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For those of you who celebrate Christmas, and anyone who enjoys a good flash mob:
(1) Click here to watch the surprise
performance given on December 18 at a mall in California. (The guys on the escalator are Bert’s favorite.)
(2) Click here to watch 3500 people
— directed by one Omnipotent Voice — meet, dance and sparkle on July 27 in New York City.
(3) Click here to see dancers
unexpectedly perform “Do Re Mi” at the Antwerp Central Station in Belgium in 2009. (If you’re not smiling by the end of this, check thy pulse.)
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December 24th, 2011 at 12:51 am
Interesting. Odd. I enjoyed numbers 1 & 3. But, they were obviously meant to be performances. Those involved were sending messages to those watching. Those involved were wanting to engage and entertain those not participating. An outsider could feel connected with the participants of 1 & 3 because they were meant to connect. It was the goal of the participants of 1 & 3.
I didn’t like number 2, which was more of an actual flash mob of random people. I’ve never been part of a flash mob. I can’t imagine it would ever be something I’d be interested in participating in. So, I can’t really know what it feels like to be a part of the mob. But it seems creepy to me. A large group of people obeying some random and pointless command. Why? Is it to have a common experience? Seems like we could come up with something a bit more constructive and meaningful.
As someone who was always on the outside of things, I don’t see flash mobs as being very conducive to promoting connection. Look at all the confused outsiders who were forced to suffer the onslaught of hoards of black/white T-shirt wearing people barreling toward them, invading their space, attempting to hit them on the hand! If I had been one of those outsider onlookers, I would have been extremely annoyed and offended! And how many of those outsider onlookers remained in the dark about what was going on? Alienated. Those who knew what was going on and those who did not. Like high school all over with the cool kids and the nerds or losers.
I’m sure for those joiner people flash mobs are great fun. On the other hand, I would not mind playing the part of the omnipotent voice. *grins*
December 24th, 2011 at 11:29 am
Confession: I originally posted this as a lazy, vaguely feel-good alternative to actually writing something regarding the holidays. But your feedback made me ask myself why I found these videos appealing.
Hey, I’m no joiner either. I might well have the same reaction as you to finding myself exposed to wholesale cavorting.
But I’ve reached a point in my life where I tend to question my own defensive reaction. What the hell am I so scared of? Engagement? Embarrassment? Having any kind of emotional experience?
You made me realize (and thanks for this) that I envy what I see here, or at least what think I see: a kind of fearlessness, spontaneity, a dropping of defenses, a joyous surrender of numbness and self-consciousness.
And yes, a shared experience with other people — people I don’t even know, but by whom I might (someday) risk being touched.
December 24th, 2011 at 10:54 am
[…] Christmas Flash Mob by Journey of Faith at South Bay Galleria, that Fritzfreud posted on his blog Monkeytraps (thanks […]
December 24th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Thank you so much for that burst of cheer and good will!! I’d forgotten I saw one last year and have to admit I was wishing I’d been in the rehearsals and performances-it looks like so much fun! I see it as a blessing that a group of civic minded people will come together to bring an unexpected gift and spirit to us as we go about our mundane tasks. Quite a reframe for the day!
Happy Holidays to you and Bert,
Ruth Martin
December 25th, 2011 at 12:04 am
Thanks, Ruth. Same to you and yours. 🙂
December 25th, 2011 at 12:57 am
Re: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnt7euRF5Pg
Thanks for such an important gift and reminder of the Human spirit in action.