Shawyer dissertation May 2008 final version - The University of ...

Chapter FourFlash Mobs: The Yippie Legacy?Herald Square bustles with activity. Here at the intersection of 34 th Street andBroadway in downtown Manhattan city life moves at a rapid pace. Impatient taxi cabsblast their horns as they hurry fares northwards to the theatre district. The shadow of theEmpire State building looms over commuters rushing west to Penn Station to catch theirtrains. Tourists eagerly snap photos of the impressive white stone façade of Macy’sdepartment store. A steady stream of shoppers flows in and out of the self-described“World’s Largest Store” (Macy’s par. 1). At this famous shopping destination, theywander through the seemingly endless displays of merchandise, experience a piece ofNew York shopping history, and hunt for bargains. They do not expect to witness thebirth of a strange new performance form.Suddenly a large crowd converges on Macy’s rug department. More than 200people assemble near a large carpet in the corner. They stare at it and stroke it. Theydebate whether it would be suitable to purchase as a “love rug” for their commune. Aftersome brief discussion, they decide as a group that the rug is not appropriate. The throngturns away, and quickly exits the store. They slip away alone or in small groups, quietlydisappearing back into the urban ebb and flow. Behind them they leave confusedsalespeople and curious shoppers who, although they do not yet know it, are the firstwitnesses to a new kind of networked performance form: the flash mob.201