I Am A Material Girl Living In A Material World

I hate shopping malls. And this isn't an exaggeration, I do actually loathe them. I detest them. When I go into a shopping mall part of me dies inside and another part starts screaming, "GET OUT! GET OUT! WHILE YOU STILL HAVE TIME!" Malls are the physical object of materialism. Inside people crowd around trying to buy more things to make themselves feel less empty inside. Everyone tries to get their hands on the newest stuff so they can fill their houses with it, stuff it in their cars, so they can wear it around and jack up their social status. Its like they're trying to find confidence and self worth and meaning hanging on a coat hanger in some clothing store. I think seeing the girls in shopping malls bothers me the most, because there is always that possibility that I could become one-just another walking bilboard spending thousands and thousands of meaningless dollars to try and hopelessly keep up with the fashion industry. It's like shopping for your image. You can buy a certain projection of yourself that you want others to see. And it's addicting. That's the worst part, every time I enter a mall there's that part of me that wants to buy buy BUY. There's the part that listens to the advertising and thinks: "I need new jeans. I need to start buying those shirts cuz everyone else is wearing them. I should spend more money..." Malls are exhausting. It's like a war against your mind. It's like trying to hold on to this thin thread of reason that exists in the outside world. It's like having your identity shrivel up because there's about 8 million subliminal messages that are telling you to conform. Next time you're at the mall look for them, because they're there, I'm not making this up. And the next time the mall tells you you need to buy new clothes RUN AWAY! and go wear some clothes you've owned for 3 years. Trust me, you'll feel much better.