Once again I did an interesting observation taking me closer to understand human societies. 

During a walk I observed people getting into a building and leaving with bags full of various things. And then, one faithful day my owners took me to the magic building they called a shop and it was fascinating.

As we stepped in, first a gust of warm wind welcomed us and made the feathers on my head shaggy, but I enjoyed the gust as outside it was quite cold. Inside, we stepped through the gate of two towers that I saw sometimes beeping when other humans were leaving with bags, but as we entered it did not make any sound.

Finally inside hundreds of shelves with many objects on them greeted us, standing there flawlessly to be as presentable as possible. My owners took a basket and stepped into the room full of things to mingle with other humans and take things they particularly do not need, but want to possess anyway I guess. 

Observing everyone around, including my owners, humans mostly bought the objects marked with a yellow tag which had a lower number on it and made them more impulsive, showed their animalistic wild side again. Some of them bought more pieces of the goods than necessary and I doubt they will even use everything up.

Some of it seems to be pretty wasteful. Humans seem to buy things to commit to a relationship in some way or another. When buying these objects of their apparent desire I presume they want to connect with other human beings. They feel more conjoined when they possess the same things as others have. I think they feel less alone, but I do not understand why they do not talk to each other more often if they want to be connected.

However, I also saw how a thing they bought started a conversation so maybe they are too scared to start a conversation empty-handed.

Humans seem to buy things to commit to a relationship in some way or another.

Overhearing a lot of conversations in the shop I came to various conclusions about why humans go shopping and it differs from human to human depending on the emotional state they are in.

Some shop when they are in a difficult life-stage transition and want to feel better about themselves. So instead of dealing with the problem, they go shopping and buy things they do not really need.

Then I saw angry shoppers who seemed to be seeking some kind of revenge and then they were those holding on to lost love.

Some appear to have shopping as their hobby.

Many bought something with the money they did not have to project the image of being wealthy and some just wanted to be part of the buying society and have a feeling of belonging.

Other humans I think felt more in control of their life. I also saw a so-called wandering shopper that looked like a zombie going around the shop and then left without buying anything. I wonder what that is about, don’t they have other things to do?

Still, I have to admit everything in the shop was charming with the objects carefully put on the shelves and the yellow light shining down on them to make it all sparkle. They even were people who worked there to tidy up the shelves if they were messy.

Another fascinating and miraculous thing was also the “exchange”.

As we approached the counter, a human behind it scanned something on the product, it made a beeping sound and after that humans gave the other human sheets of paper or put a card in another machine and took the bag. Some humans even preferred the company of other machines rather than the human behind the counter and stood in long lines to give the sheets of paper into machines that talked to them. I heard them calling it self-serving cash registers, but if I would shop by myself, I would prefer the company of another living being instead of talking to a machine.

Humans most certainly are mysterious, they buy things to feel connected, yet they do not really want to connect, they talk to machines rather than other humans.

My first shopping experience was marvelous.   

Do you enjoy shopping?