I’ve only been to Las Vegas twice (in July 2004 and this past week). But it’s enough to make some factualizations about it. In a year’s time, it’s evident that the whole ‘adult playground’ concept has been homogenized enough that every casino is doing just about the same thing to get people to stay there and, of course, gamble there. The extravagance of some of the architecture, interior decoration, and signage is almost disgusting from the standpoint of usefulness.
While I did not find it obtrusive to be in Vegas by any means, it still amazes me that people get so caught up in all of the bullshit. When you break all of the events and special features down, everything there is so artificial, and most of the people who work there are paid to push this artificiality down anyone’s throat who should walk in the door. Vegas is nothing more than a lavish collection of stores and casinos, all only caring about you if you plunk all your money into their bank accounts.
I was hypothesizing that if all of the money that was invested in the construction and maintenance of Las Vegas over the past 20 years was converted into aid for all of our collective American problems, our country might be in a little better shape. But the reality of it is that if you plugged most people into a lie detector and asked if all of the unnecessary extravagance of Las Vegas was more important to have than aid for our countries’ problems, Vegas would win easily. “What cares about the national debt or social security, but did you see the glass sculpture at the Bellagio, or the new stores at Caesars?”
But I digress. People need their artificial escape, it’s just ingrained as a vital part of our culture. They need places like Vegas or a beach on a tropical island to go to when their lives have reached a boiling point of routine and monotony. It’s sad really that we choose to live this way… that so many people’s primary escapes are where real substance takes a backseat to neon and crystal and giant vaulted ceilings.
Nevertheless, this is the way it is. I won’t directly complain since I spent my recent Vegas excursion with family, but I’m aware of the inherent truth of Vegas… and I’ll try my best to resist it in the future in the hope for something else with more substance.