These days when anyone says to me “Hey we’re planning a flash mob, want to join?” or “Hey did you hear about the flash mob that happened there” I’m unashamed to scoff and wave my hand off at the person and even take disinterest in the conversation after that if it continued in the light of the same. No, I do not hate flash mobs and neither am I an anti flash mob-er (I just created this phrase). I’m just one of those people who are tired of talking about flash mobs all the time and opening the newspaper to read about some random flash mob happening in some remote corner of Mumbai, every week, which I don’t think anyone except a handful of people around pay attention to, which neither make the rounds of viral videos online nor stay in the minds of many, unlike the first ever flash mob in India, the C.S.T. flash one. That remains to date, my favourite and the most effective, unlike the numerous others who have tried and failed and the likes of some who even after having a successful viral publicity streak, would sink to the lows of creating havoc on one of the busiest stations in Mumbai, just to get more publicity.

As many people would be unaware of the meaning of a flash mob, I’d like to clear it out. Flash mobs actually have no meaning. They don’t have a social cause to it (exception India), a commercial status, stunts, publicity (exception again India), never a protest or even a reason. They are just done for pure entertainment and are meant to be a surprise for the passer bys. Quite possible that these people are bored in life, but if it gives others a reason to smile and be happy, their boredom turns to be a delight. Frankly, it doesn’t bring any form of surprise or delight on the faces of many here. Rather, it’s that blank I-don’t-know-what’s-happening-but-I’m-still-watching expression on the faces of many who are probably whiling time away just like the performers.

It has hardly been two months since the C.S.T. flash mob and I know for a fact that six have already happened at various places; some of them being the Churchgate ‘Kolaveri Di’, the Marine Drive gay flash mob, the senior citizens’ flash mob at Lower Parel, one by Wilson college students, one at Thane and another one at Bandra. Wait, there’s more that are coming to your memory that I don’t know of? There itself the point is proved that it doesn’t even reach out to a mass. It is noteworthy that everyone knows about the first one but none after that are cared for. But somehow these people have totally forgotten all the age old adages that talk about being first and only the first one is worthy of being remembered but have rather gone forth to being ‘innovative’ in their flash mobs by attaching Causes to them, which by default even dissolves it from being called a Flash mob in the first place.

Everyone in India seems to have a thing for following trends; try out something already tried and then put your own ingredients to it to appeal to the mass by calling it ‘creative’. One person starts a dance, others join it, eventually a group starts dancing, people look, click pictures, take videos, clap and then walk off. Very creative. Even Mojo Jojo tried doing that while creating his version of the Powerpuff Girls but ended up creating the Rowdyruff Boys who eventually died. I bet some of you don’t know this episode either. Hell if these people were really creative, they’d think of better ways to entertain the people and sell their stuff than dancing like a bunch of bored people.

Overusing anything will definitely kill it.

At first the idea of the flash mob amused me, even made me wish to have been a part of it but now I really don’t think I have the enthusiasm for it after seeing so many flash mobs every week. If there were to be a record in the Guiness Book for maximum number of flash mobs in a particular time India would take away the prize. Oh and this is just Mumbai I’m talking about, let’s not forget the epic fail one in Delhi and the many ones that may have happened in other cities, gone unnoticed. Big surprise there.

There may be many out there who’d have contrary views as to how flash mobs can be used effectively, more reach to people, yadda yadda, I get your point but monotony sucks the life out of anything. Imagine going to college everyday and having Subway for lunch. In the beginning you would love it because it’s healthy, filling etc.etc. But soon you’ll be bored to death of eating it all the time (only if you are a normal person) and then there may even come a time when you’ll cringe to even think of it. It’s exactly the same with flash mobs. Too many is just too much to digest in this case.