No doubt, with time, people’s preferences are changing when it comes to spending their free time and it is not uncommon to see a vast majority choosing shopping malls for recreation. However, like many others I too believe that it is a negative development to a great extent and arguments supporting my viewpoints shall be presented in the subsequent paragraphs.
To begin, the foremost argument to support the idea of being at malls to spend free-time is to remain up-to- date with the latest trends. Needless to say, people these days want to be well informed about the latest products in fashion, and shopping complexes are one of the best sources to acquire the same. While strolling in malls they can see the various products on display, in fact, launch ceremonies of latest products such as mobile phones, watches, cars and other accessories are often hosted here, understandably, visitors not only get to know about the items in trend but can also pre-plan their shopping by frequently visiting the malls. In addition, today malls are more like entertainment complexes due to the availability of gaming parlours, cineplexes, bars, clubs and restaurants which attract youngsters the most. Since they find everything they want just under one roof, as a consequence, popularity of malls as a source of recreation is growing substantially.
However, I tend to believe this change brings more harm than good. Firstly, it is liable for making the society spend-thrift. Although people visit malls casually yet they end up spending unduly. The fact is that products are displayed in a very enticing manner that visitors could not resist themselves from buying them. At the same time, lucrative offers be it 50% off or buy 1 get 1 free, give birth to throw-away society. Moreover, this approach is not in the favour of physical and mental well-being of youngsters. They should rather take part in sports and other physical activities in their free time which could help them to stay away from life- style diseases like obesity, diabetes and lethargic attitude. Understandably, visiting malls in leisure time is not a productive alternative.
To conclude, I would like to restate, even though modern society is getting obsessed with shopping complexes in terms of spending free time, it is not a positive development and must not be promoted.