Having lived in Brazilian slums, it really is just a matter of memorizing one's way through the mazes of sidestreets, alleys, etc. It's very hard for me to imag

Having lived in Brazilian slums, it really is just a matter of memorizing one's way through the mazes of sidestreets, alleys, etc. It's very hard for me to imagine maps taking hold with the residents themselves, though with the gentrification that's happening in "famous" favelas, maybe maps will be useful after all for the foreigners moving in. What slightly worries me are recent efforts like those of Google and Microsoft [1] in some of Rio's favelas where these tech giants have the population do the work for them, via local NGOs and community associations, in order to later serve advertisements. There's a quote that basically says that "only intellectuals are interested in poverty; the poor, however, just want to consume." One problem I saw firsthand just after the favela pacification process in Rio was how many services and businesses were entering these areas, hungry for new clientele while getting them all used to the idea of credit (and, later, debt). Not to mention, the government coming in with the offer of national IDs (read: "the better to start taxing you with!") Slum politics and culture are never simple to explain as there are always many ways to effectively discuss them. 1 - http://www.citylab.com/tech/2014/09/google-and-microsoft-putting-rios-favelas-on-the-map/380826/ http://www.citylab.com/tech/2014/09/google-and-microsoft-put...