The Mall

I spent a good part of the day today in Atlanta's two premier malls, doing Christmas shopping. It really turned out to be futile as there was almost nothing in either mall which appealed to me, or which made sense as a gift for people I know. I guess that someone must be buying that stuff but for the most part it is over priced, mass produced crap. The only place that held any appeal to me is Mori, where they stock high quality travel goods, brief cases and Mont Blanc pens. Their stock is generally of high quality, the shop is well laid out and the staff is helpful.

I wound up buying a nice packable jacket for my wife (at Mori - it was the only jacket in the shop) but did not find anything else appealing in the whole mall. It seems that when the malls do have something that interests me, (like a pair of binoculars or a camera) it can be found in a specialty store, generally free standing or away from a mall, at a lower price and in a brand with a much higher quality. And forget about finding good quality outdoor clothing, and gear at the mall; it is all in the specialty stores like Dick's or REI.

Well, it is still an interesting place to visit. Hypnotic, in fact. The mall is the ultimate expression of American consumerism. It is also the new downtown for the automotive mobile. Why do so many people find this mecca of mediocre quality to be the center of their social life? Wouldn't it be more interesting, really, to spend the afternoon gallery hopping, or visiting a museum, or shopping in an interesting neighborhood district?

Of course, the energy implications of the mall are complete. The energy that it takes to get there, the contrived lack of connectivity, massive HVAC systems and general separation from nature.