deconcrete

flash decade

Rush hour at any Central Station of a megalopolis. The watch on the wall strikes 6 pm and a sudden general synchronised applause breaks out, among astonished businessmen returning home.

A world-wide repeated happening which appears to be born in the early 2000s, as a result of Flash Mob initiatives (Bill Wasik). In 2002, Howard Rheingold fixed the appearance of Smart Mobs: the next social revolution, when communication and computing technologies amplify human talents for cooperation; basically, it dealt with new social networking movements aiming actions in public spaces. In its Flash variant, encounters are more about apolitical instant meetings (several minutes long) followed by quick dispersion of participants once the goal is achieved. Megacities in this first decade of 21st century have experienced such happenings in different ways:

*Time freezes> typically during rush hour in central transport stations. everyone freezes his movements for some minutes, to keep on normally walking afterwards. Reminding not to live in a constant hurry.

*Group invasion> originally conceived to buy a Love Rug for an invented commune in a rug store in NewYork, all together. Participants would discuss at the department store which one would fit best in their warehouse-dwelling. Another variant is to pretend to be a tourist group of shopaholics rushing to buy into any exclusive fashion store.

*Naked Bike Ride> worldwide initative to slow down urban traffic by collapsing main streets in city centres. Aiming reduction of pollution and more friendly policies for bikers.

*Peaceful fights> As reported in a post from January (Tactic Winter Day), fighting for fun by throwing either rotten vegetables or snowballs. Another variant is with feather pillows, which was named as Artistic Terrorism according to its Spanish branch activists.

*Subway Party> One of the most famous has been the Circle Line Party Movement in London by Spacehijackers, massively operating since 2003, turning the wagons into funparks by adding playing devices.

*Dancing> Reclaim the Sparkasse organizes instant parties at a determined enclosed ATM during Berlin’s extreme winter, as well as the partner-event Reclaim the Waschsalon does with Laundromat establishments. Organizers carry portable loudspeakers and dj equipment with them.

*Cinema> Hit-&-Run-Kino is a series of spontaneous meetings to briefly squat abandoned buildings in Berlin and watch a movie. Every time in a different location and food, drinks and candles are provided by the organisers.

*Group shopping> the most practical version of Flash Mob initiatives comes from China. The aim is to gather many people wanting to buy any refridgerator (or whatever appliance), so that the group bargaining might result cheaper.

After such an enriched Flash Decade, the only threat for me is that these initiatives do not turn into commercial advertising strategies for brandmarks…

[picture> madrid pillow fight from flowmi]