Posted by Justin Sarma,
1:23 AM
-
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
A Sequel to Walmart on Mars (link)
Walmart is trying to build a new facility adjacent to an ancient pyramid in TEOTIHUACAN, Mexico. One worry is that future civilization may look at these two adjacent pieces of architecture as a sign of humankind's devolution. Another is that it's been met with violent protests by some locals, who consider it an encroachment on their "soul" and "identity".
I can't help but see a parallel between this action by Walmart, and Ariel Sharon's military pilgrimage to the Al Aqsa mosque (or Temple Mount) that precipitated the most recent Palestinian intifada. They may be in separate corner of the earth, and the backlashes on different scales, but the intrinsic disrespect to native and local cultures in both acts is evident. And that the perpetrators of both acts purport to be oblivous to their offensiveness is disturbing.
