The heading is borrowed from a book by the same name about European reception of American Culture. The title I believe is self explanatory, you have seen one mall, it is as good as seeing all of them.
The reason for this latest post is self realization of how all of us are made fools. I had been to a DLF promenade mall in Delhi two days ago and before that to two malls in and around the same area. Some are big, some are moderately big, all of them are damn crowded and all of them have the same kind of people. But most importantly, all of them have the same shops. All of them have a Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Louis Phillipe, KFC, Mac Donalds, Pizza Hut...and name any of the international brands.
This I believe is the ultimate manifestation of Capitalism and Globalization.
It is nothing but packaging the same content in multiple avenues, as a first year mba graduate might tell you. But it is of concern and piety for me to think that I am also part of this gamble.
I remember siting for umpteen classes on globalization and hegemony, now when I sit in one of those malls and look around, I realise how much we've all complained about this hegemony, but how asinine are we to unwillingly or unwittingly support the culture that is!!!
Somebody thinks...therefore somebody is...
I guess you have read 'NO LOGO'
ReplyDeletebashing of globalisation and capiitalism is not new..i have friends,self anointed 'radical left' who refuse to eat Lays and drink Pepsi(the key symbols of the above-mentioned phenomenon) but spoke expensive cigs like Benson and eat from Mc Donalds,Kfc and Subway every second day..'pretentious' is the apt word to describe them!
ReplyDeletefor love or for hate,we are stuck with capitalism in the long run!
Um...what do you think of all those people who complain of the kind of 'crowd' at a mall? Something to think about, dont you think?
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