5 replies to this topic

[robwatts]

Flash Mobbing

Anyone done this yet? Would you even?

[qwerty]

They just had the first flash mob in the Boston area a couple of weeks ago. I'd definitely do it; it looks like a lot of fun. However, at least in the case of the flash mob that hit Harvard Square, it seems the press found out about it before it happened, and had cameras ready. That kind of ruins it, don't you think?

[robwatts]

I think its a crazy sounding, fun, spontaneous thing to do.

I'd certainly do it ( if I could find the time to just upsticks and drop everything else )

People love new stuff and mystery.

I remember back in the late 80's in the UK house scene. The Police on occassions would raid these so called 'Acid House Events' many would just walk around bemused and bewildered at what was happening.

It was very much an underground thing then, the sight of 500 people dressed in smiley faced t-shirts, getting down to techno trance must of been a pretty interesting experience for many of Her Majesties Bobbies, who just didnt know what to make of it.

it seems the press found out about it before it happened, and had cameras ready. That kind of ruins it, don't you think?

It doesn't take long for the mainstream to spoil things, bloomin media

[qwerty]

That article contained a link to a web site with flash mob news and announcments. I really think that ruins it. If I remember correctly, raves started out as top-secret events. Part of the fun was that it would take place at some odd location, and you never knew how odd it might be.

Now that flash mobs are being announced, they're just not flash mobs anymore. When the managers of a store get their staff together in the morning and tell them "be prepared, because at 2:45 this afternoon a couple of thousand people will be here asking what colors are available for piston engines," it kind of destroys the fun of a couple of thousand people showing up asking what colors are available for piston engines.

The whole idea was for a group of people to do something inexplicable. Now that we all know about it, people who witness such an event are just going to nod and say "Oh. A flash mob."

Ah well... and I never got to do it. I missed out on raves, too...

[robwatts]

Ah well... and I never got to do it. I missed out on raves, too...

Never mind Bob, Im sure that there will be lots of other crazy things to try.

Heres a suggestion, people could go out and buy a bright illuminous green tshirt and agree to meet up in a major thoroughfare somewhere, space themselves out in a longline, don the tshirts and chant something bizarre for 20 seconds, before just moving on again, without talking to each other. :stunned:

You could alternate it with different locations, chants and color tshirts.

[Scottie]

I definitely would, although by their definition

The mobs are mostly made up of young people but have also included a smattering of City-types and the middle-aged.

I would be "the middle aged" I'm afraid. And dragging a few kids behind me.

And I doubt in my area of the world we could come up with enough Internet-savvy, mobnet-watching people to make a decent mob.

Hmnn... a new project... I could use my community portal site to organize a mob of moms and kids... scary...