People must eat. People like to eat good tasting food. People will pay a lot of money for good tasting food that they don't have to grow themselves or even cook themselves.
Exploitive minds have craftily constructed an empire of consumerism known as The Easton Town Center. Those who intend to arrive at said Town Center for the purpose of eating good tasting food at restaurants like P.F. Chang's, The Cheesecake Factory, Brio Tuscan Grille, Mitchell's Ocean Club, BDs Mongolian Barbeque, The Melting Pot, Bon Vie Italian Bistro and Wine Bar end up circling through numerous retail stores and shops. The designers were genius knowing that people's simple presence around stores would produce purchases that are not needed or ever intended. May we begin to consider the enchantment of experience, the power of presence, and the resultant consumption.
Matthew 5:38-48, NASB
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone want to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only you brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
3 comments:
Dude,
To put the Cheesecake Factory into a post about evil is going too far!
I like the satellite stores better, they have stuff that us poor student development folks can afford.
From working at the Easton Apple store, I can testify that we do get a ton of customers from the restaurants, but at the same time, they get a lot of traffic from the stores. It's a symbiotic thing.
For a long time I've struggled with the consumerism surrounding the place of my employment, wondering how I could be called to work there. But I continuously receive confirmation that it's exactly where I'm supposed to be.
I guess I sort of resent the terming of Easton's designers as evil and exploitative. I would consider them no more so than your average intelligent small business owner who sets up a smart collaboration with a local coffee shop. It's just good business.
Out of curiosity, how do your feel about George and Esther Jetter's philosophy on Christians in business?
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