The anthropology of flash mobs
My goodness, it feels like forever since I've wrote written something somewhat scholarly; it hurts. I have weird interests and I write peculiarly, too. Flash mobs have garnered my attention for sometime now and I've been wanting to write about them; writing for class is a good reason, but I'm planning to expand and these ideas and write a short paper and submit it to our university's globalization journal. Now, I'm going prepare for my thesis presentation on surrogacy, for Wednesday. My thesis advisor of last year asked me to present in his Anthropology of Sex and Consequences class and I'm pretty excited. We all know the consequences of sex...
Anyway, enough pre-amble, more dancing.
It is 11:00AM at Liverpool Street Station; ordinary people weave past each other and are still in motion because they are constantly arriving and leaving, hopping on or off a train. Suddenly, a burst of music broadcast over the intercom interrupts the regular sound of people walking, the turning of luggage wheels, and the occasionally audible cell-phone conversation. One person starts dancing. A few people notice. In a few seconds, the song commands everyone’s attention, “You know you make me want to shout!”More people start dancing. The choreography spreads from one person to three; then three to more, and more. With each change in direction and song excerpt, more people join in until the seemingly spontaneous mass of people, organize themselves within the space and resemble a swimming pool of synchronized dancers of all ages. Everyone at the train station becomes part of the flash mob, whether as spectators, dancers, or commuters whose routines are temporarily disrupted.
Ever since I had first watched the video of the Philippine prisoners dressed in their fluorescent orange clothes perform Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” on youtube, I became fascinated by the dance videos online. From the baby bopping around imitating Beyonce, to becoming the 100 "single ladies" in London, to the people in the streets for Vancouver 2010, to the Gleeks all around the globe - flash mobs are forming and perhaps one ordinary day you will find yourself unexpectedly part of one, starting one, recording one, promoting one.
For these reasons, I think of these dance performances, “flash mobs” as a rich, interactive experience - whether as an internet participant-observer or an actual person in real-time at the performance - an activity that harnesses our new communications technology to organize, gather, and take over a temporary space, perform, and then dissolve again into ordinary routine.
First, I have pulled a few definitions, from dictionary.com for each word:
FLASH -noun
2. a sudden, brief outburst or display of joy, wit, etc.
3. a very brief moment; instant: I'll be back in a flash.
19. to burst suddenly into view or perception
22. to break into sudden action.
25. to dash or splash, as the sea or waves.
30. to communicate instantaneously, as by radio or telegraph.
31. to make an ostentatious display of: He's forever flashing a large roll of bills.
MOB -noun
1. a disorderly or riotous crowd of people.
2. a crowd bent on or engaged in lawless violence.
3. any group or collection of persons or things.
4. the common people; the masses; populace or multitude.
7. Sociology. a group of persons stimulating one another to excitement and losing ordinary rational control over their activity.
10. directed at or reflecting the lowest intellectual level of the common people: mob appeal; the mob mentality.
These definitions begin to outline the nature of a “flash mob”.
To explore some of my questions and formulate my arguments, I will use concepts from class, from the first few modules on globalization and identity. I’ll also bring in some of my knowledge from previous anthropology classes, specifically in social organization with focus on dance/immigration, and visual anthropology but I do not want to limit my future analysis to these frameworks.
When I think of the nature of flash mobs, I think about the mound-builders of the past. In archaeology, the Adena culture is marked by major earthworks, such as the Serpent Mound in Ohio. In the same way that these physical constructions required social organization of a group of people (e.g. by forced and hierarchical labour, or religion etc.), I view that flash mobs to require the same element of planning, and requiring that individuals share the same motivations for the performance to happen. Despite the activity of a flash mob appearing to be spontaneous, dancers often organize themselves by using the internet. e.g. setting up events by mass-email, blog posts, twittering etc. Perhaps these video recordings of flash mob performances are our own form of Serpent Mounds. I think in both instances, the activities are about our desire to express, communicate, and build community.
With the first video that I open this blog post with, the T-Mobile advertisement - you can see that people of all ages, gender, are present and engaged in the performance. It is hard to tell who is watching and dancing as an ‘outsider’ or who is an ‘actual’, choreographed, rehearsed dancer. In module two readings, we examined identity and culture by turning to Douglas Kellner. He articulates that media images shape our sense of identity and values; in this case, attractive and effective marketing by use of symbols through branding. In general discussion questions could be generated about the authenticity of experience, and whether flash mobs constitute ‘high’ or ‘low’ culture; specifically, Kellner (2006) references Duchamp’s urinal as the rejection of art object is relevant to understanding flash mobs. For these reasons, the making-of the T-Mobile dance video which is viewable online, is an interesting invitation to people who are curious about the process.
Also check out, Thrill The World: students at Lakehead University took part and joined together at the Agora to perform.
The flash mob videos that I’ve watched on youtube, that I have linked to earlier give a sense of the fun, spontaneous, and interactive nature of flash mobs, often performed as a tribute or to imitate our favourite bands and uploaded in response to a previous video. Is this activity merely superficial, is it artistic? I would argue that flash mobs are a powerful activity to engage in; many of the topics in our course readings are very serious topics to do with power, violence, oppression, climate change for example. With a sense of urgency and creativity, I think flash mobs could attract and bring awareness to such difficult topics to new audiences and bring to the forefront a focused political edge. Of course, on the other hand, there could be negative consequences of such a large gathering of people, in the form of anarchy or chaos which I could explore in another posting or in the future, as a student of anthropology. Our communications technologies allow the (privileged) individual to express, connect, record, share almost instantaneously; thing is, there are so many individual you and I’s that it makes for a big, interesting, kaleidoscopic picture.
Situating flash mobs as an activity embedded in globalization, scholar Warwick Murray (2006) talks about some of the processes of globalization, which is not a static “thing” and changing itself. To re-cap, Murray highlights:
• Homogenization
• Shrinking distances, changes in accessibility
• Embracing technology
• Impacts on the local and global processes
Flash mobs reflect these globalization processes through the consumption of music and dance.
There is not a large body of literature specifically on this topic of “flash mobs”, but I did explore a few links that inspired my writings now. Regardless, I think flash mobs present an opportunity for studying the ways we consume and produce new media on a global-level, and the underlying social-political implications, for example.
Flash mobs, I argue, are ways for us to: celebrate, advertise, protest, and pay tribute. It is an activity that is meant to be recorded, replayed, shared, repeated, broadcast and talked about.
Anyway, enough pre-amble, more dancing.
It is 11:00AM at Liverpool Street Station; ordinary people weave past each other and are still in motion because they are constantly arriving and leaving, hopping on or off a train. Suddenly, a burst of music broadcast over the intercom interrupts the regular sound of people walking, the turning of luggage wheels, and the occasionally audible cell-phone conversation. One person starts dancing. A few people notice. In a few seconds, the song commands everyone’s attention, “You know you make me want to shout!”More people start dancing. The choreography spreads from one person to three; then three to more, and more. With each change in direction and song excerpt, more people join in until the seemingly spontaneous mass of people, organize themselves within the space and resemble a swimming pool of synchronized dancers of all ages. Everyone at the train station becomes part of the flash mob, whether as spectators, dancers, or commuters whose routines are temporarily disrupted.
Ever since I had first watched the video of the Philippine prisoners dressed in their fluorescent orange clothes perform Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” on youtube, I became fascinated by the dance videos online. From the baby bopping around imitating Beyonce, to becoming the 100 "single ladies" in London, to the people in the streets for Vancouver 2010, to the Gleeks all around the globe - flash mobs are forming and perhaps one ordinary day you will find yourself unexpectedly part of one, starting one, recording one, promoting one.
For these reasons, I think of these dance performances, “flash mobs” as a rich, interactive experience - whether as an internet participant-observer or an actual person in real-time at the performance - an activity that harnesses our new communications technology to organize, gather, and take over a temporary space, perform, and then dissolve again into ordinary routine.
First, I have pulled a few definitions, from dictionary.com for each word:
FLASH -noun
2. a sudden, brief outburst or display of joy, wit, etc.
3. a very brief moment; instant: I'll be back in a flash.
19. to burst suddenly into view or perception
22. to break into sudden action.
25. to dash or splash, as the sea or waves.
30. to communicate instantaneously, as by radio or telegraph.
31. to make an ostentatious display of: He's forever flashing a large roll of bills.
MOB -noun
1. a disorderly or riotous crowd of people.
2. a crowd bent on or engaged in lawless violence.
3. any group or collection of persons or things.
4. the common people; the masses; populace or multitude.
7. Sociology. a group of persons stimulating one another to excitement and losing ordinary rational control over their activity.
10. directed at or reflecting the lowest intellectual level of the common people: mob appeal; the mob mentality.
These definitions begin to outline the nature of a “flash mob”.
To explore some of my questions and formulate my arguments, I will use concepts from class, from the first few modules on globalization and identity. I’ll also bring in some of my knowledge from previous anthropology classes, specifically in social organization with focus on dance/immigration, and visual anthropology but I do not want to limit my future analysis to these frameworks.
When I think of the nature of flash mobs, I think about the mound-builders of the past. In archaeology, the Adena culture is marked by major earthworks, such as the Serpent Mound in Ohio. In the same way that these physical constructions required social organization of a group of people (e.g. by forced and hierarchical labour, or religion etc.), I view that flash mobs to require the same element of planning, and requiring that individuals share the same motivations for the performance to happen. Despite the activity of a flash mob appearing to be spontaneous, dancers often organize themselves by using the internet. e.g. setting up events by mass-email, blog posts, twittering etc. Perhaps these video recordings of flash mob performances are our own form of Serpent Mounds. I think in both instances, the activities are about our desire to express, communicate, and build community.
With the first video that I open this blog post with, the T-Mobile advertisement - you can see that people of all ages, gender, are present and engaged in the performance. It is hard to tell who is watching and dancing as an ‘outsider’ or who is an ‘actual’, choreographed, rehearsed dancer. In module two readings, we examined identity and culture by turning to Douglas Kellner. He articulates that media images shape our sense of identity and values; in this case, attractive and effective marketing by use of symbols through branding. In general discussion questions could be generated about the authenticity of experience, and whether flash mobs constitute ‘high’ or ‘low’ culture; specifically, Kellner (2006) references Duchamp’s urinal as the rejection of art object is relevant to understanding flash mobs. For these reasons, the making-of the T-Mobile dance video which is viewable online, is an interesting invitation to people who are curious about the process.
Also check out, Thrill The World: students at Lakehead University took part and joined together at the Agora to perform.
The flash mob videos that I’ve watched on youtube, that I have linked to earlier give a sense of the fun, spontaneous, and interactive nature of flash mobs, often performed as a tribute or to imitate our favourite bands and uploaded in response to a previous video. Is this activity merely superficial, is it artistic? I would argue that flash mobs are a powerful activity to engage in; many of the topics in our course readings are very serious topics to do with power, violence, oppression, climate change for example. With a sense of urgency and creativity, I think flash mobs could attract and bring awareness to such difficult topics to new audiences and bring to the forefront a focused political edge. Of course, on the other hand, there could be negative consequences of such a large gathering of people, in the form of anarchy or chaos which I could explore in another posting or in the future, as a student of anthropology. Our communications technologies allow the (privileged) individual to express, connect, record, share almost instantaneously; thing is, there are so many individual you and I’s that it makes for a big, interesting, kaleidoscopic picture.
Situating flash mobs as an activity embedded in globalization, scholar Warwick Murray (2006) talks about some of the processes of globalization, which is not a static “thing” and changing itself. To re-cap, Murray highlights:
• Homogenization
• Shrinking distances, changes in accessibility
• Embracing technology
• Impacts on the local and global processes
Flash mobs reflect these globalization processes through the consumption of music and dance.
There is not a large body of literature specifically on this topic of “flash mobs”, but I did explore a few links that inspired my writings now. Regardless, I think flash mobs present an opportunity for studying the ways we consume and produce new media on a global-level, and the underlying social-political implications, for example.
Flash mobs, I argue, are ways for us to: celebrate, advertise, protest, and pay tribute. It is an activity that is meant to be recorded, replayed, shared, repeated, broadcast and talked about.