Maps

Maps

Maps “reflect how we see the world, or ‘our’ world. They inform and shape how we act in and conceptualize space and place. They serve a purpose” (BA1002. 2016, p.6). Social mapping is used to: “present information on village layout, infrastructure, demography, ethno-linguistic groups, health patterns, communication flows, wealth and other” (BA1002. 2016, p.6).

“The flâneur is now a term used to describe someone adrift in the city, a detached observer strolling through the streets at a leisurely pace. Those who are indirectly and unintentionally affected by a particular design they experience only in passing; in other words, people who take in their environments in a distracted manner” (Prouty.2009). Prouty talks about how large crowds provide a camouflage to those who are not a local and wish to break society’s laws/rules, as everyone around them merely looks over them – due to no recognition. Locals have in built map inside their brain of the area they live in, so they know where they go at all times and how to get there; however the newcomers’ – or flâneurs – have absolutely no idea of the area they are in; hence their wandering gaze and leisurely step, they are attempting to memorise their surroundings for further use. Flâneurs have a more likely chance of getting away with crime, as the locals do not recognise them from previous passing’s while making their way to their destination; and thus after the flâneurs has memorised a map of the area, he can commit a crime and leave the scene; hiding amongst the unsuspecting crowd for camouflage from the authorities and never be caught.

For example, recently a burglary occurred in an apartment block in Kings Road; but the perpetrators were not found due to no recognition of them. The neighbours had not recognised the burglars, so their mind merely swept over them - like a flâneur – like their mind would overlook any other stranger. So when the authorities came to take a report; they were not given much information about the ciminals, as by that time everyone had forgotten the looks of the random burglers, due to them not recognising the perpetrators as fellow community members they have met travelling their memorised mind maps.

Essentially meaning that newcomers are the perfect criminals for any unsuspecting town/person that has not included said newcomer in their map.

References

BA1002. (2016, 08 19). Our Space: Networks, Narratives, and the Making of Place. Townsville, QLD, Australia.

Prouty, R. (2009, 09 28). A turtle on a leash. Retrieved from One-Way Street: http://www.onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/10/a-turtle-on-a-leash.html