Gabbro B-Sides

Yami, I ask, what is the world coming to when a mall can be considered, ahem, venerable?

I wrote half a response to this in the comment form, and then deleted it because I was thinking too much and wanted a full entry. The gist of it is this: I think giant chain stores, and the malls they occupy, are inevitable in a culture that encourages lots of gallivanting around and resettling halfway across the country. I’m not prepared to condemn this kind of mobility, so I’ve been cultivating a sort of curmudgeonly affection for malls.

Not that I find them pleasant - too many people, horrid acoustics, lousy music piped through lousier speakers. But they’re usually the quickest way for me to buy the things I need to buy, and since I hate shopping regardless, well, hey. Conveniently, it all ties back into local community again - traditional community centers (churches, schools) have become less central for whatever reason, leaving a lucrative void for clever merchants. Malls are also warm, sheltered places with enough open space for sundry community performances, bringing the art-fans in to shop and the shoppers in to the art world. It’s all very warm and fuzzy and symbiotic; when in the hell did I become such a capitalist?

I think I just like the irony.