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mob report
Jul. 31st, 2003 08:55 pmI feel, inexplicably, very happy. Not that anything that happened this evening was hugely uplifting -- a lot of people gathered in a short time, were vaguely silly, and then dispersed. But something about the demonstrated capacity of people to gather in large numbers, for a moment that has no purpose at all, is deeply pleasing to me.
Individuals certainly had a purpose for being there. I asked anyone I interacted with, "So why are you doing this, as best as you know?" and got a mixture of "it sounded fun" and "I love the absurdity!" The group itself, however, gathered for no purpose -- there's no message, no antagonist, and not even any result beyond the momentary experiences of those participating.
Part of the coolness is just the fact that, ten years ago, this kind of thing was impossible. There's nothing impossible about what anybody did -- we gathered at different places, got our instructions, converged on the card section of the COOP at 7:13pm, and shopped for a card for Bill, who's "from New York." But to have made it happen before the Internet was in wide use would have required a degree of promoting and convincing that would have imbued the event with a purpose. Today people can say in an online forum, "we want to have momentary mass gatherings in public places" and the participants find *them*.
The press was indeed there early, with film crews standing around outside the entrances and inside at the card section. They were ignored, and I heard two interviews that went almost identically: "So, why are you here?" "I'm looking for a card for my friend Bill." "He's from New York, isn't he." "Why yes!" "Why the big group though?" "Oh I don't know why all these other people are here, I'm just looking for a card for Bill." "And why Bill?" "Uh... he's from New York!" "Right. Thanks."
After a few minutes of mob accumulation (there were 2-300 people at peak), folks got quiet, and nothing happened other than card-looking and muzak for a bit. There was no focus of attention, people in the card section were looking every which way, many taking pictures of the surrounding crowd. Some whistling emerged, then faded -- I can't remember the tune (but it wasn't Jeopary). Then there was some rigorous applause, followed by a quiet filing out through various exits.
My new PDA is also a digital camera -- an unlooked-for feature at the time, but I must say having a little camera which requires zero effort to keep on my person is proving to be handy. I'll post pictures soon.
Individuals certainly had a purpose for being there. I asked anyone I interacted with, "So why are you doing this, as best as you know?" and got a mixture of "it sounded fun" and "I love the absurdity!" The group itself, however, gathered for no purpose -- there's no message, no antagonist, and not even any result beyond the momentary experiences of those participating.
Part of the coolness is just the fact that, ten years ago, this kind of thing was impossible. There's nothing impossible about what anybody did -- we gathered at different places, got our instructions, converged on the card section of the COOP at 7:13pm, and shopped for a card for Bill, who's "from New York." But to have made it happen before the Internet was in wide use would have required a degree of promoting and convincing that would have imbued the event with a purpose. Today people can say in an online forum, "we want to have momentary mass gatherings in public places" and the participants find *them*.
The press was indeed there early, with film crews standing around outside the entrances and inside at the card section. They were ignored, and I heard two interviews that went almost identically: "So, why are you here?" "I'm looking for a card for my friend Bill." "He's from New York, isn't he." "Why yes!" "Why the big group though?" "Oh I don't know why all these other people are here, I'm just looking for a card for Bill." "And why Bill?" "Uh... he's from New York!" "Right. Thanks."
After a few minutes of mob accumulation (there were 2-300 people at peak), folks got quiet, and nothing happened other than card-looking and muzak for a bit. There was no focus of attention, people in the card section were looking every which way, many taking pictures of the surrounding crowd. Some whistling emerged, then faded -- I can't remember the tune (but it wasn't Jeopary). Then there was some rigorous applause, followed by a quiet filing out through various exits.
My new PDA is also a digital camera -- an unlooked-for feature at the time, but I must say having a little camera which requires zero effort to keep on my person is proving to be handy. I'll post pictures soon.
