Becoming Part of the Society of Spectacle

Camden Town Market is a representation of the type of experience that epitomizes the entire city of London I have interacted with for the past week or so.

Contained within the makeshift outdoor walls of the marketplace are all kinds of people, food, clothing, and especially energies that I have witnessed spread through out the city of London thus far. Everything from the different cultures of the vendors to the range in customers engaged in the spectacle created a cultural mosaic similar to those images seen on the cities streets: immigrants and visitors of the city as a whole compressed into one small area. 

My Incredible Naan Chef 

Above all, I appreciated the spew of creativity seeping  from the various rooms and kiosks. I was totally blown away by the capacity of the space, especially considering the challenging tight arrangement and difficult maze like intricacies. As I sat back and observed the experience with a delicious naan in hand I got to enjoy lively music being banged out on all kinds of instruments and an array of smells. 

I suddenly realized I was completely involved in the 'Society of Spectacle'...

French situationist, Guy Debord creates the concept of the society of spectacle in his analysis of consumer capitalism describing it as "where the commodity contemplates itself in a world of its own making." It was clear at that moment while looking around and watching the market happen that it was completely founded on commodity, but also manifested into an experience.