Abstract
ABSTRACT Despite the present-day prevalence of digital payment technologies, the iconic sound of the mechanical cash register – “cha-ching” – still serves as a sonic shorthand for profit and success in popular culture. Given these associations, it may surprise some to learn that the cash register bell was initially employed as a surveillance mechanism, entangled in (and capitalising on) rising social tensions of its late nineteenth-century invention. In exploring the history of the cash register bell, this essay highlights the role of sound as a dynamic and divisive emblem of American commerce which can signify far more than financial gain.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
