"Zero Yuan Shopping" began in the United States in November 2021. It was the shopping carnival "Black Friday", and various stores were offering discounts and promotions. At this time, there suddenly appeared a phenomenon of only grabbing but not buying. At that time, many
Luxury goods stores in various states in the United States have been attacked by masked robbers. Some people even used crowbars to smash the glass of the store and enter the store, looting the shelves. As a result, many stores suffered huge losses. However, despite repeated police investigations,
, but failed to catch these participants, resulting in the case being unresolved.
This is Kai's original world.
In this world, it's earlier.
It existed in 2008. There is no way that the United States in this world is more prosperous than the United States before Kai traveled through it. The gap in recovery is even greater, and the public security is also worse! The problems in the United States before the time travel in the past life, the United States in this world is not the same.
Alas, you are so innovative.
After all, this world has supernatural powers.
So some things are more serious.
So it’s not surprising that there are zero-yuan purchases…after all, the underlying logic hasn’t changed!
To understand the origin of zero-dollar shopping, we must first understand the prison industry in the United States. The United States is a capitalist society, and everything must be driven by profit. Prisons are no exception. In the United States, prisons are a for-profit capitalist enterprise.
, they obtain huge income from society by imprisoning criminals. The prison industry in the United States reached its peak at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. The United States has a population of only 300 million, but more than 2 million people are in prison. This number is higher than 1.4 billion
China's population currently has more prisoners serving time in prisons.
The U.S. prison industry consumes tens of billions of dollars in public funds every year and becomes an important part of the U.S. GDP.
However, the prosperity of this prison industry is based on the prosperity of the U.S. economy. When the U.S. economy encounters a crisis and financial difficulties arise, the cost of the prison industry becomes unbearable. The cost of prisons in the United States is very high, and one person is imprisoned every year.
The cost of inmates exceeds $75,000 and costs $300 a day. These costs are paid by taxpayers. Moreover, American prisons do not effectively rehabilitate criminals. Instead, they become hotbeds of crime, leading to high rates of recidivism.
rates and social unrest. As a result, U.S. states are eager to lower prison rates
expenses, reduce the number of prisoners, and alleviate the problem of prison overcrowding. They passed a series of laws and policies to reduce some minor crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, or directly refused to prosecute and sentence them, allowing these criminals to serve their sentences in the community or
Release directly. Be the prison door
After opening the door, some criminals discovered a new opportunity: zero-dollar shopping. They discovered that as long as they did not grab goods worth more than $950, they would not be sent to jail. Moreover, if they could gather a large group of people and rush into the store together
, and if you steal the goods, you will be less likely to be caught by the police.
In this way, they can get what they want for free without worrying about any consequences. This is the temptation of zero-yuan shopping. Some criminals who buy zero-yuan do it for survival, some for enjoyment, some to vent, and some to protest. They
Some are unemployed, some are low-income earners, some are marginalized in society, and some are organized criminal groups. They use social media and other tools to connect with each other, incite each other, and organize each other, forming a powerful destructive force.
In the face of such rampant robbers, wouldn't there be any store clerks who would stop them by yelling at them? Yes, it is true that very few store clerks would stand up and stop them, even security personnel. They would even just quietly take pictures and then calmly post them on WeChat Moments.
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Is it the indifference of people's hearts or the loss of morals?
In fact, it's not the case. The reason is that the store clerk and security guards don't dare.
In China, as long as it is robbery, even if only one dollar is taken, it constitutes robbery and requires a prison sentence. However, American law stipulates that robbery below a certain amount is not considered a crime.
Take California, for example. In 2014, California passed the famous Bill 47, which downgraded some felonies to misdemeanors. Among them, the crime of stealing property under $950 was changed from a felony to a misdemeanor. Misdemeanors and felonies
Although there is only one word difference between them, the results are quite different. The sentence for a misdemeanor is less than 1 year, and for a felony, the sentence is generally 3 to 1 year.
Between 0 years and 2021, California passed another bill, which stipulates that using force or intimidation to snatch property from others, and the amount does not exceed $950, without using deadly weapons and causing serious bodily harm to others
It can be regarded as a crime of petty theft. According to the provisions of these bills, whether it is stealing or robbing, as long as the amount is not
Anything over $950 is only a misdemeanor, with a prison term of no more than one year, or a fine of $1,000, or both. In other words, if someone robs $950 and is not caught, nothing will happen.
If you are caught, the conviction process is more complicated. Even if you are convicted in the end, you will only be fined $1,000.
Then the cost of crime is too low. Moreover, American courts encourage prisoners to sign a plea agreement before trial. The result is probably similar to "surrendering", which probably means that the sentence can be lighter. In places like American supermarkets, $950
You can buy, oh, no, you can rob many, many things, so the crime cost of "zero dollar purchase" is very low.
But there are more than one legal loopholes in the United States. In the United States, there is also a rule that if the robber does not step out of the door, it is not a robbery. In a sense, as long as the robber does not step out of the door, the clerk has no way to prove the robbery.
Will the prisoner pay? Maybe they just like to use sacks for shopping? Maybe they just like to be rude when loading things?
But if the clerk dissuades him during the process, the robber can sue the clerk for defamation. "I haven't left the store yet, why do you think I won't pay?" "Are you discriminating against me? You look down on me for not having money.
?”
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! First of all, if the store clerk and the security guard come to stop it, physical conflicts will easily occur, and the robber will be easily injured, and he will be bitten back, and even the robber can
Sue them directly for personal injury, and the store clerk and security personnel will pay huge compensation. This is the United States
It has to be said that this is similar to some aspects of China's laws. For example, a famous "711 convenience store" case: In the United States, a thug made two consecutive zero-yuan purchases at a 711 convenience store.
A famous store clerk resisted and stopped the thugs from robbing the store. The store clerk beat the thugs. As a result, the American police went to hold the store clerk responsible.
Secondly, if you are injured when a store clerk or security comes to stop it, the store owner will also have to compensate them. Therefore, as a boss, if you ask your store clerk to stop "zero dollar shopping", you may end up with extra injuries for no reason.
Medical expenses and mental damage expenses. Therefore, the boss has nothing to do with the waiters and security guards.
For bosses, being indifferent may be the minimum loss. However, bosses are not completely unable to do anything. They will buy insurance! Yes, in the United States, bosses will buy insurance for their own stores. After all, "zero dollar purchases" appear so many times.
Too many, they bought insurance, and if there was a loss, the insurance company would pay for it! So, if you were the boss, what would you choose?
Since there are so many people involved in "zero-yuan shopping" in the United States, and they generally engage in "zero-yuan shopping" in groups, handling cases and arresting people will consume a lot of energy and time on the part of the police. Even if they spend a long time catching people, the legal penalties will be very severe.
It's light. In addition, American prisons are overcrowded. When a prisoner is admitted, the government
The government still has to support and spend money, and the global economy has been in recession in recent years, and the government has little money. Even if they are really caught, the cost of crime is so low, they will continue to buy for zero yuan after they come out, and they will be caught
Let go, let go and arrest, the American police are tired. So when dealing with the caught "zero dollar purchase"
When it comes to buying, law enforcement departments also follow the principle of not going in if they can't, and turn a blind eye. Therefore, the American police are becoming less and less concerned about the criminal behavior of "zero dollar purchases", which also indirectly leads to
Due to the proliferation of zero-dollar purchases, even some repeat offenders are known to store staff.
When they buy for zero yuan, they are just like old customers, calm and calm, because they all know that calling the police is of little significance. At the beginning, the "zero yuan shopping" contestants put stockings on their heads or wore a mask.
Over time, I no longer bothered to cover my face, and even smiled when I saw the camera.
Of course, the reasons why "zero dollar purchases" are so rampant today are not just the above, but there are many other reasons. For example, the global economic downturn has caused various companies in the United States to lay off employees, but Americans' consumption habits are to live in the present.
, I have very little savings and I have been unemployed for a period of time. If I don’t find another job, my house is taken away by the bank, my car is also taken away by the bank, I will convert it directly into
There are more and more poor people. They also have to live. In order to survive, more and more people will choose to take desperate risks. For example, partisanship in the United States, because these lower-class people also have the right to vote, which one
If parties have loose control over this matter, then they will vote for whichever party they choose. Therefore, in order to attract votes, American parties turn a blind eye to this kind of thing.
For example, although white people and other races now participate in "zero-yuan shopping", the original "zero-yuan shopping" initiators and most of today's "zero-yuan shopping" contestants are black. The police arrest them or compete with them.
When they conflict, it is easy to be labeled as racially oriented, so the government is not willing to let the police control it too tightly. If the party in power is labeled as racially oriented, the votes will be lost.
For example, the U.S. government is also quite philosophical. They know very well that these "zero dollar purchase" contestants are from the bottom of society, and most of them are struggling to survive. What they usually grab is food and drink, and the total amount is not large. If there is no place for them,
Robbery, there is no place for them to vent, and even the way to eat with "zero yuan purchase" is cut off for them. Then won't the target of this group of people turn to the government? Won't they cause bigger problems? So,
Just sacrifice the interests of some people and preserve the overall situation.
So in summary, this is the main reason why zero-dollar purchases are so common in the United States. Even some large retail companies in the United States will specifically list a discount on zero-dollar purchases in their annual financial reports... They are also used to it.
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But... the premise is not to kill anyone!
Just like the master said, "You can't kill people, how can you make money if they are dead!"
Damn Jiang Wen, this movie is enough for this life, he must apply for World Heritage!
Buying for zero yuan is a trivial matter.
But dead people are a big deal!
Therefore, people generally won’t stop you from purchasing for zero yuan. Even if there is any resistance, most people will just give up... It’s very simple. The worst is that it will end up with the next shop!
So people died in the zero-yuan purchase riots, and it’s definitely not normal for people to die on a large scale like what was reported in the news before!
That's why Katherine and Kelly reacted so strongly.
They thought there was some conspiracy or something like that.
But when they flew over the city, they realized... things were not what they imagined... the whole city was in chaos.
Countless people started vandalizing, smashing, and looting on the streets. If you look closely at these people, you will find that something is obviously wrong with their expressions and behaviors.
His eyes were bloodshot, as if he was high, and he was constantly venting the darkest and most intense emotions in his heart. Not only was he smashing, smashing, and robbing, but more unsightly things were also happening.
Kelly couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Wait a minute...Am I dazzled? Or is the Resident Evil series restarted? Is it such a big investment?"
It's not that Kelly was still talkative at this time, it's just that she couldn't believe it all... What happened, so early in the morning, without even brushing her teeth, Chicago really turned into a battlefield?
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "No... that series is completely rotten, and it will have to wait more than ten years to restart. What's more... can't you smell it? The smell of blood is everywhere! This
It’s real, not on the set.”
Resident Evil, whether it is a movie or a game, is a master of speculation. However, the movie has recently overturned. The fifth and sixth films have been released. It is estimated that no one will pay to continue to speculate.
Kelly was dumbfounded, thinking that all this was an illusion.
Of course, the most important thing was that she didn't know what to do with everything in front of her.
For example, an evil enemy has invaded.
Then what to do is simple.
Beat up the enemy.
For another example, this is a gang riot.
What to do is also very simple.
Beat up the gangster.
But the residents of this city are starting to fight each other... So what should we do?
She can't just kill all the residents in the city, right?
"What now?"
"Something is wrong, nine out of ten times, something is wrong. Although the residents of Chicago are very irritable, it is not like this. Have you ever felt that something is wrong with the whole city?"
Catherine looked carefully.
"You put it like that... something is really wrong. I always feel like the filter is a bit heavy."
Are you a girl? She knows a lot about photos, filters and other things.
For example, if you show a photo to a non-professional straight man, he may not be able to see anything. But if you show it to a girl who hangs out in your circle of friends, she will immediately tell you that there is definitely something wrong with the photo.
That's the filter.
He added a filter!
"I always feel like the world in my eyes seems to have been put through a red filter."
"That's right!" Catherine nodded decisively: "Someone did this! If we find the mastermind behind it, everything will be settled!"
After speaking, Catherine immediately began to search in the city.
Kelly also hurriedly followed.
In fact, it's not just Chicago at this time.
Problems have arisen one after another in major cities around the world.