It's a (s)mall world after all<\/p>\n
By Simon Wellington<\/p>\n
They form one of the larger congregations in Jakarta and
\ndefinitely one of the more devoted. With religious fervor, they
\nmeet at any time and on any day of the week to worship at the
\nfountain of life -- provider of all life-sustaining resources --
\nthe mall.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Well it has to be said that there are a lot of
\nmalls in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
They range from centers catering to specific trade, such as
\ntechnology or textiles, to the grand, all-encompassing palaces of
\npleasure and luxury such as Plaza Indonesia or Plaza Senayan. The
\nlatter are common habitats of mallrats.<\/p>\n
Lured by the sparkle of shiny objects, the aroma of freshly
\nbrewed coffee and the chanting of their comrades, the mallrats
\nusually swarm the shrines to capitalism in same-sex groups.<\/p>\n
While there, they make sacrifices to the gods of shopping,
\nperform silent mating rituals and engage in miscellaneous social
\nintercourse.<\/p>\n
Jake and Grace, two students from the Jakarta International
\nSchool (JIS), were found wandering Pondok Indah Mall (PIM), South
\nJakarta, recently and were happy to explain their tale of plaza
\nseduction.<\/p>\n
PIM is this young expat duo's main haunt because of its
\nproximity to home and school. Jake visits the mall two to three
\ntimes a week, when he's bored, while Grace has her habit down to
\nonce a week.<\/p>\n
Both visit the mall to be with friends, see movies, go to the
\narcade and occasionally do some shopping.<\/p>\n
\"I usually come with a group of friends, hang out for a few
\nhours, watch a movie and then hang out some more,\" Jake said.<\/p>\n
Jake said that he spent around Rp 400,000 a month at the mall,
\nwhile Grace forfeited a more modest Rp 100,000.<\/p>\n
Asked about whether their parents were concerned about them
\nspending time at the mall, Grace responded, \"The (U.S.) embassy
\nsent out a letter warning about the possibility of bombs and my
\nparents didn't want me to go to the mall as often.\"<\/p>\n
Did it stop her?<\/p>\n
\"Nope.\"<\/p>\n
PIM has all the basic mall essentials: a cinema, cafes and a
\ndecent range of shops -- making it extremely popular among
\nyounger teens. There is also a strong expat presence, due to it
\nbeing located within the Pondok Indah residential area and close
\nto JIS.<\/p>\n
Upon further investigation of the mall world, it became clear
\nthat Plaza Senayan had to be seen. Or more to the point, was the
\nscene to be seen!<\/p>\n
Thousands of people flock to this Mecca for shoppaholics, all
\nappearing to be in competition for the next cover of Vogue --
\nboth the magazine and the Madonna song.<\/p>\n
Plaza Senayan, known better among the locals as PS, is clearly
\na test site for genetic enhancement experiments. Slim bodies
\nadorned with chic figure-hugging outfits, the click of high-heel
\nshoes and the incessant melody of mobile phones (an essential
\naccessory) is visually and aurally overwhelming.<\/p>\n
There must be an unwritten dress standard that everyone
\nstrictly adheres to and there is a deep suspicion that the
\nsecurity guards could in fact be fashion police.<\/p>\n
Clearly, the pressure to look good is compelling. Devy, 25,
\nsaid that \"the girls are so beautiful and the guys are so
\nhandsome\" at Plaza Senayan, to which Reza, 22, added, \"So when we
\ncome here we have to dress up like they do.\"<\/p>\n
Their dilemma, so common, is one of the more heart-wrenching
\ntales of this great city.<\/p>\n
\"This is the place where we want to meet our future wives,\"
\nReyno, 16, said.<\/p>\n
These three mall musketeers hang out in the food court or
\ncafes about two times a week, usually spending around Rp 500,000
\na month within the walls that could contain the loves of their
\nlives.<\/p>\n
On Mondays they can see discount movies at the Cinema 21
\noutlet and on Saturdays, well, there's lots of girls around -- or
\nas Devy so eloquently put it: \"Beautiful chicks.\"<\/p>\n
Ocha, 23, and Putri, 21, go to Plaza Senayan almost every day.
\nThey revealed a key attraction for mallgoers -- there's just so
\nmuch under one roof.<\/p>\n
They can go bowling, see movies, there are lots of cafes and
\ngood choices for shopping, where they usually buy clothes and
\nmakeup. They also spend about Rp 500,000 a month to maintain the
\nlifestyle to which they are a customer.<\/p>\n
\"There are many options for food, a lot of restaurants and
\ngood window-shopping,\" Ocha said. So what do they talk about?
\nPolitics? The economy?<\/p>\n
\"Boys!\" came the immediate response.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, it's not only the girls talking about boys at Plaza
\nSenayan.<\/p>\n
Ardhi, 24, said that he and his friends often chat about
\ninteresting guys within eye-range and sometimes meet up with
\npeople whom they've been chatting with over the Internet. Ah, the
\nblurry lines of love, where the real and virtual worlds collide
\nand commitment is measured by the speed of your modem.<\/p>\n
\"Plaza Senayan is great for eye-catching because there's so
\nmany cute guys here. People are more fashionable here and there's
\nmore bule,\" Ardhi said, referring to the fair-skinned expatriate
\ncommunity who are also lured by the color and movement of the
\nplaza.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes I go to Blok M because there's a lot of Internet
\ncafes there. So I can use them for chatting and see a lot of my
\nother friends who hang around there,\" he added.<\/p>\n
\"I prefer Plaza Senayan though because it has good cafes.
\nThere's some good cafes in Blok M but they're located in the
\nbasement -- not a strategic place for sightseeing.\"<\/p>\n
Blok M Plaza, still in South Jakarta, does not have as many
\nbranded stores. There are more kiosk-style shops here selling
\nmobile phones, electronic goods and the prices are generally
\ncheaper.<\/p>\n
The presence of warnet (internet kiosks) and arcades ensures
\nsignificant mallrat patronage, from teens to early twenty-
\nsomethings.<\/p>\n
Plaza Indonesia is another glitzy consumer paradise. Nestled
\nwithin an outcrop of five-star hotels, it has the usual fare of
\nGucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Versace and Fendy, the combined
\nstock of which would probably carry a price tag equal to
\nIndonesia's gross national debt.<\/p>\n
Most people are business types from the surrounding precinct,
\nas well as guests from the hotels. There are fewer entertainment
\nvenues, making it less attractive to teens, which adds to its
\nexclusive ambience.<\/p>\n
Further up town, Mal Taman Anggrek is the substructure for a
\nsmall city of apartment towers. It is Jakarta's biggest mall and
\nis packed with a variety of entertainment options. Like other
\nplazas, MTA -- as many mallrats call it -- has its own distinct
\nculture.<\/p>\n
It also has warnet, a number of department stores and shops
\ncatering to specific hobbies or merchandise. There aren't as many
\nbranded shops here though, thus creating a fashion divide with
\nthe more trendy model malls.<\/p>\n
The majority of MTA's patrons are Chinese Indonesians, with a
\nlarge number of them being young teenagers. Customers are lured
\nto this mall by entertainment spectaculars, while the large ice
\nskating rink at the center of the complex definitely has a
\nchilling grip on many youngsters who appear to be frozen to its
\nsurface, motionless, while engrossed in conversation.<\/p>\n
Whereas previous generations had revolutions or political
\noppression imposing on their leisure time, today's young people
\nwould seem to have a significantly larger number of options.<\/p>\n
When asked about social activities undertaken outside the mall
\nworld, most people seemed bewildered by the possibility. After
\nall, everything that's cool happens in the mall.<\/p>\n
There is definitely a sense of escapism involved in mall
\nculture. The real world outside is hot and dirty, fast and
\nconfusing. Inside, it's cool and clean, safe and glamorous.<\/p>\n
Malls offer a new conduit for social interaction.<\/p>\n
They are the symbol of a generation overwhelmed by
\nmanipulative stimulus and newfound freedoms. Viva le plaza!<\/p>\n
Who cares if it's all just an illusion?<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/its-a-small-world-after-all-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }