I thought it was especially interesting how Fullilove alluded to the Butterfly Effect, or the idea that one small change can impact the entire world.  As she writes: “the flapping wings of a butterfly in Beijing could affect the weather in New York” (17).  We often don’t think of how something that seems so insignificant can have drastic effects.  By the same token, an event like moving a Brooklyn based stadium where victories, memories, and a sense of community thrived to Los Angeles has staggering repercussions.  But Fullilove also dissects how issues like a smoking ban can trigger flash mobs, even if there is not a direct link between the two.  When considering these minute changes combined with the sense of culture lost after displacement, I oddly couldn’t help but think of the Harlem Shake videos.  This may be a strange comparison, but I remember watching of video of Harlem residents reacting to the Harlem Shake videos, and many were downright offended at the misrepresentation of the dance.  If culture is so easily transformed and borrowed, it puts int o perspective how simple it is to transform a neighborhood.  I would imagine even these subtle instances, of stealing a habit or norm from a community could be greatly upsetting to those who experienced and created it.

Harlem Reacts to ‘Harlem Shake’ Videos

Did anyone else think of less drastic cultural impacts while reading?

-Jacqui Larsen