"Smart" Mobs

Instantaneous communication has changed not only how people get information, but also how people get together to show their views, and document it. A mob can descend on an empty location, and give there message at a moments notice, and have it streamed on the web live so people everywhere can know what is going on. This instantaneity can have a greater impact and send a stronger message because people do not always know it is coming. In the case of a protest, when police know when and where there is going to be a protest, they get ready and do what they can to suppress it. However, when the Filipinos overthrew their government, the protest was spurred by a decision made by the government, and put into action on a moments notice. Nothing could be done to stop it, and because of this, it packed a punch and caused a huge change.

While smart mobs can form on an instant from mass text messages, once the mob is formed it is just as difficult to organize as an old fashioned mob. For example, when President Obama was elected people in Santa Cruz immediately rushed downtown in celebration. When the first people got there mass text messages were sent out, phone calls were made, and the streets soon became flooded with people. Because of how the mob was formed it was a smart mob. However, once a “smart mob” is formed it just becomes a mob where mob mentality rules. Similar to when Loren Carpenter did the test with two colored paddles in an auditorium, people still look to others for cues, and do things that they would not normally do themselves. One person would jump on a car in excitement then others would do the same. Even though it was a celebration, one could still sense that in a moment, with a small spark, the mob would erupt and something bad would happen. A chant would start from one person the people near them took up the chant. The chant would oscillate outwards, until another chant was started by another person and spread throughout the crowd. The large mob was a group because they were all there for the same reason; however, even though it was a “smart mob,” the group was split up into sections. Even with text messaging and other technological aides, people at one end had no idea what was going on at the other end of the celebration.

While “smart mobs” can form on an instants notice and therefore send a stronger message, a mob is still a large group of people run by mob mentality. They are able to use modern technology to their advantage, but unless it is a highly organized group of people, such as at the World Trade Organization protest in Seattle, nothing will prevent a “smart mob” from doing something stupid.

—Daniel Wagman