranoid

everyone really is trying to screw you.

[Orrex]

135. Corporations are trying to make a buck from me

And they're willing to use devious tactics to achieve that goal.

Do you deny this?

Your refusal to admit even the possibility that this is a hoax, after Target itself was recently involved in a similar viral marketing hoax, is symptomatic of a preposterously short memory or a Charlie Brown football fetish.

[IronLionZion]

136. I truly cannot even begin to describe how much I care

whether its real or not.

[Orrex]

137. Then that should have been your first reply

Instead of pretending that you have a point to make.

[KittyWampus]

152. you would rather come off sounding like a conspiracy theorist? That isn't an insult

It's an observation of the dynamics in this thread.

[Orrex]

191. I am erring on the side of recently established precedent

And I will admit it if I'm proven wrong. Will you do the same?

[KittyWampus]

195. since I don't claim to know one way or the other I won't be wrong HOWEVER

at least I won't have called a kid I don't know a liar.

Oh, and also a couple of employees, a customer and the manager at Chick-fil-a.

But maybe this is a new generation of guerilla marketing and corporations like Target and Chick-fil-a team up for stuff like this.

[Orrex]

200. That's pretty weak

I suggested that this episode tailor-made for a viral marketing campaign by a company with a history of exactly this kind of viral marketing campaigns might in fact be a viral marketing campaign by a company with a history of exactly this kind of viral marketing campaign.

That's hardly the same as "calling a kid I don't know a liar," unless staying to watch the credits is the same as calling the actors a bunch of liars.

[snooper2]

259. will you do an OP?

[BubbaFett]

49. our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters

are the front line real people who work in these corporate monoliths.

So the retail giant might be "bad," but our communities staff these places and real life shit happens there.

In other words, cool pics, and I agree with your sentiment.

[Orrex]

68. If it turns out that I am correct, what will be your response?

[7962]

131. And if you're wrong? An apology OP?

[Orrex]

138. You didn't answer my question.

I am very willing to own my mistakes and have done so publicly on DU many times. Can you say the same of yourself?

[7962]

181. Sure! I have no trouble calling out the bastards if its a scam.

[BubbaFett]

229. It's a sideline benefit of

everyone having a camera in their pocket.

It helps catch bad cops and they record viral photos and videos.

What marketing function in any company doesn't have a social media strategy?

That's free PR.

[Agschmid]

46. It's real, it happens a lot in retail.

Always is a nice thing!

[Orrex]

67. How do you know that it's real?

Because the person who posted it said so?

Sorry, but the jury's still out.

[Orrex]

88. Do you post it on Facebook in hope of creating a viral feel-good campaign for your employer?

I have plenty of faith in humanity. I have no faith in corporations.

The longer that this goes on, the more eager I become to learn that it's a hoax, because it will prove my point all the more resoundingly.

[lumberjack_jeff]

65. I'm cynical too. So far it's served me well.

I would bet that this is (at a minimum) being promoted by Target's marketing department.

[WinkyDink]

110. And I thought I was Chief Cynic.

[Orrex]

124. There's plenty of room at the top

Welcome, fellow cynic!

[WinkyDink]

219. Heh. Now this story I believe (the photo helps). But those "This was written on my receipt!" ones?

Nope.

[Orrex]

220. That's a good comparison

I'm still awaiting a definitive answer on the current story, though I agree that it sounds plausible.

Again, what blows my mind isn't that this might be a true account of a good deed done by a Target employee but rather the bitter refusal by so many that it might not be genuine, especially given Target's recent behavior and similar viral awareness campaigns, like those receipt stories you cite.

As always, there is no greater offense than to ask uncomfortable questions.

[Marr]

125. You're getting a lot of shit for a reasonable question.

I suspected it was viral marketing, too. Agencies get paid quite a bit for coming up with things like that.

The local news story makes me think it probably isn't, but the photo and story on it's own would be pretty suspect.

[Orrex]

126. Thank you.

I will be happy to learn that I am incorrect, but we'll have to wait and see.

[cui bono]

159. I can't believe the flack you are taking for at least questioning this.

DU really has become inundated with people who just can't deal with critical thinking. Too many on here just accept whatever is thrown their way and then anyone who criticizes or questions anything is a "hater", "basher", whatever the current term is... it's really unsettling.

[ND-Dem]

194. +1 I don't know if these people are really, really attached to their world views, or if they're

some kind of operatives trying to steer the news in certain directions.

[joshcryer]

206. There is nothing "critical" believing 4 people are in on a conspiracy.

That would have to include dozens of other people to make said conspiracy go viral.

Oh, and at least three of them would have to have Oscar worthy acting abilities and have been working at Target with those acting skills for months if not years in order to push this very stupid conspiracy.

[Orrex]

215. Truly

One in particular came late to the thread and has repeatedly attacked me personally. This isn't surprising from that poster, but it's interesting to see the general hostility that results from the simple questioning of a single side of a story.

What happens if we're presented a feel-good tale of something truly significant? Will the skeptics be derided for their reluctance to take everything at face value?

Probably.

[joshcryer]

209. Yes.

The only reasonable point of failure would be the teen being an actor manipulating store employees with the hope that someone would post it to Facebook.

Intentionally viral stuff backfires very quickly. If it was faked it would have to be extremely well done. The FB post would have to be someone who wasn't connected in any way to advertizing companies or work for media, the employees would have to be carefully selected to meet the best requirements of social behavior, and the young man would have to be a very manipulative actor with perhaps even an earpiece. Then it requires dozens of more people in the media planning, execution, and coverup phase. It's beyond absurd.

I expect the young man will come forward eventually, either the employees will recognize him and tell him the story went viral, or he'll come upon it himself. If it doesn't happen then you can throw out FUD about the "mystery kid," of course.

Naturally all the "skeptics" here won't keep up on this story and the damage is already done in the eyes of the "skeptics."

[Orrex]

214. We shall see

If it's revealed as a viral marketing ploy, then I eagerly await its acknowledgmemt by those who now insist that it's true and can only be true. I have stated repeatedly that I will recant of the story is shown to be genuine, and I will do so.

As for "the damage being done," well, Target did the damage with their most recent viral campaign. Don't blame skepics for their reluctance to trust a company that's showm itself to be untrustworthy.

[joshcryer]

217. No doubt people are trying to prove that.

And no doubt they will fail. 4 people part of a public conspiracy? It'd have been found out by now.

This isn't a story about Target, this is a story about the working class. By making it about Target the working class is diminished.

For what it's worth, if this turns out to be manufactured, I'll not only be outraged, I'll be gobsmacked. It simply defies reason. It's literally nothing more to me than a FB post picked up by the media and used by Target to make itself look better. As if it can be responsible for the actions of its employees. Nuts. Target doesn't train employees to be this empathetic, in fact, its ardent anti-Union stance would suggest the exact opposite. Pitting employees against one another to prevent unionization.

[MohRokTah]

6. K&R eom

[cwydro]

7. That is sweet.

But they should have told him to swap the sneakers out for some real shoes for the interview.

That said, I hope he got the job.

[ladyVet]

22. They might have been the only shoes he had. And he might have borrowed the suit.

I don't know if the story ended up being corporate propaganda, but it looks like a simple act of someone being kind to a fellow human being. I hope the young man got the job.

[WillyT]

8. That Made Me Cry...

Now CUT THAT OUT !!!

What a sweet sweet story.

[cyberswede]

12. Me too! I thought it was...

the Long Strange Tripel that I'm drinking.

[Omaha Steve]

9. K&R!

[Kablooie]

10. That's what we need to see more of. People treating people as people.

This shouldn't be a special moment.
It should be a normal everyday interaction.
It's sad that this simple incident is unusual enough to be noticeable.

[7962]

84. Just read the posts above yours; you'll find the conspiracy theorists questioning this story

I agree with YOU, we SHOULD expect things like this. And I think it happens a lot more often than we know. but some folks here cant be happy unless everyone is miserable together

[sheshe2]

11. That just made me smile. Beautiful.

[7962]

14. Thanks for posting a good one!!

[Android3.14]

15. I wonder what a post like this is worth

The word, "Target", appeared six times. The image is uncompelling, but the story is nice. I bet it happened. I'm just thinking the company pushed this, and the whole "photo goes viral" is clumsy manipulation in order to...you know...make it go viral and have people read the word "Target" several times in a positive context.

I noticed a similar post earlier today pushing Netflix.

Is this a common occurrence on DU (and I've just noticed it), or is this a recent phenomena?

It has piqued my curiosity.

[tblue37]

43. This shows that oppressed, underpaid workers are nice, not that the big

corporation that exploits them is.

[Android3.14]

52. I applaud your naivete

You may even be correct.

However, the McDonald's fiasco of paying it with "lovin'" and exploiting workers to express saccharine sentimentality and to include customers in the charade, makes me doubt this is a simple sweet moment caught randomly. I am sensing a possible pattern of intentional corporate manipulation to enhance the image of businesses on popular social media platforms through the use of camouflage techniques to disguise the propaganda as originating from moles pretending to share the values of the online community.

That so many cohorts jumped on the cloying bandwagon so quickly to promote the article makes me think there is corporate intent and a population of sockpuppets manipulating visibility of the posting.

[hughee99]

72. I found the whole thing very offensive.

I can't believe the nerve of this Target employee imposing himself on this poor guy who just wanted a fricking tie for a job interview. I'll bet this Target employee just assumed the guy didn't know what he was doing because he's a racist.

THAT, my friend, is how you piss on cornflakes!

[Android3.14]

73. I suppose, if cornflake pissing were your intention

Seems implausible, though.

Like I mentioned up-thread, I figure the incident occurred, at least as far as the basic events, if not the overboard sentimental landscape the author portrays. What I question is the intent for the story.

[AllyCat]

16. Human spirit at its best

[bobGandolf]

19. ++++ Good to see++++

Helps reinforce my view of people... that a very large portion are kind, and caring. Watching, and listening to the news you do not get that.

On this past snowy, and slippery Thursday, I let my son borrow my car. He was bringing me home, but we could not get up the road, too slippery. Tried a different way, but no go. I told my son to go, that I would walk home. I was starting my journey up a really steep, icy road that crosses over to my road. Saw a middle-aged woman outside, and asked her if the road I was on crossed over to my road. She said yes, and asked where my car went. I explained, and started on my journey home. Walked a few feet, and she yelled over for me to wait a second, and she would give me a ride. Here I was, a total stranger, and she offered to give me a lift.

I know in today's world that was not a smart move, but it really felt good to relive a different time...when neighbors automatically offered help. Thank you Ms ?? (forgot her name) for the ride. Little did I know a mile of my walk would have been up a steep hill.

[BlueCaliDem]

29. It's a sad day when something as simple and humanitarian as this

gets so much attention, as if it's so rare that it needs coverage by CNN. It says something about our society - and that something, although the act definitely is, is not a good thing.

[madokie]

30. Waht a wonderful story to read so early in the day

Made my day better no doubt.

Just think for a moment what this world could be like if everyone was like these people are. dang its hard to type with watery eyes and shaking fingers

Thanks for this
Peace

[tblue37]

42. Thanks for posting this. It made my day! KnR. nt

[vankuria]

45. Just made my day!

Thank-you for restoring my faith in the human race.

[mike dub]

56. Great photo and story. Thanks for posting

I live 30 miles away from Raleigh and this story doesn't surprise me in the least. A good old 'people-helping-people' moment. Gotta love it.

[valerief]

59. An old TV commercial popped into my head. "Come back to Jamaica."

Target's campaign would be better if they'd just upgrade their software security to European standards. So wouldn't the rest of American businesses.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/27/target-credit-card-breach-chip-pin-technology-europe

[VScott]

70. Kind'a sucks that it's nearly impossible to find a clip on tie nowadays.

Some might say that they're tacky, but they still look better than my hand tying efforts.

[7962]

78. I swear half of DU will never be HAPPY with anything. Unbelievable posts on this OP

Look at the bullshit above. "Set up" "corporate Monoliths" etc. Post after post about this tory being faked. What a bunch of whiners it seems we have here. EVERYTHING is immediately viewed with negativity. You dont think that if this story wasnt true that SOMEONE would have said so by now? These people all have their faces and names right on screen to be "exposed" if they're lying.

Stories like this happen in tis country EVERY DAY. The vast majority of people are good and willing to help others.

Grow up for God's sake and quit assuming everything good MUST be fake.

[alp227]

141. First, it's not rational to "be happy" about EVERYTHING,

secondly, isn't there at least a grain of truth to the theory that corporations will exploit feel-good stories like this for PR purposes?

[yeoman6987]

143. Eyeroll. That is a great story and leave it at that!!

I imagine you feel the same about the man who walked 21 miles a day too. Yes everything is suspect in some worlds.

[alp227]

155. No I don't. (What's up with DU making hasty speculations in replies?)

What would the employer of the 21-mile walker have to gain by publicizing his story?

[7962]

180. I never said you should be happy about everything, nor should you be cynical about everything

And whats wrong with a company telling people about something good? I havent seen Target putting this on tv, just CNN. And now its here.

[Warren DeMontague]

204. It's not rational to be miserable and constantly complaining about everything, either.

But that doesn't stop a good slice of this place from doing so, does it.

[joshcryer]

208. Yes, corporations will use stories like this.

This has been going on forever. You think that Ford didn't use the guy walking 21 miles a day to work story? Of course they did. They got the Ford Taurus amazing advertizing. That doesn't mean the basic story behind it wasn't real. That doesn't mean it was manufactured.

People literally called these employees operatives in this thread. If you think that is sane, I don't know what to tell you.

[Orrex]

228. Given your love of truth, I know that you'll be eager to recant

People literally called these employees operatives in this thread. If you think that is sane, I don't know what to tell you.

That's simply untrue, and I invite you to correct your misstatement.

The word "operative" is absent from the thread, while the word "operatives" appears only twice: once in your reply #208 (quoted above); and once in ND-Dem's reply #194, where he comments upon people participating in this thread:

I don't know if these people are really, really attached to their world views, or if they're some kind of operatives trying to steer the news in certain directions.

No one has expressed the view that the employees are operatives; your claim is therefore demonstrably false.

Since you have expressed your distaste for falsehood, I await your post to address this particular falsehood. No doubt it was an innocent error driven by your passionate pursuit of the truth.

[joshcryer]

245. Obvious supposition claim.

"I don't know if climate change is real or not or if it's a conspiracy by scientists to usher in a new world order."

For someone who pretends to be critical thinking it seems that this sort of argumentation tactic is lost on you.

[Orrex]

247. And you lack the integrity to admit when you're wrong.

I am happy to admit my error when that error is demonstrated, yet you cling to a deliberate misquote. At best, that's intellectually dishonest.

You have no credibility to deride my critical thinking nor anyone else's.

Why are you unable to admit that you're wrong, after you spent so many posts whining about my alleged refusal to do so?

At best, that's intellectual cowardice.

If your next reply is as full of garbage as your last one, don't bother posting it.

[joshcryer]

248. There was no error.

It was a supposition claim. This is a very common tactic with climate change deniers, creationists, and the right wing in general. O'Reilly is famous for this crap.

[Orrex]

252. You wrote...

That people in this thread were "literally" calling the Target employees "operatives." That was either an error, owing perhaps to a misunderstanding of what "literally" means, or it was a lie. The choice is yours.

This would be a diifferent matter if you'd used less absolutist, less hair-on-fire language, but you deliberately selected a word that declared that you weren't speaking figuratively.

If you can't admit your error or your lie, then you are intellectually dishonest, and nothing further is to be gained from interacting with you.


Understand that I'm not disputing the underlying point (that the underlying story is genuine), and indeed I have explicitly conceded it. Instead, I'm calling you out for your erroneous and/or false accusation.

[joshcryer]

207. This thread is a fucking trainwreck.

Jesus Christ. No doubt Target would use the scenario once it got wiff of it, but the idea that it was a manufactured event is so absurd as to be completely mind boggling idiotic.

I have similar interactions with other people who work retail on a near daily basis. People are all in all good even if they're stuck working a minimum wage job with some rich corporation who doesn't give them many benefits and who are living paycheck to paycheck.

There seems to be this idealized view of the working class amongst some (most likely more well off) "lefists." The reality is the working class cares.

[7962]

218. Very well said!

Its surprising that so many who would likely be supportive of workers automatically suspect these same workers of being "in on it"

[Warren DeMontague]

253. You are right about the folks on the ground doing the retail grunt work.

and conversely, a lot of the time when they're testy, disinterested, etc- it has a direct relationship to being underpaid, overworked, and the fact that working with the public, in aggregate, starts to massively suck after a while.

[Arugula Latte]

140. Very sweet.

In fact, I'd say it's SUPER!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

145. :)

Yay!

[Yavin4]

172. if everyone did one simple act of kindness...

the whole world would be a better place.

[mnhtnbb]

216. Update on the CNN story (Fri night) says he was to be invited back for a second interview

And if you go to the local Raleigh TV station that shot the tape, you
will see this is for real: the woman who posted the photo to fb is interviewed
and so are the Target employees who helped the young man.

http://abc11.com/society/target-employees-help-young-man-prepare-for-job-interview/506059/


The kindness of strangers in the south isn't just a line that Tennessee Williams wrote
to come from the mouth of Blanche. It's real.

[joshcryer]

221. When the young man speaks up, all the haters will eat crow.

It's only a matter of time before we get the final puzzle piece and all the idiotic conspiracy bullshit is rendered the shit that it is.

[Orrex]

222. It's not "conspiracy bullshit" and it's not "idiocy." It's healthy skepticism.

Are you unfamililar with Target's recent viral marketing campaign? They have a history of doing exactly this sort of guerilla self-promotion. It is therefore entirely reasonable to question a similarly distributed pro-Target viral image.

I have said repeatedly that I will happily admit my error if I am proven incorrect. That's why it's healthy skepticism and not "idiotic conspiracy bullshit."

[Orrex]

223. It appears that this has been proven genuine, and I am happy to have been incorrect.

Bravo to the employees who helped the young man, and best of luck to him in his interview.

Given the story's high profile, I'm confident that Chick-Fil-A will feel a strong incentive to hire him.

[snooper2]

260. LOL

As I read down through this hilarious fucking thread I guess since you posted this yesterday you are done, so probably no OP make me a sad

[Orrex]

261. Posting an OP to admit error strikes me as a plea for attention, like a GBCW post.

Posting an "I was wrong and I admit it" OP is tantamount to begging for praise for one's humility, and I find such gimmicks distasteful.


I replied to the OP here to admit my error, and I should think that that's sufficient. If you disagree, then I invite you to post an OP linking to my admission.

[snooper2]

262. Nah I'm done and off to other things now :)

[Liberal_in_LA]

235. great. thx for the update

[mnhtnbb]

224. It's particularly nice to see the kindness of strangers crossing racial lines in this

video, especially since it happened in the south (Raleigh, NC).

Maybe that's one of the reasons so many people had a hard time believing it here on DU:
the south isn't all ignorant, racist rednecks.

[Inkfreak]

227. I saw 225 replies and thought...

Some DU posters have found a way to make this something else than a nice story. Huge surprise.

[Liberal_in_LA]

236. lol. that's how it is on DU

[Orrex]

231. It appears that this has been proven genuine, and I am happy to have been incorrect.

Bravo to the employees who helped the young man, and best of luck to him in his interview.

Given the story's high profile, I'm confident that Chick-Fil-A will feel a strong incentive to hire him.

[Liberal_in_LA]

237. ..

[joshcryer]

250. I'm sure the Chick-Fil-A manager will hire him on the merits.

[Rex]

242. Looks like a dad getting his son ready for the prom or a job interview.

[William769]

249. Kick & recommended.

[gordianot]

251. I applaud the thought no matter the circumstance.

Someone give that young man a job.

[steve2470]

265. this thread is proof positive, DU'ers will argue/debate ANYTHING nt

[joshcryer]

266. Proof DUers will hate, despise, trash, or denigrate anything.

Anyway...