London is about money, and just in case anyone forgets that, there is a giant, tax-payer funded shrine to remind them. Monarchies, after all, are relics of the supposedly ended feudal system, which is why most monarchs generally have a limited amount of power these days. Old money still exists in Europe, and even with the weird titles that people barely use, there are still families who have been able to cling to their resources that their latest heirs blow up on social media. While new money is highly chaotic, it fails to retain its presence due to losses and changing trends, but it is one of the reasons why the feudal system has evolved, rather than dissolved. Sadly, even though people pretend like the feudal system no longer exists, they are also made aware of its continued existence any time they go to a tourist site in London.
Walking to the London Zoo is incredibly quiet, the reason being that the neighborhood is wildly expensive. Private drivers are common, because even the public transportation to that area is limited, meaning that even when one takes the bus, one walks for quite a while before getting to the entrance. In this way, the wealthy are undisturbed unless someone wants to spend money, but they are not encouraged to linger. Yes, there is a park outside the entrance to the zoo, but there are not many benches or other features that actual parks tend to have, and there is a sign reminding everyone that they have a limited time. Privatized spaces like zoos tend to have a lively atmosphere, but the privatization of both the space within and the space around means that the liveliness is contained. The neighborhood is a perfect example of the power of money to control its surroundings and only be entertained as it chooses.
The other end of the spectrum can be found at Picadilly Circus, where–kind of like the ball drop in Times Square–one only goes on a Saturday if they know absolutely nothing about Picadilly Circus. So many people are there, and while some of them are British, most are tourists or desperate residents hoping that people have disposable income. There are street performers, but because of the crowds of people hoping to get into shops or museums, their performances are difficult to see, making it an exhaustive enterprise even to try one’s luck. Thanks to stories about pickpockets, despite the hordes, everyone is also extremely nervous about touching anyone, so imagine a bunch of people moving quickly with their heads down, with odd paths forming based on how the crowds move.
The real reason all these places are crowded is because these are the places people are told to come when they visit London. “Oh, you have to go to Picadilly Circus!” “You must go to London Bridge!” Previously, all of these places were really popular, and like expensive universities that never pay out, nobody bothered to check and see if these areas were still worth the price. In that way, all tourist traps are is monetized propaganda, painting an enticing and entertaining view of the country that is just as unreal as the life of celebrities. Even if people manage to save a bit of money to go on a trip, those tourist sites are slowly becoming sites to avoid, as propaganda fatigue has become a real thing.
Most importantly, no one can be seen living a normal life anywhere near a tourist site. No one is rolling out of bed to hop in their car and have their coffee on the lawn of Windsor Palace. No one is dragging their children to the zoo from their Reading flat without it being a major reward that the family has discussed for a month. Nothing is natural around a tourist site, and people have grown weary of the fantasies that they have been spun, especially as heating costs and homelessness rise. The future of the expensive tourism of London is unclear as people finally see that the existence of a feudal system means more of a hopeless life for everyone else.
Chasing A Dying Empire 