Public Space

I was really moved by the section “Shopping for Pleasure: Malls, Power, and Resistance” because nowadays the “hang out spot” for teens is the mall. Most teens do not have any intention to go to the mall and buy anything; it is just a place to hang out and horse around with their friends. I never realized how much a strain this can be for shop and mall owners. Teenager abuse their rights when the mall is opened later for shoppers because they not only have their presence all over the mall, but cause even more trouble when they start fights and disguise their drugs and alcohol and smuggle then into the public space. Teenagers have a privilege and it is so disappointing when they lose it. Public spaces, like malls, should be safe and free of trouble at all times. Authorities try to handle the situation, yet teens continue to abuse these public spaces. There are many extremes to handle trouble in public spaces, but the Woodruff Park example really pushed the limit. The problem is that the park had too many bums and nonsense in the park, so their solution was to revamp the once beautiful park into looking and feeling more like a prison. There is now barely any grass, only small walkways, benches with armrests so nobody can lie down, and sprinklers that pop up randomly so people cannot lay in the grass. I can see that maybe there was a problem, but they took this renovation too far and ruined the park and made it inhospitable to the public. Lastly, the article on cell phones really struck a nerve because I do not realize how rude I am when I use my cell phone. To me it may seem harmless, but to others it is so rude and annoying when people are constantly talking on their cell phones. I really enjoyed that article because it really set my mind right about how people should be more courteous when using their cell phones in public.