Showing Up: Fight the Internet for the Soul of Critical Mass!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Marrrrk. on March 8, 2010 at 7:57am

Actually, yeah. The whole reason I go to Critical Mass is for fun. Riding bikes is fun. Riding bikes with other people is even better...

If you want a more organized, non-fun driven ride that YOU can control, perhaps you should start your own.

Pete Fein said:

And thus peace was achieved on earth. Seriously people, is that all you care about?
Marrrrk. said:

I went. I had fun.

The End.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on March 8, 2010 at 8:43am

What is it supposed to be then?

Isn't mass what you make it?

I want it to be a fun bike ride to celebrate the joys of riding a bike, what do you want it to be?

Mass has no leaders and everyone is a leader which when combined with the 'mass is what you make it' thing the long and short of it is that if you don't like what it is or how it is do something to change it.

I find it interesting that you have meandered all over the place and bitched, moaned and complained in every direction aren't actually doing anything beyond that. Unless you plan on showing up to the next WPCM with maps and fliers and put the effort that you are telling others to put in you need to shut up.

Pete Fein said:

As I said earlier, if that's all you're taking away from Critical Mass, we're doing something wrong.

People, am I on crack here? In this thread, we've had CM described as usually a drunken clueless mob, the point of which is to have a good time. Is that all we are/were/want to be? Does anyone else who's been at this more than a few months see a problem here?

notoriousDUG said:

I'm pretty sure the whole point of the event is to have fun...

So yeah, there ya go.

Pete Fein said:

And thus peace was achieved on earth. Seriously people, is that all you care about?

Marrrrk. said:

I went. I had fun.

The End.

Permalink Reply by Pete Fein on March 8, 2010 at 9:04am

Lee Diamond said:

Pete,

Of all the silly, silliness that exists on the internets, your ranting about them on the internet may be the ultimate incongruity.

Yeah, fair enough. I've hit "Stop Following" a few times already, but it appears to be broken. Guess I'll resort to client-side measures. See ya.

Permalink Reply by Pete Fein on March 8, 2010 at 9:43am

And, for the record, I think I had a really important point to make here, but it got totally lost in the course of my acting like a jerk. Sorry 'bout that. ;(

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on March 8, 2010 at 10:13am

Well then what is the point? Restate the point of your original post with no commentary beyond a clear and concise statement about what it is you wish to say.

It seems the only point you have been trying to make is that the ride was not as organized as you want it and it is all the fault of The Chainlink but maybe I am confused as to your actual point.

Pete Fein said:

And, for the record, I think I had a really important point to make here, but it got totally lost in the course of my acting like a jerk. Sorry 'bout that. ;(

Permalink Reply by wig [ isaac ] on March 8, 2010 at 11:25am

20 people riding bikes with no place to go.. Sorry I missed it. Next time I'll be there sounds like a lot of fun.
Peace.

Permalink Reply by Pete Fein on March 8, 2010 at 2:24pm

Twenty people showed up on Friday for Wicker Park Critical Mass. Fifteen of them (3/4ths) heard about it through The Chainlink and had never been on any Critical Mass ride before. These folks went home with the idea that Critical Mass is "usually a [drunken] clueless mob" "the whole point of [which] is to have fun" (your words, not mine). During the ride, we repeatedly rode into oncoming traffic, antagonized drivers, nearly ditched our slower riders and generally followed the crowd without thinking & acting for ourselves. That hardly lives up to the ideal of the Mass (and I'm happy to provide more references than y'all care to read to that effect).

Getting people to show up is easier than ever, thanks to the Internet. That's a good thing. Transmitting the practices and values that make Critical Mass different from just a mob of bikes is as hard as it's ever been. It requires the continuous, active, on the ground involvement of the 'old hands' - and the cultivation of new ones. When we call for a Mass and then don't turn out to pass on our culture, we run the risk of losing it entirely.

The Chainlink is an incredibly powerful tool for organizing and recruiting. We could probably get 20 people to show up uninvited at Howard's house next week for a party. However, it's not the only tool - we still need to flyer - and more importantly, to ride. Otherwise we're no more than an echo chamber, and a Critical Mass in name only.

I ride Critical Mass every day of my life, even those days I don't get on my bicycle. I'm proud of that, and incredibly grateful to many people in this community for what they've taught me. But I'm scared and angry to see us at risk of losing what makes us us through negligence.

notoriousDUG said:

Well then what is the point? Restate the point of your original post with no commentary beyond a clear and concise statement about what it is you wish to say.

It seems the only point you have been trying to make is that the ride was not as organized as you want it and it is all the fault of The Chainlink but maybe I am confused as to your actual point.

Pete Fein said:

And, for the record, I think I had a really important point to make here, but it got totally lost in the course of my acting like a jerk. Sorry 'bout that. ;(

Permalink Reply by dan brown on March 8, 2010 at 2:37pm

here's my story (it's sad but true)


(background)
I wasn't planning on doing it at 4pm (I was not prepared with enough layers)
I said...screw it, I'm going.
waiting around for 40 minutes I was freezing (I handed out one Miller High Life btw)

I never warmed up (the temp was dropping (yeah...this is Chicago))
(btw - there was confusion at Damen Ave) - some went north, some went NW

*I* was the guy who turned and went in Cermak (I was freezing / starving and 2 blocks from home)

I didn't want to go a a bar at Foster Ave and drink...so I went home

the big Mass works because it is just that...a Mass. Yes - a map / route is needed (esp. with a theme)


Hey...20 ppl is more then the Feb version. IIRC it was 5 or 7 of us riding to the coffee shop for the
opening of the bike art show (and it was snowing pretty good too)


DB (don't shoot the messenger)


T.J. said:

Me too ,I maybe new to cm riding, but I had fun aswell! ....... the end

Marrrrk. said:

I went. I had fun.












The End.

Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on March 8, 2010 at 2:52pm

These folks went home with the idea that Critical Mass is "usually a [drunken] clueless mob" "the whole point of [which] is to have fun" (your words, not mine).

How is this inaccurate? Riding CCM is basically what turned me into a hardcore cyclist and it did so precisely because it's a semi-drunken, clueless mob of people out to have fun. Greybeards preaching about the solemn responsibilities that go along with riding in it would have been a huge turn off. Obviously you don't want people riding into oncoming traffic and you probably don't want to ditch slower riders but otherwise I'm not seeing the problem, especially as the couple of times I've been to WPCM it was, if anything, way too sedate and orderly to be any fun at all.

Permalink Reply by Marco Rayos on March 8, 2010 at 3:14pm

People please, let us not lose the focus here. Are we not all still in agreement with the fact that we all Love our bikes and riding them. Let's not set such ideals higher than necessary, lest we look like argumentative bureaucrats and all fail to remember that this is OUR biking community and TOGETHER we maintain its integrity. So hash out what you will but please do not allow this to become a matter of division.

Marco Cholo

Permalink Reply by heather s on March 8, 2010 at 3:33pm

The number of people who show up at CM in the summer leads me to think that info about CM is pretty widely disseminated among people who are interested and able to attend. Not every cyclist wants to participate in or likes Critical Mass--or the Chainlink for that matter-- which I think is OK.


Pete Fein said:

Good thing you're already on The Chainlink then. What about the rest of the bicyclists in this city? Or are they just stuck in the past and not worthy of our attention?

Permalink Reply by Ron on March 8, 2010 at 3:34pm

Well said Marco, this thread is a lot like the bridge to nowhere. (silly)
Pete, you wanna an organized ride? Contact a few people here, myself included, and you will have the time of your life.

Marco Rayos said:

People please, let us not lose the focus here. Are we not all still in agreement with the fact that we all Love our bikes and riding them. Let's not set such ideals higher than necessary, lest we look like argumentative bureaucrats and all fail to remember that this is OUR biking community and TOGETHER we maintain its integrity. So hash out what you will but please do not allow this to become a matter of division.

Marco Cholo

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• Next ›
• Page