Love Flash #1
Here's something interesting. Only a day or two after the announcement that Mob #8 will be the last New York mob, there's news of a new type of event. 'Love Flash #1' promises a 'Rally for Goodness' based on a 30 minute street chalking party.
Flash Mobs started out as 'pointless acts of random silliness' and it was inevitable that they should evolve. We had the one-off mob in Birmingham, UK, which donated clothes to Oxfam and there is no doubt that we shall see the basic 'technique' adapted further.
But Love Flash #1 differs from previous mobs in other ways. For a start, the activity itself is already known. No doubt, there will be plenty of scope for improvisation on the day, but we know it is going to be a chance for folks to express themselves artistically using sidewalk chalk.
Secondly, it is 30 minutes long - not so much a 'flash mob' as a 'slow burn mob'. Of course, this is a necessary function of the activity itself and it will be interesting to see whether people actually disperse at the end leaving onlookers with a sense of wonderment and mild confusion, or whether people will hang around until they've finished their piece of art.
The third important difference is the organisers' plan to make this as global an experience as possible by streaming coverage of the event as it happens over the internet.
From the organisers:
Love Flash #1 is scheduled in Manhattan this Saturday and will be broadcast live over the Internet.
What is Love Flash?
>It is not your typical Flash Mob
Why is it different?
>It has a purpose.
>It is no longer localized, it is globalized
What is the purpose?
>Giving the world the opportunity to creatively express themselves
How is it globalized?
>Streaming Media broadcast on the Internet
Who, What, When, Where, Why, How?
>www.prudenia.net
Posted by Fred at August 28, 2003 07:06 PM
I don't know what significance this may have (if any) but it appears that the organisers of the Love Flash have been involved with (last?) June's "Maxim's Hot 100 TV Special" on NBC, at least as far as its promotion was concerned. see:
http://www.prudenia.net/images/Maxim/Maxim/P6120009.JPG
These people are clearly experienced street chalkers but is this atypical evolution the brainchild of the broadcast media? If so, does that matter?
I just thought people should be aware of this...
Well, I did do a maxim promotion. Found it on craigslist. Actually the advertising company denied my existence, because they didn't want to get in trouble with police. Got paid three hundred dollars.
There is no hidden adgenda. it is for goodness.
Does it really matter? What is most important is that we all get together, share and grow, Nothing stays "underground" forever, especially something as worldwide as Flashmobbing/Nervouseness/Bookcrossing/Smartmob/Bloger/Tribe et al. It's ALL bound to "catch on" and go global "overnight" sooner or later. Don't worry, the next thing is just around the corner to be "mainstreamed" and "sold out". If you don't like it, create your own movement/happening/event/following/whatever. Who's to blame? we all are. In other words, it doesn't matter. What matters is people think these kind of things up and try to make the world a better place (maybe temporary) for all of us.
-MK
responses can be made to my URL or email
I think what this is bringing to light is the question of what "Flash Mob" principles actually are. If a splintering of mob participants into sub-groups (those who bother to stick with it, anyway) happens, it will likely be because people disagree on what FMs should or should not include.
In my mind, some of the essential elements of a FM are anonymous origins, sudden beginnings and endings, short durations and 'inexplicability.' By this definition, the "Love Flash" has basically none of the elements of a "Flash Mob," and thus is simply a bunch of people making a mess of the sidewalk. That's not a bad thing, necessarily, but nothing I feel inclined to watch a webcast of.
Without a general consensus on what, exactly, makes a FM you could call virtually *any* gathering of people a 'Flash Mob' and convince some news station or other to interview you.
Stretch your rules and expand your narrow imagination lest you become a flash mob snob with flash mob principles and ethics and a PHD in flash mobbing. Allow for the possibility that sooner or later this fine idea of a flash mob will evolve.
This is the evolutionary progression of dada nonsense - a child's game in comparison to the possibilities that lie in this newly disovered internet convoy tool. Enter a new realm of internet convocations with a flavor of purpose. And to top it off --- a purpose of goodness!
This world needs much more of that and much less of doubt and fear and anger and pessimism ... and not to mention the regression granddaddy -- strict definitions in flash mob etiquette.
Ill be around to film these and stuff but the idea of sitting on a pavement drawing shit is kinda not the root of the flashmob.
I enjoy the randomness the fact hundreds turn up do something wacky then leave as if they had never been there. No Agenda, No Reason, No Politics, No Collection.
Giving the flashmobs an agenda and calling it "EVOLUTION" is just aload of bollocks to launch a second naff version.
what's up people. evilution. no. minilution yes. everybody is a critic and the point is critical of what? creatining? change? the question is what is a flash mob? is it to manipulate mob mentality so that if you can get a group of people together to perform silly mindless acts. wow!?! o.k. whateverer. than, i thinks it's great thet someone is using the same instigator to envoke creativity and unity. and it was pretty cool to see the work in progress. s
Er.....Yeah
I checked out the site. And there is video of the event. It was really cool. Go Love Flash! I hope something like this happens in LA.
What an incredibly stupid event. Half-baked happyhappy crapola. Blech.
ZEE you low-life bitch! still can't stop me posting, huh? flash-knob novelty already wearing off, is it? think you're something, don't yah? you're a f***ing nobody mate!
Is anyone aware that we are at the precipice of something incomprehensible?, something that, once it happens, we will be damn lucky if we are conscious enough to clock it. The only way that we can ride the gigantic wave of what is before is to place our awareness in the moment. To stay awake, awake and to remain watchful. So watch people, watch love flash, watch flash mob. Tune in but don't drop out.