Spreading the Joy

Spreading the Joy

"Did you know we live in a crazy world? Tomorrow is no pants day on the subway..."

That text came in from a friend, who, turns out had a greater concern for people being cold from their lack of pants in the middle of January, rather than the fact that there would be tens of thousands of people, spanning 70 cities worldwide, who would all be taking off their pants in the middle of the subway and stowing them into their backpacks. 

Improv Everywhere is is a New York City-based prank collective that causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. They are the people responsible for setting up the past 12 annual "No Pants-Subway Day" events.  (There is a plain "No Pants Day" sometime in May I believe.) The idea was to make people laugh. Basically, random riders on the train will board at different stops, either pantless or removing pants once boarded. They act as if they do not know each other and are fully dressed in winter gear (hats, scarves, etc.), the only thing missing is their pants. Honestly, it probably did cause a lot of laughs. I mean come on how would you react if the man (or woman or child) sitting next to you on the Q train just stood up, took their pants off and sat back down to continue their game of Angry Birds as if everything was completely normal?

The amount of people and countries involved has skyrocketed since its inception. The first ride had only 7 males participating and was on one subway line in NYC...at this point over 70 cities are involved and the number of actual participants is too high to count. 

Back in 2006, the NYPD arrested participants and brought them off the trains in handcuffs. No one has gotten arrested since the fifth annual event. In fact, for the past seven years it has been occurring without a hitch.  

So I get the whole “lets make people laugh” idea and don’t get me wrong, I’m all for it. I think that if the world was made of happier people, it would be a...well, happier place. Thing is, WHAT THE HECK JUST WENT DOWN?!? Do you remember a time where people were embarrassed if someone saw thier underwear? Forget walking around on a public subway half clothed, I’m talking about when someones skirt (or pants) slipped ever so slightly? Remember how annoying it was when your classmate said “I see London, I see France, I see...”? Is this the new normal? Hundreds of people parading around on a subway without pants, with the single purpose of making people happy? I mean, there were business men wearing suits and buttoned down shirts with no pants on. There were children playing on their iPods wearing no pants. There was an 87 year old man who was proud to be the oldest participant. 

Is there no more respect for anything? If thousands of people can sit on a subway the way they all just did with no shame where does that leave us? Is there no other way to spread joy? Is there no other way to make people smile?