Can A Spontaneous Mob of Strangers Change The World?
If the power of the internet is enough to persuade people to go to work without pants on, I wonder if it could mobilize people to make a spontaneous and meaningful difference.
I am intrigued by the current flash mob trend where people, who have never met, come together for an impromptu dance, prank, stunt or performance.
(You may remember hearing about Improv Everywhere’s flash mob where hundreds of people stood frozen in Grand Central Station in New York.)
Out of the flash mob culture, Carrotmob was born, a network of consumers working together to reward businesses that make the most socially responsible decisions.
In the first ever Carrotmob event, a liquor store agreed to invest in upgrades that made their store more energy-efficient.
To reward their efforts, hundreds of Carrotmobbers showed up at once to support the winning store.
The line of carrot mobbers extended out the door and around the corner. (And consequently attracted other shoppers.)
Last weekend, my colleague Catherine participated in a local crop mob.
A crop mob is sometimes a group of young, landless, and wannabe farmers and sometimes experienced farmers and gardeners, who organize help sustaining small, organic farms on the fly.
The crop mobbers believe that working together builds and empowers communities.
It sounds a lot like a community volunteer project, right?
In her recent post called Mobbin‘, Marcia Stepanek of Cause Global asked if Cause Mobs are next.
I’m interested in the idea of Cause Mobs, but also a little conflicted.
On one hand, I am intrigued.
It could be phenomenally inspiring to those participating, and those who witness, to see hundreds or thousands of people spontaneously contribute to the social good.
At the same time, the seasoned volunteer manager in me furrows her brow and skips right to the details of implementation.
“How can we make sure the Cause Mob meets a real, unmet need?” my inner volunteer manager asks skeptically?
“How will we know we if we are going to have too many or too few Cause Mobbers?”
“What if too many or too few makes the project ineffective, or worse, what if too much or too little participation causes the project fail?”
[My inner volunteer manager can be a bit of a curmudgeon.]
Assuming the details could be worked out, what types of Cause Mobs might work?
If we organized a Cause Mob food drive could we set a record for the largest amount of food collected in the shortest period of time?
Could we create a park out of a reclaimed brown field in a single afternoon?
What ideas do you have?
How would you ask a spontaneously assembled crowd of strangers to change the world?
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Hi. Do anyone remember the wireless commercial recently where a young boy with a cell phone is in a car and passes by a garden that is in disrepair. He sends out a text or email and a “flash mob” of sorts descends on the garden to refurbish it. I’m trying to find that commercial because I think the idea of a Cause Mob is a GREAT idea.
Jessica, do you believe the idea of a Cause Mob can work?
I meant “does” anyone . . . sorry
Alisa,
Do you mean this commercial? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RiCbfxla_w&feature=player_embedded#!
I think a cause mob could work in the right context.
Best,
Jessica
Flash-mobs are good on general principal.We need more humor and creative,generous people in our lives.
Cause-mobs are vital to addressing things that government or communities either won’t,can’t,take too long accomplishing or don’t know how to address a need.Get the red tape mob out of the works and works can be done.
[...] reader mentioned this commercial in the comments for a post that asked, “Can A Spontaneous Mob of Strangers Change The World?” a few days ago, and it’s been rolling around in my head since [...]
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