Clicktivism

Activism?

 This week's article by Harlow and Guo (2014) really made me think about events that have been happening close to home for me in St. Louis.

Since last Monday night, this city has been in the spotlight.  This spotlight has energized a lot of people, and there is a general desire for change.  This energy has created a lot of activists, but it has also created a lot of "slacktivists" or "clicktivists."  I have shuddered every time that I have logged onto Facebook since last Monday, because editorials about Ferguson and "prisoner of the moment" comments have been unavoidable.  Everybody seems to have a take on the situation.

I try not to post strong political takes on Facebook, and I tend to unfollow people who do it all of the time.  I don't think that it is an appropriate forum for strong debate, and my reservations about Facebook as means for political discussion are usually confirmed when I dare to read through a facebook comment debate that shows up on my feed.  I know that there are people out there who feel that Facebook is a great way to share their views, but sometimes I question their motives.  Usually these posts seem to be seeking some sort of affirmation.  If someone dares to question the post rather than affirm it, the conversation usually devolves into bickering.  Is this form of debate truly productive or progressive?  Is anything really accomplished?

After last Monday night, I became particularly agitated with a specific type of Facebook friend.  I am a St. Louis native and attended Washington University in St. Louis for my undergraduate program.  Most of my friends from Washington University are not from St. Louis and they moved out of the city after graduation.  However, many of them have been the most "vocal" on Facebook regarding Ferguson.  If I had to synthesize all of their posts into two sentences it would be, "I lived there, and it was so bad.  I am glad I am out."  These posts are usually accompanied by an editorial bashing St. Louis.  I think my initial frustration is sparked by my love for this city, and my belief in its people.  However my frustration really increases when I think about the motives for these posts.  Do these people feel like their posts are helping?  Do they think that they are somehow contributing to the movement by echoing the problem?  I don't think so.  I can't help but think that their primary purpose for posting these comments is very selfish.  They want to "show off" their connection to the city and demonstrate how they are affected by these events.  They type their few sentences, share an article, and pat themselves on the back for a job well done.  That is not activism.

Even though I don't think that Facebook is a great tool for political debate, I must confess that I have been astonished by the power of Twitter and its ability to organize actual activists.  A simple hashtag can unite a movement and allow people to communicate and organize on a large scale.  The picture from above was taken last Friday at a mall that is a few miles from my house.  Protestors (with the help of social media) organized a "die-in" that shut down the mall for a couple hours and sent a powerful (but peaceful) message.  These people did more than click a mouse.  They put themselves on the front line of the movement, and they joined one another.  When I look at the image above, I think about how most of those people probably did not know each other before last Friday.  However, they undoubtedly made personal connections that day.  These connections were made possible by social media, but they transcend online friendships.

I think that there are two lines from the Harlow and Guo article that really summarize my feelings about what is going on with the activists here in my city. 

"Technologies [can] not create the personal connections that are the core of activism."

"The Internet is a mixed blessing: a way to enhance communication and make it easier to get their message out on one hand, and on the other a type of pacification that might lead people to believe they [are] making more of a difference than they really [are]"


I also read the Shun, Lam (2012) article this week, but I did not have as strong of a reaction to its contents.  I agree with its overall message: technology is a good way to engage immigrant students in the classroom.  However, I did not find this article to be particularly profound or innovative.  Catering to students' interests and connecting with their cultures seems like a no-brainer to me at this point in my education and in my career.

BE ACTIVE:

I'd like to end this post with a video that inspires me to be active.  I think that this simple video shows how the internet can inspire people and spread powerful messages, but people still need to get off their computers and BE ACTIVE:

Bonus Video (When I was re-watching the above video, I saw a link to the video below and felt that it could be posted here as well.  It's a message of hope and support.)