In this essay, Jennifer Price explores the paradox of corporations that sell nature to its consumers, particularly, one situated in high-end malls. Nature in this case is marketed to upper middle class citizens who are too busy to experience nature in the wild and instead opt for nature in the form of CDs and anatomically correct toys. Price argues that what the affluent class looks for is not nature itself but what it stands for- “a modern palliative for materialism” and emotional development. She urges for the recognition that the price of such products include not only money from the consumers but also valuable natural resources.
It is worthy of note that she ends her discussion with the question of whether she should buy products like inflatable penguins and answers, “Those turn out to be extraordinarily spacious, complicated questions”. She asserts that often times we become so immersed in artificial nature that we forget the reality of nature, allowing the continued over-exploitation of resources to satisfy the craving for artificial products. However, she does concede that consuming and enjoying these products is not necessarily an evil, because it brings about a certain connection between humans and nature nonetheless. At the conclusion, she still seems torn between the two reactions.
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Carling: You're astute to notice that Price is unwilling to give easy answers in her essay. She's not just saying: "Don't buy nature at the mall." She's acknowledging that these decisions are extraordinarily complicated ones. After all, if we all shunned nature at the mall and went gallivanting off into the wilderness, what would happen to that wilderness?
ReplyDeleteI also agree with what you say regarding the fact that she doesn't seem to make a definitive statement as to what she believes is the right thing to do with regards to buying items from stores such as these. After reading this text and through discussion in class, I too thought of a similar debate in my mind when it comes to purchasing items from these types of stores. For example, I recall when I was little about seeing the vast collection of rocks on display and being fascinated with them. However, some of these rocks were just common ones that could probably be found on the ground and others were spray painted or otherwise decorated to look pretty. On one hand, I get to appreciate the beauty that could be found in nature. thought not necessarily as decorated. But on the other hand, the item that I saw before me was not actually natural, but something that was created to draw my attention towards it, so it's easy to notice the author's own ideas toward the issue.
ReplyDeleteCarling, I wish you had included some of your opinions on the subject, but I think your analysis of what Price is saying is very accurate. At times, I wasn't sure if she liked the nature store and how it was trying to create a relationship between humans and nature or if she simply hated the commodification of nature that it has evolved into. In my opinion, I don't think there is anything wrong with the items that the nature store sells because it is an appreciation of nature. Although charging money for its products, the nature store allows for those of us who do not have enough time to create a relationship with nature to appreciate its beauty. While in the mall, one could take a break from shopping and stop in the nature store to relax and remember what nature is to them. Hopefully then it would encourage them to experience real nature, outside.
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