Adam Kimmel – Landscapes of the Sacred : “Non – Places”

“These are sites that strip us of our identity, where we become anonymous, where we have a sense of being present and yet not present at the same time. They include turnstiles, tollbooths, checkout counters, hotel lobbies, and information desks.”(pg. 250 – 251)

Lane speaks about how many places have no meaning to us. These places are empty of personal meaning, where we only visit briefly. These places are often in the center of the public eye where one cannot escape others and is always watched. I wonder if people even realize that these non-places exist. We as a society are so accustomed to having our every move watched by others that we don't even notice it anymore. I know until reading this I never thought of all of these places that really have no meaning to me, they are just points on the map of my daily routine. I do now realize though the significance of the places where you can escape society to be with yourself and get closer to the true wilderness. These sites do not offer and of the convenience and comforts of technology but they do offer us a sense of meaning, which is a greater gift then any other in todays world. These sites become more scares as time goes on, we are always trying to add new places for our society to expand to that we don't think about what we are losing. We as a people do not need new and exciting toys to enjoy our lives we only need to step outside of the hustle and bussel of our lives and see all the beauty that the world has to offer to us. These places are the real gifts that can truly make us happier.