Cultural Observation Essay

I decided for my social observation the mall would be a good place to start. I came there on a Friday evening when there should be plenty of people to watch. I also sat in the Barnes and Noble café after that to observe. I expected to see a lot of people shopping and conversing. A few things did stand out to me within the few hours I was there. Some things I didn’t expect to see. We are expected to behave a certain way in public determined by our culture as to what is acceptable. Some people stay well within the lines while some might stray outside the norms but never too far typically. Usually the ones to travel to the extremes are adolescents and teenagers. This is what I observed.

From the moment one enters the mall doors it becomes a mission. A mission to spend money in a selfish manner in attempt to feel better about oneself. In a crowd full of people all with the same intention, many malls have conquered our mindsets into believing we’re a community by coming together with no purpose. The mall is in fact a beast with attracting qualities. From the Stores, and food to the shiny floors and fancy designs.

Human needs in the past have been satisfied by marketplaces that are community driven. It is then he claims, that the lack of communal intention that makes the Mall of America, and other malls unhealthy and unnatural. Guterson writes that malls void of community, are not marketplaces, but are rather attractions set on profit. The marketing behind the Mall of America is aimed at growing tourism, and making the mall a symbol of America and American culture. This gimmick has proved to be successful as over 700,000 people from foreign countries visit the mall every year (Guterson, 284). The attention the mall is receiving from the rest of the globe suggests that as Guterson writes, “The concept of shopping in a frivolous atmosphere, concocted to loosen consumers’ wallets, is poised to proliferate globally” (Guterson, 284). As American malls continue to be lucrative, the science of controlling shoppers will only become more present around the world. Guterson claims that the fantasy environments that malls create are so powerful that they can inspire addiction to the excitability and pleasures that malls create (Guterson, 284). Guterson warns against the future of megamalls, pointing out the emptiness that they can create inside us. After standing on the roof of the Mall of America, Guterson understands that American culture is not the modern American mall. Rather, it is the fields and farms that

The poems “Cinema Eyes” and “Mine Eyes are Lean”, are effective examples of texts that help convey the underlying issue of prejudice toward groups of distinctive cultural backgrounds through the usage of the cultural and postcolonial lenses. The poems written by Ins Choi and Una Marson are both told by two different cultural perspectives that show how these issues can have a larger negative effect on non-territorial cultures. In the poem “Cinema Eyes” by Una Marson, the author expresses how she grew up in a society where a certain culture was seen as much more superior culture, which later negatively affected her love life. Similarly, in the poem “Mine Eyes are Lean”, by Ins Choi, the author expresses how his career in the film industry has

When it was my time to go observe the other group, it was so confusing. I had no idea what was going on or why people kept touching my arm when I got close to them. This was very strange and unexpected because I am not used to people

A vivid depiction about the mall’s ……………. around it gives the audience the impression of already visiting the mall. The press kit contained a array of details concerning the mall:

American teenagers take a lot of things for granted, but what we don’t take into consideration is what would happen if these things suddenly disappeared. Teenage life consists of school, jobs, driving, friends, sports, and going out with friends. We never consider others’ way of life. In some cultures, they are just fighting to stay alive, while others don’t have the freedom to go out with friends, or play a certain sport. They are so consumed in family life or their future jobs that they have no social life. No one ever thinks what would happen if their way of life was completely turned around. This concept is shown on a reality television show called 16 and Pregnant. It follows a group of teenage girls throughout their pregnancy and a

I began my observation in the food court, which is near the movie theatre. This is definitely a hot spot in the mall for young people. I got something to

While his coworkers constructed his designs, what hobby did Bernini pursue? Answer Selected Answer: Correct Answer: Writing plays and designing stage sets Writing plays and designing stage sets

The mall in this book is much larger than the mall in my town. “From there it was a quick jog around the central fountain to the elevators up to the third floor, which contains a multiplex theater, giant bookstore, bowling alley, ice-skating rink, and sit-down

In Anne Norton’s, "The Signs of Shopping", Anne Norton, a Political Science Professor at the University of Pennsylvania determines the ways in which malls, catalogs, and home shopping networks create our sense of “identity”. In the first part of her essay, “Shopping at the mall”, Anne analyzes the ways in which malls and catalogs “tell you who you are by selling you what they want.” Anne first states what she believes the mall was created to be; she believes it was created to be an impulsive gathering place and place of centralized public activity. Anne then goes on to state how she believes the mall has come to exploit the lifestyles and identities of people, especially those of young women. Anne makes the claim that the mall appears to be

Cole Moore: I thought that Cole’s introduction was very professional and got straight to the point of what his group was discussing. The idea of combining the themes of the military, patriotism and one’s heritage was very impressive and caught my attention. Also, tying it to the themes of the red convertible was very interesting! While the presentation was amazing, I was confused as to what was the artifact. It seemed as if you talked more about general themes rather than close reading the design on the jacket. Nevertheless, you did an amazing job presenting.

The North Hanover Mall is an average shopping center with various stores and small attractions. Typically, the mall is not over-crowded; however, during the evenings and weekends it is well-traveled. There are the average chain stores such as JCPenny’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Hallmark, and Bath and Body Works. Likewise, there are some smaller, lesser known stores, for example, a few nail and hair salons, cafes, a pizza shop, and a sports apparel store. In general, there is a diverse mix of people shopping, from ethnicity to ages and group sizes. The night I choose to do my social observation the mall was much busier than I had anticipated. There was a Halloween event and an antique car show; both circumstances brought more individuals than usual into the shopping complex.

On Saturday, November 14th of 2015 I visited the Maine Mall from around 2:50 pm to 4:30 pm to make observations of adolescents from another culture. I chose to visit the Maine Mall because it is a place where adolescents frequently visit to socialize with friends in a public place. The place that seemed most obvious to observe was clearly the food court. The food court gathers people of all ethnicities and ages to sit down and be themselves while enjoying a meal. I found a comfortable table on the outskirts of the food court where I was able to be the eyes and ears of the whole place. This place was essential because I had perfect view of three different groups of teenagers sitting in groups of three or four.

The school atmosphere was different I was hanging with Caucasian girls and the African American children did not understand what I was doing being so close to children opposite of my own culture. At that point, I was unsure of what their problem was but realized they were sheltered from other cultures and raised differently. This caused several fights as a child because other children would call me a “little white girl” and I had no idea of what that meant and was offended. I was raised around majority boys in the neighborhood, until I started playing softball, some would consider me as a tomboy. So