[UltArc]

Originally Posted by elhigh

Frikkin Walmart. I live in East Tennessee where there are lots of smaller towns, and in the towns too small to support a Walmart, if they're more than 20 miles away from a town that does have a Walmart, those little towns' downtown areas are doing okay. The little hardware stores, the little shoe stores, the little barber shops are still in business. Not thriving, but hanging on. A bigger town/small city, something the size of Farnborough, Hampshire (about the size of Eau Claire, Wisconsin for my North American friends) could easily support a very vigorous downtown...but that's also a juicy target for a Walmart. And a Target, for that matter.

The old paradigm of specialization was attractive in that it got you out to meet more people, to be more involved in your community. But the siren song of convenience has more consumers looking for quick, easy one-stop shopping, and leaves us more and more inside our own heads, thinking about only ourselves, and not meeting people.

Sorry. This is off-thread, and this raveled fiber has touched a nerve.

But if everyone is at different shops, you see less people. If everyone is at Wal Mart, you can meet everyone there! I see your point, and agree in ways, I just wanted to play devils avacado (30 Rock anyone...).