Does anyone else hate flash mobs?

I’ve thought it was stupid from the beginning.

I think streaking was more original

I love them. That doesn’t make you a grouch.

I know about them but I’ve never seen one so I can’t judge. I don;t think I’d think it was cool. I tend not to like mob mentality things. I suppose this would apply to fun things as well as stupid and destructive things. I would guess that makes me a grouch. Luckily, I don’t have to deal with flash mobs like you do. I feel for you.

I’m not sure why being part of a flash mob is reason to be an elitist. Elitist and smug attitudes bother me, obviously, but I don’t really associate that with flash mobs. I’ve never participated in one, but I saw a video of one in Berkeley and it looked pretty cool to me.

Flash mobs are, or at least were originally, a form of art. They are a type of happening that appropriates the form of a smart mob for aesthetic purposes. Like all artistic endeavors, though, they can be better or worse conceived. They can also be imitated by people who don’t understand the artistic origins of the form and thus become nothing more than group activities called flash mobs by their participants. It seems to me the proper stance to take to flash mobs, then, is approval or disapproval on a case by case basis. Just as we would not dismiss all of music on the basis of a single bad piece, so should we not dismiss all flash mobs on the basis of a few poorly conceived instances.

Get yourself a big bag of marbles then.

I like the fact that people aren’t afraid to dance in public. The body’s expressions through movements are beautiful and dancing as an expression of emotions is an under appreciated art. I know that the Harlem shake is far from that, but I’d like to image a world where it’s socially acceptable to dance in the streets without being a public disturbance. Baby steps like this may get us there.

I think it depends on what exactly the flash mob does. Some of the videos I’ve seen are fantastic, even beautiful and moving. And some are just pretty lame. I don’t get the Harlem Shake thing at all, though, flash mob or not.

Sounds like something the Situationists might have invented… Definite revolutionary potential…Something like that could get you shot in Syria or elsewhere… But the way they tend to work, they are often just a manifestation of late-capitalist spectacle…
Or, as usual, what @SavoirFaire said…

Or they are a great big unanticipated gift.

I haven’t experienced a live one, but I think they’d be fun to do. For a group to suddenly burst into song and or dance without forewarning would be a kick.

I think they’re entertaining and I would never mind seeing one in public. I can’t imagine seeing flash mobs so much that they became irritating to me….I have never seen one. Only videos. I think the Harlem Shake is funny. The world should be less serious and have more random dancing.

For some, life will consist of going to work, coming home, then going to work. Life can get very boring and mundane and it becomes very easy to lose sight of any variance or real fun in life.

It bothers me that you’re complaining about humans having fun. Get a grip.

I’ve never seen one in person. I’ve seen plenty on the internet and TV. I think they look really fun. If I saw one, it would most likely brighten up my week. I’d rather have flash mobs (even badly performed ones) than mass killings any day.

Hitler should’ve had his troops dance to show tunes at those hysterical nazi rallies, that woulda been cool as fuck & maybe relaxed tensions a little…who knows, maybe even ended the war early :-)

Oh I had a dream a few nights ago which had a break out mob dance!! Thankfully it wasn’t the harem shake and it was kind of cool.

I have a problem with flash mobs that tie up stairways so they can dance on them, but other than that I don’t mind.

As for the Harlem Shake, there is exactly one version of that I liked; this one.

<—Had to google Harlem Shake.

Ok, that is not what I consider a flash mob… All the Harlem ones I found were in offices/homes where everyone participated.

These are what flash mobs are to me. The link to view the whole list is at the bottom of the blog.

Oh come on, how is this and especially this not amazingly awesome?

@ucme , makes me think of the India/Pakistan border

@uberbatman Those are my favorite kinds!

@uberbatman Those are awesome! Love the instrumental types.

This is the first one I ever saw. Loved it!

@augustlan Haha, awesome!

@augustlan Amazing. Thanks for that.

@augustlan I saw that one a while ago, loved it as well. I love anything that involves random acts of music :)

@uberbatman That Star Wars one is incredible. Anyone who doesn’t like that is a STRAIGHT UP GRINCH.