This shopping cart is full of economic and societal symbols that enhance its meaning and give instruction in terms of its functionality.
I picked this image because as a kid, I viewed shopping carts similar to the way most people view an amusement park ride and because the last shopping cart I saw was being used as a home by a man on the street.
The metal composition of the cart indicates its strength and durability and the wheels obviously refer to its capability in transportation. But these symbols run even deeper. The metal is shiny- aesthetically uniform. Initally when created- the metal shopping cart was supposed to be a shining image of economic purchasing power. Even the size of the cargo basket indicates that the user of the cart is going to be in the process of buying an amount of good so large, that they will be unable to carry them all by themselves. The upward basket area, used to seat children, indicates how shopping is traditionally a female responsibility- that is, based on the cultural assumption that the children will be accompanying the mom.
As a kid I loved to place my feet on the front and hold on to the basket, tipping the cart occasionally to increase the thrill- and danger. I think for kids, shopping carts still hold more symbolism in terms of transportation than they do in terms of functionality. This means that age is a determinant in terms of interpretation of this cart- and as a whole its design symbolizes how the economic consumer experience is controlled by older adults- not kids. The seat is obviously not built for comfort- but for functionality. I think this also shows how our society places emphasis on convinience- creating an easier way to carry purchased goods, care for children, and transport both all at once.
No comments:
Post a Comment