shopping centres

today i went to the mall.

one amongst few others in my city, but equally depressing and unhuman.

it was especially painful to walk through its spaces this particular day, because it is christmas, and it seems that suddenly there are ten times more people walking past you, their eyes almost automatically scanning every shop, for every possible gift; a feeling of having this huge space full of colorful lights, festive ornamentation, constantly observing you and trying to demonstrate how your only reason to exist at that moment is to BUY something.

i hate being at shopping centres. i feel a huge pressure upon me; the spaces are closed and lack the presence of the exterior; there isn't a single intimate spot, and there is always a feeling in the air of not being able to hide from the stores. it is a claustrofobic experience for the most sensitive... tough no one really seems to notice.

there is one space that i like inside this mall tho: the bookshop.

it is a very comfortable place, almost like my home's living room.

i like to go there and read the newspaper, or a book, while slowly sinking in one of the sofas resting around.

there is usually smooth jazz playing in the background, but almost in a silent way. you can hear the kids, who are dropped by their parents so they can fully enjoy the consumerist experience, but these children's noise is almost kind of pleasant to the ear. it doesn't hurt it. there really is a warm feeling, and for a moment you can have a true feeling of silence, even tho i like to think i am right in the heart of the beast.

then i go out and everything is back again, the noise, the insane rhythm of moving, breathing, living.

but i always get back to that bookshop, and wonder how would it be if the entire place had that same feeling all over the place.

just thought i could share some insights on my relationship with malls.

by the way, this one i talk about is called ...Dolce Vita.

now you think about it.

my phoilosphy of life is to try not thinking so negative about things. today i was in a different mall from you, which has many stores close/not existing stores. not as much as half of them but there are parts where there is hardly any stores just empty space. other parts there is many people and a piano playing! i find it even hard to think of things as good or bad even if the ideas they represent may be things which are not i agree with intallecually. just observe the aesthetics of a place and to think that every thing has information or a story attached. like a rope guarding the piano, how was it decided to be put there? a man walking slow from the exit of a store on one end when i arrived, then walking through and looking at some stores you pass him on the other end. its funny

  On 12/21/2010 at 4:25 AM, sup said:

my phoilosphy of life is to try not thinking so negative about things. today i was in a different mall from you, which has many stores close/not existing stores. not as much as half of them but there are parts where there is hardly any stores just empty space. other parts there is many people and a piano playing! i find it even hard to think of things as good or bad even if the ideas they represent may be things which are not i agree with intallecually. just observe the aesthetics of a place and to think that every thing has information or a story attached. like a rope guarding the piano, how was it decided to be put there? a man walking slow from the exit of a store on one end when i arrived, then walking through and looking at some stores you pass him on the other end. its funny

:sup:

  On 12/21/2010 at 4:25 AM, sup said:

my phoilosphy of life is to try not thinking so negative about things. today i was in a different mall from you, which has many stores close/not existing stores. not as much as half of them but there are parts where there is hardly any stores just empty space. other parts there is many people and a piano playing! i find it even hard to think of things as good or bad even if the ideas they represent may be things which are not i agree with intallecually. just observe the aesthetics of a place and to think that every thing has information or a story attached. like a rope guarding the piano, how was it decided to be put there? a man walking slow from the exit of a store on one end when i arrived, then walking through and looking at some stores you pass him on the other end. its funny

i wasn't expecting any different reaction from you mate

but i am telling you, there are a couple of places throughout europe and my country which i have visited, where everything tells a story.

but malls don't do that for me.

also i ate in a restaurant and there was christmas music playing and it was very modern sounding, well at least not super old school. it was sort of funny cuz i dont know how anyone could enjoy it and decide to play it!! but they did play some disco sounding christmas song which was cool

  On 12/21/2010 at 4:29 AM, sup said:

also i ate in a restaurant and there was christmas music playing and it was very modern sounding, well at least not super old school. it was sort of funny cuz i dont know how anyone could enjoy it and decide to play it!! but they did play some disco sounding christmas song which was cool

here, there is no music anymore.

each store has its different sound, and you find yourself changing atmosphere each time you go in/out. almost every minute.

but i can imagine what you describe..

my exact feelings about malls and shopping centres in general. there's a fairly big mall where i live, it's been around for as long as i can remember and it's got pretty much everything you need (or don't need), recently they opened i new one, less than one km from the old one, and it contains the exact same stores, fast food places and everything the old one has had for ages, and i just don't get it, why people would choose to go to this one instead. the few times i've been there, all i see is huge empty parking lots, empty stores and bored store personnel, all in this huge, lifeless box like building, still they keep popping up all over the place. disgusting.

i dont even think these things in words, its hard to say about it.

  On 12/21/2010 at 4:37 AM, data said:

my exact feelings about malls and shopping centres in general. there's a fairly big mall where i live, it's been around for as long as i can remember and it's got pretty much everything you need (or don't need), recently they opened i new one, less than one km from the old one, and it contains the exact same stores, fast food places and everything the old one has had for ages, and i just don't get it, why people would choose to go to this one instead. the few times i've been there, all i see is huge empty parking lots, empty stores and bored store personnel, all in this huge, lifeless box like building, still they keep popping up all over the place. disgusting.

that is another thing about malls that i don't really understand: the moment a bigger one comes, the small gets instantly forgotten.

there is one exact same example in my city as well. a small mall where i used to go to the movies as a kid, right at the side of the Dolce Vita i was talking about in my first post, is completely empty nowadays, except from the coffee shops, only because they communicate directly to the ground level.

and the space where once was the movies i used to go, today is the headquarters Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

it is just so bizarre.

The same way you described your sofa experience at the mall, goes for those bi-pedal hungry eyes that look for the season gifts. Everyone can get their piece of paradise - at your local mall.

yeah i dislike malls too. which is odd, because i like shopping more than i care to admit. but i dunno. between the loudness, the bland design, and the massive amount of people just sort of in their own little personal bubbles, it's kind of a bad experience all around.

malls are hardly relevant anymore now that there are interwebs... not dissing, just stating my opinion

http://uk.westfield.com/london/

I live quite near this place, I don't like any other shopping centres but I quite enjoy this place. I've not been for a while though, London during the Christmas season is a horrifying scrum in any retail area so I just steer clear.

I've been going around random places like malls lately just to be like, try not to look at anything and just treat it like BIG OPEN SPACE people to look at fuck you guys it's a free country public space

I've been to a couple of malls looking for christmas presents, I don't like them. I don't like buying tons of crap for xmas, so now I'm short on presents and have to spend my afterwork hours trudging through bullshit stores looking for what I don't know fuck. HATE christmas shopping. Next year I'm just getting stuff for my kid and the adults can go be upset about not getting anything, I don't care.

I like walking around in ikea though, so I guess underneath it all I'm gay for malls.

wrong. girls are better in the summer when they wear less. i guess you are a fag.

  On 12/21/2010 at 11:03 AM, essines said:

wrong. girls are better in the summer when they wear less. i guess you are a fag.

there's a certain appeal to girls all wrapped up for the cold with their rosy cheeks and sweating bottoms.

i do like the fact that most places are open way late around xmas, i went clothes shopping at 11 pm last night and it was like no pressure, everyone was laid back, the sales people were just like doo dee dah. it was great. got some fucking cute houndstooth vans, amongst other things.

are you in a ska band or something?

  On 12/21/2010 at 2:26 PM, Iain C said:

are you in a ska band or something?

i said houndstooth, not checkered.

that is something i didnt think about though, i fucking hate ska. people had better not assume otherwise.

That dead malls website is kinda interesting. Going to a mall stresses me out I just shop online anyways.

  On 12/21/2010 at 2:45 PM, couch said:

That dead malls website is kinda interesting.

this is relevant to my interests. I will now waste the rest of my workday there. :sup: