If you really want to see a cross-section of your community, don't bother with Wal-Mart, go to the laundromats. Particularly if you live in a really cross-cultural area.
I live in a small apartment complex so I can walk to work (most of the time). While there is a laundry room on the premises, it's under-equipped (four washers/dryers, all medium capacity, for 28 units...you do the math) and not terribly convenient, so I generally load up the car and hit the laundromat.
It's often a free-for-all in there. Mom brings the kids along and they run wild (I recall going to the laundromat with my mom when I was young, but boy, I had to help her and if I didn't have to, I was expected to behave), people commandeer two or three laundry carts even though all of their clothes are in machines, arguments break out over people encroaching on someone else's "space", etc.
Last night really stood out, though. A middle-eastern woman (can't be more specific than that, I didn't recognize the language though she also spoke English) brought her two young sons with her. She allowed them to bring in their little scooters, and they proceeded to race around the place, bumping into people, laundry carts, etc. Her only comment to them was, "Don't go outside." Most of the rest of the people, myself included, kept to themselves, glancing at her with an eye roll or two, but eventually I think someone said something to the management as the kids suddenly stopped riding around. Or maybe one of them ran over
her toe...
I don't know ME culture, but I'm dumbfounded that such activities wouldn't be frowned on anywhere on the planet. Boys will be boys (and both of these were adorable, just being boys), and it's the responsibility of parents to guide and direct them. Why that mom didn't seem to give a rip I don't know, but I'm going to guess they don't get to act that way at home.
Anyway, for true down-to-earth entertainment, save a washload or two and visit your local laundromat. You never know what you'll find...but I can tell you you'll never see a supermodel there.
