With the discussion of smart mobs, I find myself thinking about their presence in society today. From high gas prices to email/letter writing campaigns, smart mobs utilize technology to send mass communication to assemble and achieve their goals. Although they do not have a true leader, it only takes one person or action to stir the group into action and set the wheels rolling.
One of my favorite examples is in the movie V for Vendetta, where V, stirs the population of England into action a year in advance of their final mob assembly. Although he sets actions in motion, he truly does not control the group after that first initial push in the right direction.
The citizens of London grow more and more agitated by the government and finally meet at the prearranged point a year later without any input from V himself. Although it is up for debate I think the assembly at the end of the movie is a prime example of a smart mob because people just start showing up, and then their friends catch on and their friends catch on, and before you know it, there is an enormous crowd all with white masks filling the screen.
Needless to say, they achieved their objective through forming ideas quickly, high connectivity, and mass communication and internal coordination without much if any input from the originator of the movement......
..........because he was busy blowing up parliment with a subway car.
Power to the people.
I dig it! This is a perfect example of inciting some sort of idea, communicating with hundreds or thousands of people through technology (i.e. high jacked TV programing, etc.), and then letting the movement take on a life of its own.
ReplyDeleteI think this is especially impressive when imposed on a distopian totalitarian type society because his methods are very illegal and dangerous. I doubt common text messages or e-mails would work (although the movie never goes into the details) here because of the government intervention in the lives of the people. Definitely a reason for government's to adhere to the wishes of the people.
I really like V for Vendetta and think this is a great connection. The English citizens seem to mobilize quite quickly in this movie even with the large government control in their lives. I guess this movie shows that with enough determination and a little spark(or explosion) people can unite for a common goal.
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