place/nonplace

Auge, in “From Places to Non-Places”, breaks down on what he sees as a non-place. One of the ways in which he defines a non-space is, “ If a place can be defined as relational, historical and concerned with identity, then a space which cannot be defined as relational, or historical, or concerned with identity will be a non-place.” This may seem like a hard concept to grasp an in certain ways it’s hard to accept a space that does not entail any of the elements in his definition. He makes sure to let us know that places and non-places are like opposed polarities, where neither one nor the other are completely erased. There is an overlap with both and sometimes some non-places can be turned into a place with something as simple as movement which he also mentions in his article. If I was walking down the street and all of a sudden on an intersection where I would just be waiting, in what can be considered a non place, there appears a man painted in silver and making robotic movements with techno music coming out of his little stereo. If this were to occur the gaze of the people waiting with me at the intersection would most likely focus on this man and create a place. Gaze is something that Auge points out as important and I didn’t really think about it. I chose the lobby in college library as a non-place but if someone were to be yelling at the information desk clerk because they didn’t keep her book reserved, I’m pretty sure there are going to be a couple of gazes in his/her direction and then for that brief moment it could have created a place because of the attention and the gaze the situation is creating. So can someone creating a scene be enough to change a non-place to a place? One of the things that Auge mentions is that a non-place distances the spectator from the spectacle There are constant distractions that can be present like a billboard but there is a certain distance from the spectator where there isn’t anything really engaging the spectator.
In Lost In Translation the characters Charlotte and Bob Harris are both in a place where they do not understand their surroundings and everything is just noise and lights. When they both are at the bar they both experience an empty experience but it’s not until they interact that where they are actually feels like a place. Sounds to me a little simplistic, but it has some sustenance where supposedly,” non-places create solitary contractuality.” If one goes to another country and you don’t understand the language are you more likely to be in a non-place than a place? I’m not sure if the experience of one person would be enough to determine it as a non-place or a place. In end I find non-places pretty fascinating and I’m not sure if I’m the only one that does this but I enjoy to people gaze in these non-places.