Writing about the reality in which we all live, I think of the phenomenon of consumerism. In Poznan, where I live now just opened a new mall. It is located in the city center and is connected to the new train station. It encourages consumers to shop during the wait for a late train, what happens in Poznan very often.
Have you ever wondered how the shopping centers influence our subconscious? Bored and upset passengers go to this kind of mall to compensate his lost time by buying a new thing, which quickly becomes expendable. Unfortunately shopping has become for many people not a way of satisfying their own needs, but even a form of recreation and social activity. Purchasing items or services they spend money, but in fact also their lives - their time and energy of life, which they extended to earn this money.
Turning to the wallet, ask yourself, if you want to "replace" a piece (and sometimes a large part of) your life on an item. Aks yourself if it really corresponds to your actual needs and values. It is important to be aware of the choices we make, buying even basic things. Try to think about real world, not just about "vision" of real world which is created by big shopping centers.
It is not poverty plaguing us, but the desire for wealth.
Marcus Aurelius
To look on the bright side: Just think that when you pay for a product or a service, you let other people earn their living, which is a good thing. Also, this is what makes our economy run. But on the deeper - level you are right, of course :)
ReplyDeleteThe claim that buying without thinking drives our economy and keeps people at their work is one of the traps of consumerism. Just think of the Americans, who bought the apartment, which they could't afford. It has not led to economic growth but to collapse and the global crisis. Best regards and thank you for your comment.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, instead of waiting in a platform we could, for example, drink a coffee in much comfortable places. And, what's the most important, in City Centre there are free toilets :P ( so we can save 2,50 zl)
ReplyDeleteSo, you claim that building a new 'temple of vanity' serves people because they can find there free toilets and coffee bar? Why, then, city center occupy 60,000 km square? It is really necessary?
Delete60,000 meters, of course :)
DeletePersonally bothers me when I have to go to the station and I have to go through the entire gallery... But when I'm waiting for a train I can drink something in a warm place ;)
ReplyDeleteAgnieszka - not for long, I have heard, that we will have to pay for it since december :(. Kasia, I share your point of view, I think too, that today we are spending more and more time in shopping centres, instead of having a real live, spending a freetime with friends and families. On the other side, while waiting two, three or more hours for train, it's very nice to drink a coffee and eat something really delicious in one of the pastry shops :) The mall looks very interesting inside and let the annoyed and passengers to relax. I, personally, really enjoy the fountain, which I find delightful :)
ReplyDeleteFor me City Center is too big, you have to do a long walk to get out of the station. I think that joining a station to the shopping centre is not a good idea for the passengers, often with many heavy bags.
ReplyDelete