I don't know that shopping necessarily defines Americans, but frivolous shopping certainly does. Younger people are frivolous because of peer pressure. Continuing the trail of souvenir shops, I was attracted by the internationalist theme of a small place that sells stuff emblazoned with almost every nation's national colors or flag. Inevitably, many converge on Alamo Flags to check whether their country's colors are represented. Although just 17, she has worked after school at Alamo for two years, which makes her the mall's demographic expert.
Asian colors are big sellers, but Western Europe is still bigger.
And the east African nation of Eritrea, along with the southeast Asian nations of Laos and Cambodia, draw surprisingly numerous visitors. Actually, its a medium-popular one, more than you'd think. Now their tourists are shopping, spending, buying up things they probably don't need, Beanie Babies included. It sounds silly, but I remind myself of that bliss once in a while, even if taking it for granted is the least of our rights. It hasn't been so, elsewhere.