Mall America

Read the fascinating history of that icon of Americana, the enclosed shopping mall. Ironically, the architect who invented the shopping mall in the late 1940s later came to despise their existence. He spent the rest of his life crusading against them.

Of particular interest is the list of design maxims for malls, found towards the end of the article. You'll recognize all of the features from your own experiences, but you may be surprised at exactly why they are there. Everything about them is focused on herding the human cattle in the most efficient manner. We are being passively manipulated from the moment we enter a shopping mall, even if most people never realize it.