The End?

It was one of those moments that made me question the future of civilization as we know it. Is this the beginning of the end? Or worse: is the end well on its way to, uh, ending? I was in a shopping mall here in South Korea when I turned a corner and smack right before me was - dare I say it? - a pet boutique. That's right. A very fancy shop for pet owners or lovers - perhaps fanatics would be a better word - filled with a range of accessories for beloved doggies and kitties. Specifically, I am talking about caps, booties, sweaters, fancy sleeping beds, and toys - to name a few - that, collectively, was enough to boggle my mind.

For people who shop at a store of this kind, why isn't it enough to simply own a dog or cat? What's the deal with all these do-dads that I cannot imagine the animal cares anything about. Do two dogs, for instance, run into each other in someone's backyard and complement their wardrobe? I think not.
So, the question becomes, why do people do it? Why do people choose to spend their money in such a silly and meaningless way? What are they communicating to the world by buying a scarf for their cat to wear? Probably the possible answers range from showing others how much money they have to  trying to show how much they love their pets.

My sense, there are deeper explanations having little to do with net worth or an affinity toward animals. The point is in all that we do we communicate. Having a dog for a pet communicates a certain message. Having a dog for a pet that you dress in booties communicates something else. I can only that if there is life after death, the entity behind it all is a forgiving soul when people who shop at pet boutiques face judgement. Seriously, much of this entry has been written with my tongue very much in cheek. Still, pet boutiques serve as a reminder that actions do represent forms of communication that we all may want to think about before taking.