The Scary Reality on How Slacktivism is Becoming the New Activism
How Social Media Can Both Undermine and Facilitate Protests in the United States. Plus 4 Ways For You To Start Getting Active!
Social media continues to become more popular in modern society. More and more people continue to sign up and actively use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Even older generations are jumping onto the bandwagon. My 60 year old Indonesian mother who can barely turn on a computer now has a smartphone and is active on Facebook. Social media has become an amazing tool to communicate with family and friends across the world as well as help share one’s beliefs and ideals with other like-minded people, it has also become a curse to activism and protest movements. While social media has started some of the strongest movements like #blacklivesmatter, the powerful illusion of slacktivism and clicktivism is making it more difficult for protest movements to gain enough momentum for change in the United States.
Click like if you agree — Ignore if you’re heartless
It has become impossible to browse sites like Facebook and Instagram without coming across a post with a sad image of animal abuse, a starving child, or a woman with bruises asking you to “click like if you believe this is wrong, ignore if you don’t.” It’s something many of us have fallen victim to, we like the picture because we don’t want to come off as heartless. It actually makes us feel pretty good inside and gives us a false sense of activism. This is where the term slacktivism comes into play. As Urban Dictionary puts it, slacktivism is “ The self-deluded idea that by liking, sharing, or retweeting something you are helping out.”
Many forms of slacktivism continue to arise on social media platforms. We see online petitions where you can sign your name, posts where you can like and share an image with a good cause on it, and click-bait articles that want your views to gain money for themselves. It has made it difficult for people in the United States and other developed countries to actively participate in protest movements. Individuals who fall victim to slacktivism believe that by clicking ‘like’ on a post equates to participating in a protest movement. They believe they have done their part and it gives them a feeling that they’ve done well for society, but the support stops there. Why have so many people turned to slacktivism instead of activism?
The real world is scary, but we’re safe hiding behind a computer screen
The internet has given us tremendous access to information that’s happening all over the globe. It’s easy to access news stories from years ago, as well as giving us the capability to read up on modern day issues that are happening. It has also become easier to talk to people we know through social media, as well as letting us have talks with strangers through the safety of our computer screens. Many people have grown more comfortable with interactions that happen through a computer screen and as a result, fewer people like to interact in person.
Too many people participate in slacktivism without researching the topic they are liking or sharing. Even with the vast information pool we have through the internet, many get their facts through these click-bait posts that are more interested in social gain rather than social change. Unfortunately, a large amount of Facebook ‘activist’ accounts are more interested in gaining followers and adding to their own cultural capital. While their are legitimate social media movements that are actively participating in change, they begin to get drowned out by those who are more interested in personal gain.
“The reality is that revolution is not a one step process…the other illusion is that revolution is near. It’s not neat or pretty or quick. It is a long dirty process.” -Pat Parker
The lack of interaction has negatively effected protest movements in the United States. While tweeting a hash tag to show one’s beliefs is a great way to initiate a protest movement, there are very few people who act on that hash tag and turn it into a full-blown movement. There have been many great protests that originate from social media. The BlackLivesMatter protest has become a huge movement in the fight for fair treatment in the black community. Sadly, too many people believe that protest is easy to participate in and quick to achieve. Pat Parker argues that too many people think that revolution is something that happens easily overnight, but the reality is that revolution and protest is something that takes many years to achieve. It is not as easy as clicking ‘like’ on Facebook or signing a petition that may never be seen by those in power. Social media is an excellent tool to start the conversation of a movement, but it is absolutely necessary to move past that conversation into action, because if we don’t, no change may ever occur. Even though many have grown used to hiding behind their computers, how can we inspire others to move from slacktivism back to activism?
Be the Change You Want to See in the World
Anyone can help change the world. No matter how small one believes their voice or opinion is, they have the tools necessary to influence change in the world. If there is something you firmly believe needs change, actively participate in helping that change happen. There’s many things in America that needs change: the treatment of women of color, women’s rights to birth control and access to facilities like planned parenthood, immigrants and the dramatic rise of xenophobia as a result of Donald Trump’s fear mongering, the racist acts of white men against Muslims and those with brown skin. There’s so many things to protest and create a revolution against — all we have to do is get out there and be an active member of the revolution. Don’t stay seated safely behind your computer screen, revolution is not that easy. Of the many things one can do to actively participate in change, here are some of the ways one can begin a revolution.
- Okay ladies, now let’s get information
While this differs slightly from Beyonce’s “in formation” it is still important to gain as much information about the issue they want to protest before one can get “in formation.”. It is easy to fall victim to false information and in order to use protest speech you must be able to speak the truth. - Use your parrhesia wisely
Parrhesia is your right to free speech. Always be direct with your words, speak clearly, and always speak the truth. You must have the courage to get out their and speak truth to power, even with the risk of punishment. It may seem daunting to speak to power, but it is necessary in order for change to occur. Always keep those in power on their feet! - Yes, you can use social media! Make activism a part of your daily life
Social media is a great tool to get the momentum of a protest organization moving. Start a hashtag, get friends involved, and talk about your movement daily. Be wary to not fall victim to slacktivism, social media can be the starting point, but always act on your beliefs. - Don’t ever stop trying and believing
It can be difficult to see change happen, but it isn’t supposed to be easy or quick. At times it may feel like your voice isn’t being heard, but it is important to never stop trying trying and to never stop believing in issues that need change. Always expand your knowledge and talk to people, many may actually be just as interested as you.
As scary as slacktivism can be, it is possible to influence people to participate more in activism movements. If protests in Egypt, Ukraine, and Tunisia can help contribute to overthrowing their corrupt governments, then so can protest in the United States. We just have to get out there and be active in change.
