Treason is a set of dates
Or what is the importance of challenging existing systems and ideas?
“All the teens I met who were engaged with this movement saw their acts as political protests, even if authorities saw them as anarchic and destructive, terrorists and traitors” (Boyd 209).
Imagine, for a moment, that you are a citizen living in colonial times — the year is 1776 and the Declaration of Independence has been signed, war is being waged against the British and your fight for freedom is underway. There’s no certainty that your cause will succeed, but it is your belief that what you are doing is right.
To the British, you are rebelling against the natural order. “These colonials,” they might sigh with disdain, “committing treason against the mother country, and causing an unnecessary ruckus that must be dealt with.”
Fast-forward a few hundred years, and that treasonous challenge to the largest global empire created a superpower. Treason is a set of dates — on one end, the people in power at the time have control over what is considered right and wrong. On the other, given time, the insurgents challenging the system now control the discussion.
Social media (and more importantly, the internet as a whole) allows for individuals to network together and share similar and contradictory ideas with one another. Not just politically, but in regards to a large variety of issues. Often times, challenges to the system are taken as shots heard ‘round the world—all hell breaks loose and it becomes a bitter struggle between the oppressors and the oppressed. But with the creation of social media, a chance to foster common ground between individuals allows for discussion to head the table before such drastic measures are taken. People are capable of coordinating events together, posting their opinions of specific topics and having those opinions challenged by others.
It is this challenge of ideas that leads to progressive movement forward. In order to grow, one must constantly have their views of systems or topics attacked — they must defend them, learn their weaknesses, improve their weaknesses, and focus on their strengths. Social media breaks people out of their protective bubbles and spheres of influence and allows individuals to connect to various movements locally, nationally, internationally, and everywhere in between. Should someone go public with their advocacy, they are held accountable to their views by their peers.
Change does not begin until their is a reason to change.
