The opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing was one of the most visually stunning and massive choreographed movements of people I think I have ever witnessed. As a kid I used to think it was amazing that the Ohio State marching band could “spell” Ohio in cursive as it played during halftime. But Beijing was light years ahead in complexity of the movement of peoples from one place to another on the field. If only one person had turned the wrong way it is not hard to imagine the chaos that might have resulted. A few months ago I wrote about the same effect that plays out on the sidewalks of NYC or Tokyo during rush hour – it just takes one person to disrupt the entire flow. Continue reading →