Ebay - A Glimpse Into the Human Heart

[nbcrusader]

How do people respond to the Columbia tragedy? Make a profit!! For a short time, people were trying to sell debris from the Columbia on Ebay. Own a piece of the Columbia!

I find that Ebay is interesting reflection of the human heart - the extent people will go to make a buck. Every tragedy or death results in a multitude of in items for sale connected to the deceased. Individuals line up at WalMart to buy out the rare Hot Wheels cars to sell for a premium. All the items available to satisfying our need to collect things we really don't need.

What does Ebay mean to you?

 

[martha]

A great place to get used cds cheap. I try not to pay attention to the hucksters and scum who profit from the tragedies of others.

 

[arw]

I thought that was funny to see how stupid people really are. It's not only a federal offense to have taken part of the shuttle it's also a health risk. And then to put it up for sale on ebay! Stupid!

Anyways...what does ebay mean to me?...ebay means that not only do I get to find all of the U2 itmes I missed out on over the last 20 years, it also means I can sell all of the useless crap I have collected that's sitting around my house. I love EBAY!!! It's the world's largerst garage sale.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Those people are scumbags, to say the least. A horrible tragedy occurs and the first thing that enters their mind is to make a quick profit out of it? Some people have a lump of cold stone where their heart ought to be.

And ebay, I actually never look at it. I'm broke and I'd only get sad looking at stuff I want to buy and can't.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

it's something to be expected. i know that on 9/11/01, people were auctioning off wtc-related domain names and such. luckily, ebay will try to not make it as much of a free-for-all so they close those auctions down. however, if i was running ebay, given the amount of money they make, i'd see if it was at all possible to have the manpower to make it so all auctions had to be cleared by an employee before they were actually posted.

all i can say is since you have to post your personal info to ebay to be a member, i hope they're contacting the fbi and any other proper authorities to see that these people are investigated for committing an offense like this.

anyway, what does ebay mean to me? it's a place i've spent too much time and money on, and a great place to find those rare things you can't buy in stores. that's how i got my chicken dance elmo for christmas.

 

[Bonochick]

What does eBay mean to me?

I've only bought two things from eBay...two Ryan Adams singles. John has bought me a few presents from there: a Barbie doll, a huge U2 poster, and the director's cut of Johnny The Homicidal Maniac. While we haven't had any problems, I've heard of other people getting ripped off big time.

I think eBay is a great place to find stuff, but it is also a breeding ground for scam artists, including bootleggers who are in it for profit and scalpers. While some of those people are caught, many slip through the cracks.

It's also becoming sort of an expression. Everytime one of my friends or I find something cool, interesting, and/or unique, one of us chimes in with "You should put that up on eBay!"

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Some people have a lump of cold stone where their heart ought to be.

SO TRUE, sadly

That made me ill when I heard about that space shuttle debris on there-sick

It's just like the rest of the Net though-exposes the worst part of human nature sometimes.

I remember someone once put a kidney for sale on eBay. I've never bought anything there, I wouldn't trust it.

 

[pax]

I like eBay. I peruse it frequently, though I rarely bid. I have bought a bracelet, two rings, and a pair of shoes from eBay--that's it. It's a great place to get bargains on brand-name stuff; the shoes I got, for example, are Doc Marten ankle boots that retail for $120 USD but that I got on eBay for $55.

Of course there will always be scammers, and people who try to benefit from tragedy. But overall eBay is a great system, and I think they police things pretty well.

 

[Kristie]

I love ebay, though it does have its aforementioned faults... I use it to buy U2 stuff that I missed out on. Which is about everything. I also take newer textbooks from work and sell them on half.com (owned by ebay). It's not stealing, it's a job perk.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I've gotten plenty of things on eBay-posters, cds, books, jewelry, etc.


But what these people did was disgusting.

 

[deep]

It means nothing to me.

I am sure there are many pieces of Columbia that have been found and are in private possession. Many people do things differtly than I do.

I have never even logged on to ebay. I never go to yard sales, either.

 

[BAW]

But overall eBay is a great system, and I think they police things pretty well.

I've been buying and selling on ebay for years and I think they do a pretty good job of keeping things on the up and up, considering how many transactions take place every day.

Greedy people will always try to make a buck from a tragedy whether its through ebay or standing on a street corner selling
t-shirts.

 

[martha]

Your avatar is freakin' me out!

I never go to yard sales, either.

You have some kind of problem with crap?

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Your avatar is freakin' me out!

me too. what is it?

 

[deep]

.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

ehh, but what is it from?

*wonders if you're a bit *

 

[deep]

They are two thespians.

The scene is from a play by a famous Irish playwright.

I think someone will recognize it.

 

[oliveu2cm]

I heard a woman who tried to sell part of the spaceship was arrested and could receive up to ten years.


I use ebay periodically. I have impulse shopping issues so I try not to go there, else my whole income would be flushed down the U2 rarity blackhole.

Once in a while I treat myself though.