Me & You & All Of Us

I used to be a fan of Mangga Dua, because I would always be able to search for 'weird' Hongkong or Japanese brands that I couldn't find elsewhere..but that was a loooong time ago. Nowadays, I don't really enjoy going to Mangga Dua anymore..not because of the fact that it takes me 2 hours to reach there, but because it always leaves me thinking of how can fake goods be sold everywhere inside that building, with prices ranging from the very lowest to the very highest according to the quality offered and level of similarity with the original goods.

There was this time I took my friend who was visiting from Singapore to shop at Mangga Dua, and I was so embarrassed by the way she perceived the scene there. She really didn't say anything..but I could see from her eyes how much she hated seeing those fake handbags stacked so high in every single shop, some even being sold on the ground as if (the real, original) brands are 'just' brands and authenticity have no value. It's sad. I really don't mean to point fingers to anyone who actually purchase these goods (I was one of them anyway), but I'm stressing out more on the fact that this is (somehow) allowed, and is visibly and openly happening. Sellers seem to have all the freedom selling fake goods, giving the impression that Indonesia is fine with piracy. That's really not good for our country's image, don't you think? :)

I guess one way to stop this is for us as consumers to start say 'NO!' to fake or pirated goods. Let us be more appreciative towards the real designers & original brands. If we can't afford designer goods, then we can always go for other brands we can afford, right? :)

Stay 100& original, peeps!