7/30/2003: Net-organized mob silliness - Page 2

xoxoxoBruce · 08-01-2003, 04:24 PM

Quote:

I admit that I don't fully understand it,

Bored people trying to get laid.

Torrere · 08-01-2003, 10:42 PM

I wonder if these could be the first flash crowds.

I've thought that concept was cool ever since I read [most | almost all] of Niven's short stories in my youth and came across it.

elSicomoro · 08-02-2003, 07:28 AM

One of these days, we're going to do my sheep poetry-inspired plan...

Hey, they're going to be at Morimoto tomorrow here in Philadelphia, imitating Chairman Kaga from Iron Chef.

I like the actions, in the sense that they're just silly. Now I don't know if this is "the next social revolution" (apparently from Howard Rheingold's book), but if they aren't doing anything illegal, what's the harm?

Problems I see with this whole concept:

--Groupthink
--One-upsmanship
--Reaction of those around them

Uryoces · 08-04-2003, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by glatt
Some random person on the web says "go to the park and make bird noises" and so you do? Yes. I'll freely mock anyone that does that.

Headsplice, I admit that I don't fully understand it, but that's not why I mock it. I mock it because the participants don't even understand it. A clearer example of lemmings would be hard to find. While the lemmings do appear to be having fun, that doesn't change their lemming status.

I somewhat admire the person(s) who are organizing this. If they can get this many people to blindly follow them, they are going to go places in this world.

Glatt, it's one thing to gather and make bird noises, and quite another to gather at the edge of a cliff and leap off. I'd like to see everyone get together somewhere and start carrying on like Billy Mays from the Oxyclean commercials:

"Grass stains!!! Clay stains!!! Blood!!! BLOOD!!!" or somesuch.

Torrere · 08-04-2003, 02:52 AM

If I could get a decent-sized group together, I think it would be a lot of fun to go to the park and make bird noises.

Pointless, but fun.

xoxoxoBruce · 08-04-2003, 12:09 PM

Or you could do it and see if you could get a group to gather and maybe join you. Then again you might end up meeting Dr Wolf.

Torrere · 08-04-2003, 09:11 PM

I actually have succeeded in doing something similar before. It starts to work better once you have a handful of people, because it seems to be socially validated.

As I recall, we made a human wall across a pathway -- not exactly the most productive thing to do.

elSicomoro · 08-08-2003, 10:13 AM

Apparently, the first one in Toronto (or maybe it was Canada as a whole) occurred last night. It's been getting quite a bit of attention on CBC Toronto this morning.

glatt · 08-21-2003, 09:52 AM

"One rule of the universe, which is even more reliable than death&taxes, states that a trend is within five minutes of being over once said trend gets an NYT writeup."

Front page of the dead tree edition of the Washington Post today had a fairly long article on flash mobs. That's right. The FRONT PAGE.

It's almost as if the Washington Post was trying to nail the coffin shut.

dar512 · 08-21-2003, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by glatt
Front page of the dead tree edition of the Washington Post today had a fairly long article on flash mobs. That's right. The FRONT PAGE.

It's the silly season.

08-04-2003, 12:09 PM	#21
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Or you could do it and see if you could get a group to gather and maybe join you. Then again you might end up meeting Dr Wolf. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

08-01-2003, 10:42 PM	#17
Torrere a real smartass Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,121	I wonder if these could be the first flash crowds. I've thought that concept was cool ever since I read [most \| almost all] of Niven's short stories in my youth and came across it.

08-02-2003, 07:28 AM	#18
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	One of these days, we're going to do my sheep poetry-inspired plan... Hey, they're going to be at Morimoto tomorrow here in Philadelphia, imitating Chairman Kaga from Iron Chef. I like the actions, in the sense that they're just silly. Now I don't know if this is "the next social revolution" (apparently from Howard Rheingold's book), but if they aren't doing anything illegal, what's the harm? Problems I see with this whole concept: --Groupthink --One-upsmanship --Reaction of those around them

08-04-2003, 02:52 AM	#20
Torrere a real smartass Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,121	If I could get a decent-sized group together, I think it would be a lot of fun to go to the park and make bird noises. Pointless, but fun.

08-04-2003, 09:11 PM	#22
Torrere a real smartass Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,121	I actually have succeeded in doing something similar before. It starts to work better once you have a handful of people, because it seems to be socially validated. As I recall, we made a human wall across a pathway -- not exactly the most productive thing to do.

08-08-2003, 10:13 AM	#23
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Apparently, the first one in Toronto (or maybe it was Canada as a whole) occurred last night. It's been getting quite a bit of attention on CBC Toronto this morning.

08-21-2003, 09:52 AM	#24
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	"One rule of the universe, which is even more reliable than death&taxes, states that a trend is within five minutes of being over once said trend gets an NYT writeup." Front page of the dead tree edition of the Washington Post today had a fairly long article on flash mobs. That's right. The FRONT PAGE. It's almost as if the Washington Post was trying to nail the coffin shut.

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