BF and The Tipping Point
A few months ago, when the MMDA started repainting the walls of the EDSA tunnels, one of my friends asked: "Why bother"? We all know that with the amount of vehicle exhaust spouted on a daily basis, those walls would turn from white to grey within 24 hours. So really, that whole exercise did seem totally pointless.
But now that I'm reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, cleansing tunnel walls of accumulated gunk then giving them a new paint job suddenly makes sense. MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando must have read that book, or at least the Broken Windows Theory of criminologist George Kelling. The idea is basically that our behavior is influenced by our environment ("context"), that dirty, messed up surroundings encourage lawlessness. Not bothering to clean things up sends the signal that no one cares and no one is in charge. Thus, things like graffiti (or in Manila's case, grime), contribute to public disorder.
The application of this theory extends beyond tunnel wall cleaning. It also explains the removal of sidewalk vendors and well, graffiti from inner city walls. Hopefully the next thing he does is to paint those lane-marker thingees on the roads (dunno what they're called), so people actually stick to one lane. Right now EDSA is a virtual free for all... it's pretty crazy.
Anyways, whether or not it's because BF read the book, I'm glad he's doing what he does. If the next administration replaces him, it'd better be with someone who has the same respect for order and cleanliness. ALTHOUGH. I still haven't forgiven him for raping Katipunan of its old trees.
But now that I'm reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, cleansing tunnel walls of accumulated gunk then giving them a new paint job suddenly makes sense. MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando must have read that book, or at least the Broken Windows Theory of criminologist George Kelling. The idea is basically that our behavior is influenced by our environment ("context"), that dirty, messed up surroundings encourage lawlessness. Not bothering to clean things up sends the signal that no one cares and no one is in charge. Thus, things like graffiti (or in Manila's case, grime), contribute to public disorder.
The application of this theory extends beyond tunnel wall cleaning. It also explains the removal of sidewalk vendors and well, graffiti from inner city walls. Hopefully the next thing he does is to paint those lane-marker thingees on the roads (dunno what they're called), so people actually stick to one lane. Right now EDSA is a virtual free for all... it's pretty crazy.
Anyways, whether or not it's because BF read the book, I'm glad he's doing what he does. If the next administration replaces him, it'd better be with someone who has the same respect for order and cleanliness. ALTHOUGH. I still haven't forgiven him for raping Katipunan of its old trees.
posted by gloriagiselle at 11:02 AM
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