Advanced Organizations

In case these descriptions seem too dry and utilitarian, let me describe an example where the organization of data can provide an intense emotional reaction. If you are familiar with the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. you may already know how quiet, yet moving this monument is. But you may not realize the importance of the monument's organization. The names of all of the US military personnel who died in the Vietnam war are inscribed on the surfaces of two long, black, granite walls. These start out short (around 12") and grow to more than 9' in the center where the two walls meet. They are constructed this way for a special reason. All of the names of these service people are arranged by time (date of death), beginning with the first who died during the "police action" to the mounting death toll at the height of the war, trickling off as the US pulled out of the area. The names thus chart the pattern of the US' involvement and the personal stories of the real people involved and most affected. Imagine how different the monument would be without this organization. Suppose the names were organized by alphabet (which was actually proposed once the design was accepted). While it might be easier to find a particular person, the search (as the names themselves) would be reduced to a mechanical list, a granite White Pages. Lost would be the individuality of each name and life. In a list of seventeen John Smiths, which one is yours?

An alphabetical organization would have completely depersonalized the monument and devastated its emotional power. So would most other organizations. Imagine categories: pilots listed here, infantry listed there. How about a continuum based on rank, or for that matter, height: the tallest men at one end, the shortest at another.

What is key to this emotional experience is that those who died are found among those whom they died with. Without this organization, in fact, there is no longer meaning to the wall growing and tapering down in height. Any other organization would have created a different memorial entirely and, most likely, one without the power and emotion created in the one built. All of this is somewhat subliminal. When you visit the monument, you aren't much aware of the mechanics of its structure, but it works nonetheless. And this is true of any project, whether it is a sensitive and emotional monument, a powerful, inspiring museum, a useful and concise catalog, or a thrilling and interesting performance.

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Copyright 1994 Nathan Shedroff

 

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