Much The Same

Spent a not unpleasant evening in the new mall at Melawati, coincidentally named Melawati Mall. It's much like any other mall, which makes it a huge improvement in terms of basic hygiene on the streets outside. The downside is that whereas the streets evoke some sense of identity the mall has none, being, as noted previously, much like any other mall.

I am conflicted. In some ways this represents progress. And there's a lot to be said for cleanliness. But it's a progress towards a kind of wasteful uniformity. And cleanliness can easily become a sterile blandness.