October 15, 2011

An old note I had written about the supermall

When working at a shopping mall, it is prudent to prepare oneself for a variety of disillusioning spectacles.
The mall interior is plastered with advertisements and other corporate propagandainviting shoppers to consume as many products as possible. This practice ensures the sovereignty of society's selfish elite, who thrive upon the consumerist lifestyle.
The mall reeks of consumerism, and attracts its most fanatic zealots. A common sight is the suburban mother, plastered with a thick layer of cosmetics. Her children will be crying to her for a sugary drink, and when she orders it they will beg for a larger size. The mother accepts this arrangement, and does not so much as question it, for she subconsciously recognizes the familiar scent of her own selfishness and gluttony in the cries of her flabby offspring.
She will then enter clothing stores that appeal to her conception of "style", which she believes is personal but is really a mishmash of corporate indoctrination and societal whimsy, with no basis in aesthetic first principles (if such principles exist). Nevertheless, she will evaluate the offerings within these stores, and purchase those which she "likes"those that satisfy some conscious or unconscious desire.

-Auntie Anne's Kiosk, 2010 or 11