The consumerism era has arrived, marked by the large number of youths going to shopping malls to spend their leisure time. It is quite clear that this phenomenon brings negative effects not only to their surroundings but also their lives. I strongly agree with this view because it encourages young people to become consumptive and also decreases their cultural awareness.
First and foremost, when an adolescent goes to a shopping mall every free time, it enhances the opportunity for him or her to buy something impulsively. Therefore, if youngsters come frequently to the shopping centres, this will makes them become spendthrift, which can result in them not knowing how to save their money. For instance, teenagers often buying new branded apparel, gadgets, or trendy accessories because they see others buying them. As a result, they might run out of money by the end of the month, making it difficult to save for emergencies or important needs.
Furthermore, attending shopping malls often makes them overly spoiled with modern conveniences. This causes youths to overlook their cultural heritage or traditional activities. A survey shows 70% of Indonesian youth today is more familiar with arcade machines in rather than authentic games originating from their own country. This means, the population of traditional elements unique to country are gradually disappearing and losing their distinctive features.
In conclusion, shopping malls can have detrimental impacts on young people, especially those who still in development period, such as not valuing money and becoming unaware about their culture. This highlights the important role of parents in directing their children toward other beneficial activities.