Different Perspectives of Society and Lessons in unexpected places.

I have always wanted to do a car boot sale and this weekend I did it. An interesting experience with lots to learn from other stall holders and of course the customers. Advice from those who recognise you as 'green' or as a teacher once decribed it to me 'the pupils can smell raw meat' ie new/fresh teachers or faces entering the school! Not a pleasant analogy. I found both the stall holders and the customers helpful. The stallholders offered advice to the first time seller, 'do not readily discount prices as that makes it harder for the regulars for whom this is their day job or those who do it to raise money for a charity.' 'Watch out for small children who grab something from your stall and when you chase them others clear your stall for you. Happy to report that this did not happen. Watching the customers was a chance to see personality preferences in action as well as see perhaps cultural differences. This was a multicultural event with many different ethnic origins out shopping. Based next to a stall selling clothing,including leather jackets, I observed many young men of different ethnic origins preening themselves and taking delight in purchasing. Not much else was sold that day. Even very nice handbags at £2 did not sell although many looked and asked but did not buy. It was a bad day for sales all round. Perhaps the weather had a lot to do with -a gorgeous day outside and scares about petrol shortages may have contributed to it. What did sell? Well watching people pass by, they were clutching small pieces of furniture, kitchen ware, toys and entertainment items, electrical gadgets seem to be the first to go. What does it tell us about society? Everyone hopes to find a bargain, everyone wants some fun and lightness in their life, we have too much 'stuff', people get a buzz out of buying. Does that feeling last? My first sale was the best getting me off to a good start. Although finding a buyer for some old photographic equipment was good-someone who recognised the items and would get enjoyment from using them. One man agreed with me that almost everything could be used with imagination-I said its about thinking 'outside the box' and he said as quick as a flash-'there is no box' A man after my own heart. Yes you see life and you learn lots at a car boot sale. As a sociologist friend said to me recently, to a sociologist every situation is an opportunity to learn and experience. If you do different things and go to different places you see different perspectives. How society looks to you depends on where you are standing at the time. Imagine a Scotland where many cultures live comfortably side by side and learn from each other.