DOCSLIB.ORG

Flash Mobs: Social Construction of Public Spaces As Places for Sociability & Public Discourse

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Flash Mobs: Social Construction of Public Spaces As Places for Sociability & Public Discourse Flash Mobs: Social Construction of Public Spaces as Places for Sociability & Public Discourse “What is the Citie, but the People? True, the People are the Citie” – (Shakespeare, Coriolanus, act 3, scene 1) Master Thesis Report Research Master of Human Geography and Planning Author Supervisors Mila Stamenova Dr. I.C. van Liempt [email protected] Prof.Dr. Rob van der Vaart Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University March, 2014 Key words public space, flash mob, public discourse, sociability Abstract According to Young’s normative definition, public spaces should be cosmopolitan places where people from different backgrounds can meet and learn from each other, resulting in new insights and new tolerant social relationships (Young, 1990), however, many scholars have pointed out to the apparent decline in importance of public space for sociability and public discourse (Sennett, 1977, 1992; Sorkin, 1992; Mitchell, 1995). Nonetheless, the flash mob phenomenon, as an ephemeral and partially extemporaneous social event occurring in public space, might provide counter argumentation to the apparent decline of public spaces. Recognizing its increasing popularity and practice over time, scholars in the field of anthropology, sociology and media studies have examined the sociological and ICT aspects of flash mobs (Rheingold, 2003; Nicholson, 2005; Gore, 2010; Molnàr, 2010; Rodriguez, 2010), yet, no urban geographical research has attempted to understand this phenomenon and its relation to the public spaces where it occurs. Thus, utilizing a humanistic approach to the geography of flash mobs, this study aims to understand the affect of the flash mob phenomenon on the social construction of public spaces. Through Lefebvre’s (1991) spatial triad of space construction and Tuan’s (1977) perspective of experience, the research will examine how people socially construct public spaces through their ephemeral flash mob experiences. Moreover, considering previous research claiming a cultural and societal difference in the effects and types of flash mobs for the developed and developing societies, this research focuses on two case studies of Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Skopje, R. Macedonia, attempting to elucidate whether and how the flash mob affects vary in different societal contexts. Could something frivolous as a flash mob socially construct public spaces as places for sociability and public discourse? 2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................ ….4 2. The Research Questions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6 3. Public Spaces: Definitions & Debates…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7 4. Flash Mobs: Existing Research.......................................................................................................................................................................9 5. Geography of Flash Mobs: Humanistic Approach ...........................................................................................................................................13 5.1. Lefebvre: Social Production of Space ............................................................................................................................................................13 5.2. Tuan: The Perspective of Experience ............................................................................................................................................................16 6. Research Design & Methodology .................................................................................................................................................................17 6.1. Design & Opera tiona lization ........................................................................................................................................................................17 6.2. Case Study Selection ...................................................................................................................................................................................20 6.3. Data Collection...........................................................................................................................................................................................22 6.3.1. Desk Research……………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………………………….………………….23 6.3.2. In-Situ Pa rticipa nt and Non-participant Observations……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..24 6.3.3. Semi-structured In-depth Interviews ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………..27 6.4. Data Analysis .............................................................................................................................................................................................30 6.5. Concluding Reflection on Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................31 7. Macedonian Flash Mobs: Activism in Public Spaces .......................................................................................................................................35 7.1. The Transitional Society & Skopje’s Public Spaces…….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………..35 7.2. The Rise of Macedonian Flash Mobs…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..37 7.3. The Risky Activist Flash Mob Experience…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..42 7.4. Socia l Cons truction of Ma cedonian Public Spaces…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….46 7.5. Cyber Space for Promotion & Discussion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….49 7.6. In-group Sociability……….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….50 7.7. Public Discourse Fla sh Mobs…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….52 7.8. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..54 8. Dutch Flash Mobs: Sociability & Spectacle in Public Spaces .............................................................................................................................55 8.1. The Tolerant Society & Amsterdam’s Public Spaces………….…………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………..55 8.2. Dutch Flash Mobs in All Shapes and Sizes…………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..59 8.3. The Fun ‘Pointless’ Flash Mob Experience………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..65 8.4. Socia l Cons truction of Dutch Public Spaces………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………68 8.5. Cyber Space for Mobilization & Organization…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………….71 8.6. Connecting Through Ephemeral Sociability …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….72 8.7. Commercialization of Flash Mobs…………………..………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………74 8.8. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..76 9. Final Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................................................77 10. Appendices ................................................................................................................................................................................................83 11. References.................................................................................................................................................................................................94 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................................................................98 3 1. Introduction According to Young’s normative and ideal definition, public spaces should be places where people with different social perspectives, experiences and affiliations encounter each other (Young, 1990; Mitchell, 1995). Therefore, to many theorists, the public space is the material location where social and political interactions of the public sphere occur (Habermans, 1989; Mitchell, 1995; Fraser, 1990). Accordingly, most authors have stressed the social meeting function of public spaces (Lofland, 1973; Sennett, 1977; Zukin, 1995), describing the symbolic interaction and playful and fleeting social encounters that occur (Goffman, 1971; Hollands et al., 2007; Stevens, 2007), stating that public spaces should be multicultural and diverse places where people from different backgrounds can meet and learn from each other, resulting in new, open and tolerant social relations (Mitchell, 1995; Melik, 2008; Hou, 2010). However, there has been an ample of argumentation to support the apparent decline in importance of public space for social interaction and public discourse (Sennett, 1977, 1992; Sorkin, 1992; Mitchell, 1995). This end of public space has been related to a set of societal developments, among which two seem to be of great importance. One is the overturn of public politics and social discourse by capitalist commercial and homogenized semi or pseudo public spaces (Sennett, 1977; Davis, 1992; Sorkin, 1992; Mitchell,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Social Media and Tactical Considerations for Law Enforcement
    Social Media and Tactical Considerations For Law Enforcement This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 2011-CK-WX-K016 awarded by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. References to specific agencies, companies, products, or services should not be considered an endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather, the references are illustrations to supplement discussion of the issues. The Internet references cited in this publication were valid as of the date of this publication. Given that URLs and websites are in constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the COPS Office can vouch for their current validity. ISBN: 978-1-932582-72-7 e011331543 July 2013 A joint project of: U.S. Department of Justice Police Executive Research Forum Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 1120 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. 145 N Street, N.E. Suite 930 Washington, DC 20530 Washington, DC 20036 To obtain details on COPS Office programs, call the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770. Visit COPS Online at www.cops.usdoj.gov. Contents Foreword ................................................................. iii Acknowledgments ........................................................... iv Introduction ............................................................... .1 Project Background.........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Activists, Bodies, and Political Arguments
    Liminalities: A Journal of Performance Studies Vol. 11, No. 4 (October 2015) Activists, Bodies, and Political Arguments Jason Del Gandio The following essay is adapted from a keynote address presented at the 2014 Patti Pace Performance Festival. The live address included a PowerPoint presentation involving a series of images and videos.1 One of the great strengths of the Patti Pace Festival is the wide range of attendees, which include high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, and professors. This address aims for a middle ground by targeting the undergraduate audience. In brief, the address discussed the manner by which activists use their bodies to make political arguments. Setting the Stage: An Introduction People often think of argumentation in terms of verbal communication—for example, someone advances a claim, supports it with evidence, and provides an overall rationale. But we can also use nonverbal communication to make argu- ments. This is particularly true with activists. Think of anti-war protesters conducting a classic “die-in.” The activists choose a rhetorically significant location—perhaps a military recruiting center or the office of a pro-war representative. The activists gather at the location and at a pre-designated time one of them blows a whistle. Everyone suddenly drops to the ground. Another activist stands among the “lifeless bodies” and recites an anti-war statement. And still another activist is using a handheld projector to cast images onto the side of the building: bombs, fire fights, injured bodies, Jason Del Gandio is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Stra- tegic Communication at Temple University.
    [Show full text]
  • Reclaiming the Streets: Black Urban Insurgency and Antisocial Security
    Reclaiming the streets Black urban insurgency and antisocial security in twenty-fi rst-century Philadelphia Jeff Maskovsky Abstract: Th is article focuses on the emergence of a new pattern of black urban insurgency emerging in major US metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia. I lo- cate this pattern in the context of a new securitization regime that I call “antiso- cial security.” Th is regime works by establishing a decentered system of high-tech forms of surveillance and monitory techniques. I highlight the dialectic between the extension of antisocial security apparatuses and techniques into new political and social domains on the one hand and the adoption of these same techniques by those contesting racialized exclusions from urban public space on the other. I end the article with a discussion of how we might adapt the commons concept to consider the centrality of race and racism to this new securitization regime. Keywords: commoning, inner city, race, securitization, United States, urban politics In Philadelphia, on 10 April 2013, dozens of Af- broadcast sensationalized reports about “crazed rican American youth converged in what mu- teens,” “mob violence,” and “youth rioting.” nicipal authorities described as a “fl ash mob” at In 2011, Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter the heart of the city’s central business district. (2008–2016) criticized African American teens Called together with the use of social media, for participating in unruly gatherings in public these young people blocked traffi c, massed on spaces. From the pulpit of Mount Carmel Bap- street corners, and ran down several city blocks tist Church in West Philadelphia, where he is until they were dispersed by the local police.
    [Show full text]
  • Cities Within the City: Doityourself Urbanism and the Right to the City
    bs_bs_banner Volume 37.3 May 2013 941–56 International Journal of Urban and Regional Research DOI:10.1111/1468-2427.12053 Cities within the City: Do-It-Yourself Urbanism and the Right to the City KURT IVESON Abstract In many cities around the world we are presently witnessing the growth of, and interest in, a range of micro-spatial urban practices that are reshaping urban spaces. These practices include actions such as: guerrilla and community gardening; housing and retail cooperatives; flash mobbing and other shock tactics; social economies and bartering schemes; ‘empty spaces’ movements to occupy abandoned buildings for a range of purposes; subcultural practices like graffiti/street art, skateboarding and parkour; and more. This article asks: to what extent do such practices constitute a new form of urban politics that might give birth to a more just and democratic city? In answering this question, the article considers these so-called ‘do-it-yourself urbanisms’ from the perspective of the ‘right to the city’. After critically assessing that concept, the article argues that in order for do-it-yourself urbanist practices to generate a wider politics of the city through the appropriation of urban space, they also need to assert new forms of authority in the city based on the equality of urban inhabitants. This claim is illustrated through an analysis of the do-it-yourself practices of Sydney-based activist collective BUGA UP and the New York and Madrid Street Advertising Takeovers. Introduction In many cities around the world we are presently witnessing the growth of, and interest in, a range of micro-spatial urban practices that are reshaping urban spaces.
    [Show full text]
  • The House at 702 Vermont Street in Brooklyn Doesn't Stand Out. It's One in a Series of Two-Story Brick Houses That Extends T
    #Map The house at 702 Vermont Street in Brooklyn doesn’t stand out. It’s one in a series of two-story brick houses that extends the length of its block in East New York. Like many of its neigh- bors, the house has a narrow, fenced front yard leading to a few stairs and a porch that has been enclosed and incorpo- rated into the house. Trees partially screen its tan vinyl sid- ing and blue cornice. After picking up the kids at Public School 213, you might drive right past it without noticing as you pulled up to the Jonathan Massey light at New Lots Avenue. Syracuse University Open Trulia or another real estate app on your phone, though, and you’ll Brett Snyder learn a lot about the house, including the fact that while the current owner University of California, Davis bought it in 2007 for $424,500 and the house is taxed based on an assessed value of $384,000, its estimated market price is $286,000. There’s a good chance this house is underwater, mortgaged at a value that far exceeds its market value. Indeed, plug in the address at NYC CityMap, the GIS-based portal for municipal information and public records, and you’ll see that when the current owner bought the house five years ago, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc. (MERS) recorded a primary mortgage of $339,600 and a secondary loan of $84,900. A year and a half later, the company assigned one of the mortgages to Countrywide Home Loans.
    [Show full text]
  • Zerohack Zer0pwn Youranonnews Yevgeniy Anikin Yes Men
    Zerohack Zer0Pwn YourAnonNews Yevgeniy Anikin Yes Men YamaTough Xtreme x-Leader xenu xen0nymous www.oem.com.mx www.nytimes.com/pages/world/asia/index.html www.informador.com.mx www.futuregov.asia www.cronica.com.mx www.asiapacificsecuritymagazine.com Worm Wolfy Withdrawal* WillyFoReal Wikileaks IRC 88.80.16.13/9999 IRC Channel WikiLeaks WiiSpellWhy whitekidney Wells Fargo weed WallRoad w0rmware Vulnerability Vladislav Khorokhorin Visa Inc. Virus Virgin Islands "Viewpointe Archive Services, LLC" Versability Verizon Venezuela Vegas Vatican City USB US Trust US Bankcorp Uruguay Uran0n unusedcrayon United Kingdom UnicormCr3w unfittoprint unelected.org UndisclosedAnon Ukraine UGNazi ua_musti_1905 U.S. Bankcorp TYLER Turkey trosec113 Trojan Horse Trojan Trivette TriCk Tribalzer0 Transnistria transaction Traitor traffic court Tradecraft Trade Secrets "Total System Services, Inc." Topiary Top Secret Tom Stracener TibitXimer Thumb Drive Thomson Reuters TheWikiBoat thepeoplescause the_infecti0n The Unknowns The UnderTaker The Syrian electronic army The Jokerhack Thailand ThaCosmo th3j35t3r testeux1 TEST Telecomix TehWongZ Teddy Bigglesworth TeaMp0isoN TeamHav0k Team Ghost Shell Team Digi7al tdl4 taxes TARP tango down Tampa Tammy Shapiro Taiwan Tabu T0x1c t0wN T.A.R.P. Syrian Electronic Army syndiv Symantec Corporation Switzerland Swingers Club SWIFT Sweden Swan SwaggSec Swagg Security "SunGard Data Systems, Inc." Stuxnet Stringer Streamroller Stole* Sterlok SteelAnne st0rm SQLi Spyware Spying Spydevilz Spy Camera Sposed Spook Spoofing Splendide
    [Show full text]
  • Shawyer Dissertation May 2008 Final Version
    Copyright by Susanne Elizabeth Shawyer 2008 The Dissertation Committee for Susanne Elizabeth Shawyer certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Radical Street Theatre and the Yippie Legacy: A Performance History of the Youth International Party, 1967-1968 Committee: Jill Dolan, Supervisor Paul Bonin-Rodriguez Charlotte Canning Janet Davis Stacy Wolf Radical Street Theatre and the Yippie Legacy: A Performance History of the Youth International Party, 1967-1968 by Susanne Elizabeth Shawyer, B.A.; M.A. Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin May, 2008 Acknowledgements There are many people I want to thank for their assistance throughout the process of this dissertation project. First, I would like to acknowledge the generous support and helpful advice of my committee members. My supervisor, Dr. Jill Dolan, was present in every stage of the process with thought-provoking questions, incredible patience, and unfailing encouragement. During my years at the University of Texas at Austin Dr. Charlotte Canning has continually provided exceptional mentorship and modeled a high standard of scholarly rigor and pedagogical generosity. Dr. Janet Davis and Dr. Stacy Wolf guided me through my earliest explorations of the Yippies and pushed me to consider the complex historical and theoretical intersections of my performance scholarship. I am grateful for the warm collegiality and insightful questions of Dr. Paul Bonin-Rodriguez. My committee’s wise guidance has pushed me to be a better scholar.
    [Show full text]
  • Flash Mob Marketing in an International Context
    Hofer akademische Schriften zur Digitalen Ökonomie Herausgegeben von Andreas Wagener Band 2 Sarah Stadelhofer Flash Mob Marketing in an International Context Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über http://dnb.d-nb.de abrufbar. Hofer akademische Schriften zur Digitalen Ökonomie Herausgegeben von Prof. Dr. Andreas Wagener Professur für eCommerce und Social Media an der Hochschule Hof / University of Applied Sciences Band 2 Sarah Stadelhofer Flash Mob Marketing in an International Context Der vorliegende Text wurde ursprünglich im SS2015 als Bachelorarbeit an der Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Hof, Fakultät Wirtschaft, Studiengang Internationales Management (BA), eingereicht und betreut durch Prof. Dr. Andreas Wagener, Professur für eCommerce und Social Media © 2015 Druck und Verlag: Hochschule Hof, Fachbereich Wirtschaft, Alfons-Goppel-Platz 1, D-95028 Hof Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Das Werk ist urheberrechtlich geschützt. Nachdruck oder Vervielfältigung, auch als Übersetzung, ist verboten. ISBN: 978-3-935565-36-3 Flash Mob Marketing in an International Context Bachelor Thesis University of Applied Sciences Hof Faculty of Business International Management Submitted to: Submitted by: Prof. Dr. Andreas Wagener Sarah Stadelhofer Alfons-Goppel-Platz 1 Unter-Wiesen-Weg 5 95028 Hof 78224 Singen Hof, 26-05-2015 26 Table of Contents II Table of Contents List of
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Natives in the Name of a Cause. from “Flash Mob” to “Human Flesh Search”
    Digital Natives in the Name of a Cause: From “Flash Mob” to “Human Flesh Search” YiPing (Zona) Tsou The emergence of newly imagined communities The dominant discourse around use of digital and internet technologies has been either mired in celebration or pathologisation. On one hand are the­people­who­bask­in­the­participatory­power­of­Web­2.0­technologies,­ announcing the emergence of new public spheres and democratic spaces of engagement and expression. On the other hand are the detractors who remain sceptical of the ‘newness’ that digital technologies bring, often repeating the axiom of how, more the things change, the more they remain the same. In this discourse, even though the warring lines are clearly drawn and the dialogue is often fraught and tense, there is something that remains unexamined and unquestioned – In the imagination of either of the warring factions the users who remain at the centre of the discourse are identical. Scholars and practitioners alike, whether they are hopeful all the way, waiting to witness the bright, promising future that the information and communication­technology­(ICT)­is­going­to­bestow­upon­us,­liberating­all­ the oppressed from the tyranny of the authoritarian regimes and repres- sive censorship, or skeptics who stay alert of “the dark side of internet freedom”and are addressing the issue with sentiment of disillusionment, mourning­for­the­failed­(or­not­yet­fulfilled)­promise­of­a­digital­utopia,­ presume­that­the­beneficiaries­and­architects­of­this­new­public­spheres­are­ still well intentioned, progressive, liberal and tolerant users. Sure, there might be occasional exclamations at questions of piracy, pornography, bullying, etc.
    [Show full text]
  • 59 Tikjw.HAL€ Britain's Vanguards Attack Axis Forces West of El
    i.y ■••:'. -'Vjivia: -1'. Tt-;: ^ x ' ' THURSDAY, DECEMBER Average Doily Circulation T*ha Weather C ttn titto For the Mouth ot November, 1942 roreeata of C. A Weatbar 7 ,8 1 4 Mueh colder; a*i>ther cold M-ave Mr. and Mrs. Emil Johnson of A child’a Chriatmaa party’ wOl 'A.mbetlng of the- Christmaa Local public Ubrariaa wUl close The Mancheator Irat- ty committee of Local 63, T. Member ot the Aadit tonight. Association decided last nftrhr at 94 High Street have rsoeivsd word be held between two and four Saturday aU day during the win­ from their son, OoraOral Raymond o’clock tomorrow aftefnoon du*^ U; A. wiU be held thla evening Bures* af Oieotetto** A bou t Tow n ter months, beginning Saturday the annual meeting of la 7:30 in ‘Hnker hall. Final ar- tlon not to have any-'^Christmas Johnson, who enlisted six months Ing the W ell Baby clinic a t the r Manekeater~—A City o f Village Chfxrm December 19. The Board of Dl- ago, stating that he has been pro­ hoepital clinic rooma.. rangementa concerning the party reetom voted to do so believing decorations Of ll^ to at the north which wUl be held thla Saturday Keith. BenerU end this year^Tw officers for the moted to the rSnk of Technical SM l that a two-day weekend will cut evening w ill be made. ’The dead­ (ClaaaMed Advertlttag a * Pago 18) MANCHESTER, CONN., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1942 (TWE^fTY IMAGES) PRICE THREE CENi „ gf the committee w> next year w l l t ^ elected and in­ SergeSnt.
    [Show full text]
  • ABSTRACT the Rhetorical Construction of Hacktivism
    ABSTRACT The Rhetorical Construction of Hacktivism: Analyzing the Anonymous Care Package Heather Suzanne Woods, M.A. Thesis Chairperson: Leslie A. Hahner, Ph.D. This thesis uncovers the ways in which Anonymous, a non-hierarchical, decentralized online collective, maintains and alters the notion of hacktivism to recruit new participants and alter public perception. I employ a critical rhetorical lens to an Anonymous-produced and –disseminated artifact, the Anonymous Care Package, a collection of digital how-to files. After situating Anonymous within the broader narrative of hacking and activism, this thesis demonstrates how the Care Package can be used to constitute a hacktivist identity. Further, by extending hacktivism from its purely technological roots to a larger audience, the Anonymous Care Package lowers the barrier for participation and invites action on behalf of would-be members. Together, the contents of the Care Package help constitute an identity for Anonymous hacktivists who are then encouraged to take action as cyberactivists. The Rhetorical Construction of Hacktivism: Analyzing the Anonymous Care Package by Heather Suzanne Woods, B.A. A Thesis Approved by the Department of Communication David W. Schlueter, Ph.D., Chairperson Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Baylor University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Approved by the Thesis Committee Leslie A. Hahner, Ph.D., Chairperson Martin J. Medhurst, Ph.D. James M. SoRelle, Ph.D. Accepted by the Graduate School May 2013 J. Larry Lyon, Ph.D., Dean Page bearing signatures is kept on file in the Graduate School Copyright © 2013 by Heather Suzanne Woods All rights reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Supergaming: Ubiquitous Play and Performance for Massively Scaled Community Jane Mcgonigal
    *Advanced draft. Please do not circulate. Contact [email protected] with questions.* This article will be published in Modern Drama’ Winter 2005 issue. The citation for this article will Modern Drama 48:3. SuperGaming: Ubiquitous Play and Performance for Massively Scaled Community Jane McGonigal The [digital] utopian communitas exists as an imagined community, as the Mystical Body. Real community exists, on the contrary, where people throw their lot together and stand in face-to-face ethical proximity. Michael Heim 38 A design imperative for social software engineers, game developers, network designers and all the other architects of digital community: more, more, more. Why more? “The more the better” (Andrew Fluegelman, founding member of the 1970s New Games Movement, on the optimal number of players for their patently oversized and intensely physical games [141]). Players experience phenomenological pleasure in being part of a much larger, co-present whole. “More is different” (P.W. Anderson, physicist, on the emergence of unpredictable atomic interaction in complex particle systems [373]). Unexpected things happen when you scale up. “More is needed” (Pat Miller, computer scientist, on the massive number of Central Processing Units required to construct a “do-it-yourself” supercomputer [2]). To become exponentially more powerful, to pass the coveted threshold to “super,” you need to connect as many individual parts as possible. These three tenets comprise the more, more, massively more connectivity I dream of for network communities in today’s new-media landscape. Massively more is a vision of digital social networks designed and deployed to produce more pleasure, more emergence, and more superpower, through community formation on a massive scale.
    [Show full text]