On Fri, 5 Jul 2002 08:36:24 -0700 Tosh wrote:
MorMovies made an interesting commentary on the interesting aspects of culture changing - which is probably why the 21st Century will be interesting. But still, I sense sadness (maybe because of my age) of things changing and how popular culture does change things - and not always for the good. On one level it's fascinating to see culture quickly moving from one aspect to another - but then it's heartbreaking to see on one trip a few Starbucks in Tokyo - and then a year later I go to the main cross walk in Shibuya and see a huge Starbucks in front of my face. Plus Starbucks every few blocks from the other one. All within a year.
What I am worried about is the disappearence of the small unique (ultra-cool) Japanese coffee shops - being replaced by Starbucks. Yuck!
But the owners of Starbucks are not masochist, right? If they keep increasing the number of their stores in non-American countries, it is not by intimidating the locals. We have the same problem in France with McDonald but who is doing the harm, if not the locals. Patrice (who doesn't see any glamour in Starbucks or McDonald...)