OT: Playstation 3 -- This is crazy

[Keith A]

Okay, I just don't get it. I know the new PS3 is supposed to be all that, but what kind of fool would pay over $9K for a gaming system that only cost $600. Check out this eBay auction (http://cgi.ebay.com/PRE-SALE-SONY-PLAYSTATION-3-PS3-PRESALE-60GB-CONSOLE_W0QQitemZ330047524577QQihZ014QQcategoryZ62 054QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem). This is the highest one so far, but there are plenty of other auctions that have been won in the $3K to $5K range :confused:

[Grant McLean]

One of my coworkers was just telling me now her younger brother has been
camped in line at the "bestbuy" for a couple of days already. (and he's 9th)
They plan on selling any they get on ebay for profit.

What a world!

g

[aj4e]

Last night I saw a gaggle of teenagers hanging outside Wal*Mart. I figured they were just waiting for the bus. But when I was done shopping an hour later, I saw that they were all still there, and that the group had grown. Some were in folding chairs, some in sleeping bags. Then I realized that they were waiting in line for the PS3. And my (somewhat irrational) thought was that I hope that they aren't all just sitting there with $600 cash in their pockets because that is just asking for a robbery.

[GregL]

...what kind of fool would pay over $9K for a gaming system that only cost $600.

The same kind of fool who pays $8K for a bicycle when he can get a functionally equivalent model for $1K or less... Trying to figure out society's financial values is like arguing religion and politics. You will never find a "right" answer.

Regards,
Greg

[Kevan]

a department store bicycle.

[Grant McLean]

The same kind of fool who pays $8K for a bicycle when he can get a functionally equivalent model for $1K or less... Regards,
Greg

Call me a fool :)

g

[Keith A]

The same kind of fool who pays $8K for a bicycle when he can get a functionally equivalent model for $1K or less...I beg to differ that these are not the same type of people. No matter how long a person waits for a top dollar bicycle, the new price isn't going to come down -- but in a month or so, everyone and their grandmother will be able to get the top shelf PS3 for $600.

[deechee]

i dunno about whether the ps3s will be widely available in a months' time. problem is with Sony, a 100,000 unit Japan launch? Granted, their excuse is with manufacturing the blue-ray chip but think of the millions of Japanese kids who want one.

Remember, in Japan, you're not in unless you've become a lemming. The culture embraces comformity and complacency. Kids, geeks will pay through their nose to be popular. Its just sad and makes me appreciate my parents having raised me in Canada.

[Grant McLean]

Remember, in Japan, you're not in unless you've become a lemming. The culture embraces comformity and complacency. Kids, geeks will pay through their nose to be popular. Its just sad and makes me appreciate my parents having raised me in Canada.

In Japan? How about the lemming capital of the universe: go USA!!! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

You seem fond of sweeping statements, based on nationality and race.

g

[Keith A]

i dunno about whether the ps3s will be widely available in a months' time. problem is with Sony, a 100,000 unit Japan launch? Granted, their excuse is with manufacturing the blue-ray chip but think of the millions of Japanese kids who want one. You've got a point there, but I don't know how many actual units are available for the intial release in Japan or USA. But did read this about the sales in the first two days...

The Japanese Weekly Famitsu magazine reported that Sony sold 88,400 PS3’s in the system’s first two days. This number breaks down to: 33,800 20GB models & 54,600 60GB models.

[72gmc]

Picture a bunch of grownups camping out in lines in upstate New York... or Chester, Connecticut... or Montana... and instead of Mountain Dew there would be wine, or silver flasks.

These game lines are just "happenings." I never really understood the attraction, even when I was a kid.

[deechee]

You seem fond of sweeping statements, based on nationality and race.

g

I am a Canadian citizen of Japanese origin (both parents born and raised in Japan) and am an active member of the community and have met hundreds of Japanese people. I grew up in Canada but was also immersed in weekend Japanese school and church. Throughout my years in Japanese school I was the social outcast, the one trilingual. I hated it. I can only think of one particular individual I met in my years in school who thought outside of the box. He was a true "alpha male" as I would call it. Everyone else was too busy trying to stay with the crowd, and do what others would.

My mother taught at this Japanese school and she can attest that the students after my year were drones. At lunchtime my classmates and I would go outside and get in trouble throwing balls/frisbee. The kids shortly after us were obsessed reading comic books/manga and trading video games and strategies. Students never engaged personal opinions - and for my mother, as a teacher, that was the most frustrating and depressing trait that accelerated her retirement. The culture is so incredibly close minded that nothing changes. Example. From 1955 to 1993 one political party held power, the "Liberal Democratic Party". People are afraid of change, and the Japanese are no different.

The focus on academics is drilled from an early age. Uniforms are a must, down to the ugly *** backpacks and lunchboxes that the students carry. Kids must excel in school and are forced to school, afterschool and private tutoring to get into well respected colleges. Once in, school is a joke. (Based on conversations with many exchange students.) Once working life begins, one must work diligently and without question. Do you have any idea how difficult it is for my cousins to even get two, let alone one week off work to be able to visit my family in Canada?

You live to work, not work to live in Japan. Most Japanese youth are taught to respect my elders without question and that is the problem. No one dares speak out. Everyone is so obsessed with not offending that everyone learns to accept. Without debate nothing changes. I find it sad that this country has managed to devolve from the free thinking nation that it prides itself on being. The fear of litigation has stopped sensible debate.

That said, maybe my bleak picture helps some of you understand why video games are such an indispensible outlet for Japanese youth. Have any of you seen how incredibly depressed the Japanese deaf-mute is in "Babel"? If you're not one of them, you're unworthy. I'm sure most of you have experienced being unaccepted, if not, all the more power to you.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . people willing to pay $9k for what is obviously a luxurious non-necessity. Why, for $9k I could get both a nice TT bike AND a nice dual suspension MTB rig. I could've used either one of those at least a couple of times this past season. It was so inconvenient having to ride my other bikes . . . ;)

BBD

[norcalbiker]

The same kind of fool who pays $8K for a bicycle when he can get a functionally equivalent model for $1K or less... Trying to figure out society's financial values is like arguing religion and politics. You will never find a "right" answer.

Regards,
Greg

Are you telling me that you never bought anything that it's overprice?

So what kind of bike do you have?

[GregL]

Are you telling me that you never bought anything that it's overprice?

So what kind of bike do you have?

Absolutely yes! I have certainly bought items that were overpriced just because I liked them. It's human nature. The implication in my post was that it is human nature to desire (and purchase) non-essential items for exorbitant prices. I personally lust after a custom Legend Ti. Trying to explain why we spend the way we do is something beyond my abilities!

For the record: two C'dale road bikes, a Jamis cyclocross bike, and a Bridgestone mountain bike.

Regards,
Greg

[Grant McLean]

I am a Canadian citizen of Japanese origin (both parents born and raised in Japan) and am an active member of the community and have met hundreds of Japanese people. I grew up in Canada but was also immersed in weekend Japanese school and church. Throughout my years in Japanese school I was the social outcast, the one trilingual. I hated it. I can only think of one particular individual I met in my years in school who thought outside of the box. He was a true "alpha male" as I would call it. Everyone else was too busy trying to stay with the crowd, and do what others would.

My mother taught at this Japanese school and she can attest that the students after my year were drones. At lunchtime my classmates and I would go outside and get in trouble throwing balls/frisbee. The kids shortly after us were obsessed reading comic books/manga and trading video games and strategies. Students never engaged personal opinions - and for my mother, as a teacher, that was the most frustrating and depressing trait that accelerated her retirement. The culture is so incredibly close minded that nothing changes. Example. From 1955 to 1993 one political party held power, the "Liberal Democratic Party". People are afraid of change, and the Japanese are no different.

The focus on academics is drilled from an early age. Uniforms are a must, down to the ugly *** backpacks and lunchboxes that the students carry. Kids must excel in school and are forced to school, afterschool and private tutoring to get into well respected colleges. Once in, school is a joke. (Based on conversations with many exchange students.) Once working life begins, one must work diligently and without question. Do you have any idea how difficult it is for my cousins to even get two, let alone one week off work to be able to visit my family in Canada?

You live to work, not work to live in Japan. Most Japanese youth are taught to respect my elders without question and that is the problem. No one dares speak out. Everyone is so obsessed with not offending that everyone learns to accept. Without debate nothing changes. I find it sad that this country has managed to devolve from the free thinking nation that it prides itself on being. The fear of litigation has stopped sensible debate.

That said, maybe my bleak picture helps some of you understand why video games are such an indispensible outlet for Japanese youth. Have any of you seen how incredibly depressed the Japanese deaf-mute is in "Babel"? If you're not one of them, you're unworthy. I'm sure most of you have experienced being unaccepted, if not, all the more power to you.


Great post! Certainly brings more interesting information about yourself and
Japanese culture than your first brief post. Short written statements, like
e-mail, leave a lot of opportunity for misinterpretation. Obviously that's what
I did, especially after reading the other thread.

cheers

Grant

[slowgoing]

I promised my son I'd get him one as a reward for a good deed he did this summer. I'm hoping I can put him off until they're more widely available - I'm already catching flack.

[ThasFACE]

I promised my son I'd get him one as a reward for a good deed he did this summer. I'm hoping I can put him off until they're more widely available - I'm already catching flack.


Oh man, you are in trouble. I was discussing this very topic with a buddy of mine yesterday, and we were trying to decide where the market would top out for the ps3. He thought that they wouldn't go any higher than 3k, mainly since that's how much he had to lay down for a ps2 at the height of the ps2 craze. I was of the mind that the price would go _much_ higher, for three reasons: 1) the ps3 has been anticipated in a way that I have not seen before for a game console, 2) sony only made something on the order of 400k units in its first run (which is absolutely nothing; the xbox 360 shipped _millions_ in its first run), and 3) as a result of 1) and 2), parents who promise their kids a ps3 (and expect to purchase any time in the near future) will be forced to fight a market that has demand that _hugely_ exceeds supply for an item that is already very expensive. All of this means that if your son is going to get a ps3 before sony manages to get out a few more runs, your pocketbook is going to have to prepare itself for a serious beating.

All of that said, I want one quite badly.... but I'm putting money down for my spot in e-Richie's list and 'need' a set of blinged-out wheels for my current conversion to campy. Oh, the travails of excess.

[Velociotis]

I just saw the Atari 2600 system w/17 games at Target for $29.95 :)

[Ginger]

Last night I saw a gaggle of teenagers hanging outside Wal*Mart. I figured they were just waiting for the bus. But when I was done shopping an hour later, I saw that they were all still there, and that the group had grown. Some were in folding chairs, some in sleeping bags. Then I realized that they were waiting in line for the PS3. And my (somewhat irrational) thought was that I hope that they aren't all just sitting there with $600 cash in their pockets because that is just asking for a robbery.

That happened.

PUTNAM, Conn. (AP)- Two armed men tried to rob of line of people waiting to buy the new PlayStation 3 gaming console early Friday and shot one who refused to give up the money, authorities said.

Yes...it is crazy.

[Keith A]

Ginger that is sad -- but expected.

BTW, if you don't have enough $$$'s to by a PS3 on eBay, you can always just pony up for an email address with "PS3" in it. This one (http://cgi.ebay.com/PS3-Playstation-3-Email-PS3-God-Seller-yahoo-com_W0QQitemZ320050012849QQihZ011QQcategoryZ62054Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) just sold for $1000.00 :crap:

[BumpyintheBurgh]

I had to laugh today when I saw a guy on tv who said he was "working up a sweat" playing on the new PlayStation3 video game... You've got to be kidding! What ever happened to "real play", like going outside wrapping some tape on a stick and playing stickball in the parking lot or pumping some air into that old leather football, going out in the street and playing touch between the parked car or a pick-up game of baseball during the summer at the local sandlot where you shared gloves and only had one bat, and it was wood. Get your kids outside to play with other kids, they need the exercise and personal interaction with humans, not machines. Video games may sharpen your reflexes but it rots your soul.