joegratz.net

Yup, I think the flash mob trend is effectively dead. I have three pieces of evidence. First, it was covered in the NYT Week in Review section. A certain death knell for a cultural trend that depends on insider status. If people look at one and think, “Oh, that must be one of those flash mobs I’ve heard so much about. How delightfully droll,” the point of the exercise is lost. Second, there’s this article, describing an upcoming flash mob in Milwaukee, whose lameness of concept is surpassed only by its disappointing lack of secrecy. I can only hope that this was intentionally leaked to the Journal-Sentinel as a red herring, but I doubt it. Finally, there’s this item in McSweeney’s, which more or less sums it up.