The shopping mall is unselfconscious and authentic, while the many
activities that recall the past as an attempt to stimulate business are a
parody and are quite self-conscious. A sort of Disney approach to shopping.
I prefer authenticity and so tend to migrate to the authentic small owner
operated shop where the owner knows what the product is and how it
functions, or I go to the mega-store run by friendly teenagers who smile a
lot and know little (and care less) about the product. In this case I do my
own research before I go to the store (thanx usually to the net and Consumer
Reports) and get in and out in a hurrry, product in hand.
Arthur Cordell
-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Hudson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: October 9, 2000 3:34 AM
To: Edward R Weick
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Ed Goertzen
Subject: Re: Bowling Alone
I refer to the two Eds:
At 16:52 08/10/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Ed Goertzen:
>
>> I would hope that Ed W. is not touting better shopping opportunities and
>> greater use of day care ads cultural values that enhance our lives, or
our
>> society
>
>Why yes, Ed G, I think I do mean that. I much prefer to shop at large,
>interesting malls than at local stores and judging by the large number of
>people that turn up at malls, their lives must somehow be enhanced.
Whether
>cultural values are added to their lives is something I can't say. I also
>prefer buying my vegetables at interesting markets to buying them at the
>corner store. We have a market not too far from us, and going there is
>something we look forward to.
Ed W is quite right. Even those of us who deplore the demise of the corner
shop, local grocery store, butcher and the like, nevertheless go further
afield to superstores and malls to buy much of our things because the
prices are cheaper and the range of goods far greater. The tide can't be
turned back.
The shopping malls are having devastating effects on the market towns of
England -- that is, those 1,000 odd small towns with populations of less
than 20,000. Many of these are delightful places in which to live with
wonderful architecture, long histories behind them and so on. But many of
them have lost anything from 10% to 30% of their local shops and many of
the remaining shopkeepers are suffering badly.
But there are signs of recovery. Some are investing in attractive outdoor
markets (surely, in my experience, more interesting to walk around than the
shopping malls), and some are beginning to specialise in some aspect of
their past which pulls in out-of-towners and tourists. Wareham, not far
from here has a Saxon festival which is a success; Brigg, in Lincolnshire
has revived the ancient horse-bartering market and pulls in 25,000 people a
time. For several years past, Hay-on-Wye has specialised in bookshops (and
holds an annual Literature Festival) and has become relatively prosperous.
All these market towns owed their past prosperity to a very small number of
local agricultural activities and the industrial revolution largely passed
them by. However, we're now living in times of increasing numbers of
specialisations and I think it's entirely possible that many of these
market towns can develop one that suits them and begin to thrive again.
Keith Hudson
<http://www.calus.org>
>
>As for daycare, I can only speak from personal experience. My daughter
who
>is now fifteen spent much of her first ten years in daycare. Though my
wife
>and I may be kidding ourselves, we believe it enriched her. It also
>permitted my wife and I to go about things which enriched us -- materially,
>culturally and perhaps even spiritually. What I believe to be most
>important is the quality of the care that is given. Whether parent or
>caregiver gives it matters less.
>
>Ed W
>
>
>
>
