Comparing the Public Use of Shopping Malls in Australia and America Ess

The Public Use of Shopping Malls in Australia and America Shopping malls are a prevalent part of both Australian and American societies. People of all races, creeds, ages, and social status flock to malls to participate in what John Fiske labels as the â€Å"conflict of consumerism† (284). However, he calls it the â€Å"conflict of consumerism† because recently there have been problems with disruptive teenagers interfering with potential buyers and posing a safety threat both to other shoppers and each other. It is shocking how many people come to malls in both countries with no intention, or means, to buy. According to Fiske in his essay, â€Å"Shopping For Pleasure; Malls, Power, and Resistance,† a study shows that â€Å"80 percent of unemployed young people visited the mall at least once a week, and nearly a 100 percent of young unemployed women were regular visitors† (285). As a result, some malls have even imposed restrictions to limit this. In Robyn Meredith’s essay, â€Å"Big Malls Curfew Raises Questions of Rights and Bias,† she explores issues concerning a recent restriction imposed on younger teenagers at the Mall of America in Minnesota. However, it is a real problem that mall owners have to cope with. In fact, malls here in America are very similar to those in Australia, because in both countries, the malls are turning into a type of indoor park where citizens participate in a variety of their own personal activities regardless of the intent of the mall owners. According to Fiske, malls are no longer solely for shopping anymore. Fiske says that the malls in Australia are now being used for a variety of other activities including underage drinking, sale of drugs, making general mischief, and â€Å"proletarian shopping,† or â€Å"... ...clear that older persons here in America and in Australia act similarly in the malls too, not just teenagers and younger people. From these essays and my personal experience, it is clear that malls are now being used for purposes other than shopping. They are becoming like indoor parks used for activities not intended by the malls’ owners. Adults as well as children are participating in these activities, and they are happening in Australia and the United States in a very similar fashion. Works Cited Fiske, John. â€Å"Shopping For Pleasure; Malls, Power, and Resistance.† Reading Culture. 4th ed. Ed. Diana George and John Trimbur. New York: Longman, 2001. 283-286. Meredith, Robyn. â€Å"Big Malls Curfew Raises Questions of Rights and Bias† Reading Culture. 4th ed. Ed. Diana George and John Trimbur. New York: Longman, 2001. 288-291. Comparing the Public Use of Shopping Malls in Australia and America Ess The Public Use of Shopping Malls in Australia and America Shopping malls are a prevalent part of both Australian and American societies. People of all races, creeds, ages, and social status flock to malls to participate in what John Fiske labels as the â€Å"conflict of consumerism† (284). However, he calls it the â€Å"conflict of consumerism† because recently there have been problems with disruptive teenagers interfering with potential buyers and posing a safety threat both to other shoppers and each other. It is shocking how many people come to malls in both countries with no intention, or means, to buy. According to Fiske in his essay, â€Å"Shopping For Pleasure; Malls, Power, and Resistance,† a study shows that â€Å"80 percent of unemployed young people visited the mall at least once a week, and nearly a 100 percent of young unemployed women were regular visitors† (285). As a result, some malls have even imposed restrictions to limit this. In Robyn Meredith’s essay, â€Å"Big Malls Curfew Raises Questions of Rights and Bias,† she explores issues concerning a recent restriction imposed on younger teenagers at the Mall of America in Minnesota. However, it is a real problem that mall owners have to cope with. In fact, malls here in America are very similar to those in Australia, because in both countries, the malls are turning into a type of indoor park where citizens participate in a variety of their own personal activities regardless of the intent of the mall owners. According to Fiske, malls are no longer solely for shopping anymore. Fiske says that the malls in Australia are now being used for a variety of other activities including underage drinking, sale of drugs, making general mischief, and â€Å"proletarian shopping,† or â€Å"... ...clear that older persons here in America and in Australia act similarly in the malls too, not just teenagers and younger people. From these essays and my personal experience, it is clear that malls are now being used for purposes other than shopping. They are becoming like indoor parks used for activities not intended by the malls’ owners. Adults as well as children are participating in these activities, and they are happening in Australia and the United States in a very similar fashion. Works Cited Fiske, John. â€Å"Shopping For Pleasure; Malls, Power, and Resistance.† Reading Culture. 4th ed. Ed. Diana George and John Trimbur. New York: Longman, 2001. 283-286. Meredith, Robyn. â€Å"Big Malls Curfew Raises Questions of Rights and Bias† Reading Culture. 4th ed. Ed. Diana George and John Trimbur. New York: Longman, 2001. 288-291.