“The Big Box People”

Have you ever noticed that every time you go into a big box store, the lines are usually way long at the check out, and they usually sell stuff (junk) you really do not need (but hey, it’s cheap!). The store is way too big and you tend to forget what it is you actually came into the store to buy in the first place, and you wind up getting so frustrated you remind yourself once again to never come in here again?!

OK, so maybe I am counter-cultural, I really dislike big box stores!    I am always astounded to hear so many say how much they like them!!    I find them impersonal, bland, distracting, they have no soul.  

Most times the items for sale in them seem to be mass produced, substandard quality and from countries far far away that are usually exploiting the workers over there.  All in the name of “free enterprise”!  Is it really worth saving a buck or two?
 
For when someone is “winning”, it also means someone is losing.

The past nine years I have worked as an adjunct professor at one of the local community colleges.  I have asked my students as we are exploring history and cultures, “How will we be seen or viewed by people three thousand years from now?   Or ten thousand years from now?   What remnants will we leave that will be dug up by future archeologists....     How will they see what we value, our religion, etc?   How will we be known?”
 
Yes it is true, someday in a future history or anthropology class, a few thousand years from now we may become nothing more than a slide or a “bullet” on someone’s future PowerPoint presentation! 

What will they dig up about us?  The people of the 21st century in North America?  What will we leave behind that tells our story?

They will find as they dig...our stores, our malls, buildings, giant sports stadiums, and....big box stores! 

We will be known as the “big box people”!

What a legacy! 

Uh!