The Tipping Point

Waterfront is saved.

For the past few weeks, I have been studying over the essential points in a very enjoyable book called Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point. The tagline for the non-fiction book is "How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference." And our efforts here in keeping Waterfront Market open have been part of a case-book example of the premise of the book.

At some point this past month - these past two weeks, really! - the important e-mail was sent and received, or the important ear was bent, or the important phone call was made. And though it was followed by another and another, with that action - whatever it was - the forming groundswell had reached a particular momentum that made it's message irrefutable: "Waterfront Market Must Stay Open."

That was the Tipping Point.

In the book, it says that there are three kinds of people important to these kinds of movements. They are Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen. Connectors "know a lot of people," it says, "They are the kind of people who know everyone." Connectors are not important merely because of the number of people they know, but the kinds of people they know. Each actual Connector, it turns out, specializes in a particular sub-culture or genre or field.

The Maven is a person who accumulates information. But what sets Mavens apart is not how much they know but how they pass it along. Mavens want to help, for no other reason than because they like to help. Mavens have the the knowledge and the social-skills to start word-of-mouth epidemics. To quote, "to be a Maven, is to be a teacher."

Lastly, there are the Salesmen. Salesmen persuade us when we are unconvinced of what we are hearing - by stressing an idea's emotional content. Salesman make contagious ideas stick through the use of natural "emotional contagions."

With regard to Waterfront Market, somewhere throughout the disbursement of emails and conversation and phone calls, Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen (Salespeople, really) came into play, and the information necessary to bring about the action to keep Waterfront Market open switched from a latent state to kinetic - or active - one. At that point, the Mayor stepped in and took charge.

It has been an exciting week for me. My background is research, it helped. But all the phone calls and emails that some of the most influential people in my life - my neighbors, the people who own my favorite restaurants and stores and community programs - reinforced my resolve. I knew nothing about actual community action. I know ecology, and I know computers and web, and I know people. And I knew that none of us wanted Waterfront Market closed and all of us wanted Waterfront Market open. The deal is happening as we speak, Mayor MacPherson took and is taking personal interest in seeing it through, and there will be new owners of Waterfront Market.

According to Buco this morning, "the deal looks good, the new owners met with the employees last night, and they're keeping me on as a maintenance man." Seeing as this is the island, the rest of the details will get out there on their own. But it wouldn't have happened without your emails, ear-bending, and phone calls. So on my own behalf, to everyone who did anything, thanks for getting the word out. (I'll be sure let everyone know if anything else comes up.)

In the end, all of us made this happen together. In the end, the Tipping Point was you.