Flash mobs
Flash mobs are spontaneous gatherings where participants converge at a predetermined time and place to perform a brief, often absurd act, before quickly dispersing. This phenomenon, which originated from the concept of "smart mobs," gained traction in the early 2000s, with the first organized flash mob taking place in June 2003 at a Macy's store in Manhattan. Bill Wasik, who is credited with this initiation, aimed to comment on societal conformity through these unexpected events. Flash mobs are frequently documented and shared online, with some events, like the "Frozen Grand Central" in 2008, achieving viral status.
Over the years, flash mobs have evolved into a marketing tool, attracting corporate sponsorship for choreographed events. However, the concept has also taken on more troubling implications, particularly in recent years, as some gatherings have been associated with criminal activities. While participants often assert that these events lack deeper social significance, others view them as indicative of the influence of modern communication technologies, echoing their use during significant movements such as the Arab Spring. Overall, flash mobs represent a blend of creativity, social interaction, and commentary on contemporary culture.
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Flash mobs
In a flash mob, participants converge at a predetermined place and time to perform a seemingly absurd act for a brief period. As fast as the people appeared, they disappear, oftentimes leaving bystanders confused and entertained. Marketing companies later mainstreamed the concept of a flash mob.
The concept of flash mobs evolved out of smart mobs, which are groups of people who converge in an area to make a political or commercial statement, a promotional practice first described by Howard Rheingold in his 2002 book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution. The first flash-mob event occurred in June 2003 in Manhattan, New York, at a Macy’s department store. Its creation is attributed to Bill Wasik, the senior editor of Wired magazine. Wasik arranged the flash mob by emailing approximately fifty people and telling them to gather at a shop in Manhattan. Wasik explained that he enjoys watching people come together suddenly, but he also created flash mobs as a comment on conformity in US society.
Flash mobs are commonly filmed and uploaded to the Internet. Many of them have garnered tens of millions of views. One of the most viewed flash-mob videos occurred in January 2008. More than two hundred flash-mob participants converged inside Grand Central Station in New York City and froze in place at the exact same moment. They held this for five minutes and then dispersed. This flash mob was organized by the comedic performance art group Improv Everywhere, which has organized several flash mobs throughout the United States.
Some of the largest flash mobs have included thousands of participants. The largest flash mob organized in the 2000s occurred on March 22, 2008. Thousands of people in cities around the globe participated in pillow fights all at the same moment. In New York City alone, more than five thousand people took part in this event, known as Worldwide Pillow Fight Day.
After they became popular, some companies began using flash mobs as a marketing tool. This became known as “flash-mob marketing.” These events have been sponsored by a variety of companies, including T-Mobile and the Fox network. While flash mobs traditionally have an element of spontaneity, flash-mob marketing events are often heavily choreographed.
In July 2004, the term “flash mob” was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.
The flash mob concept developed more sinister overtones over time. In the 2020s, videos emerged showing mobs of thieves smashing property and taking goods. Like the entertaining flash mobs of old, these events were often organized online. They were successful because the sheer number of participants overwhelmed store employees and security agents.
Impact
Many people involved in flash mobs argue that trying to attach any social or cultural significance to the phenomenon would be missing the point, but others see these events as a reflection of the power of modern communications technology. Those who participated in the Arab Spring in 2010–11, also known as the Arab Revolution, used social media and flash-mob approaches to stage demonstrations and protests.
Bibliography
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Hernandez, Joe. "Videos of 'Flash Mob' Thefts Are Everywhere, but Are the Incidents Increasing?" National Public Radio, 9 Oct. 2023, www.npr.org/2023/10/09/1203697964/flash-mob-retail-thefts. Accessed 22 May 2024.
Molnár, Virág. "Reframing Public Space through Digital Mobilization: Flash Mobs and Contemporary Urban Youth Culture." Space & Culture 17.1 (2014): 43–58. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 6 Feb. 2015.
Walker, Rebecca A. "Fill/Flash/Memory: A History of Flash Mobs." Text & Performance Quarterly 33.2 (2013): 115–132. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 6 Feb. 2015.
Wasik, Bill. “My Crowd: Or, Phase 5—A Report from the Inventor of the Flash Mob.” Harper’s 312.1870 (2006): 55–66. Print.