The Places That Shape Us

In his book Desiring the Kingdom, James K. A. Smith describes the formative power of the places and institutions we inhabit, using a shopping mall as a powerful example. He describes how everything about a shopping mall is orchestrated to make visitors conform to its vision of the “good life.” The mall presents a problem (not looking like the model in the window, not living the life of the actor in the commercial) and offers a solution (buying something). Every advertisement, the position and...