Since its creation, social media has caused considerable changes in society. It allows people to connect, create, and learn. Since social media allows people from all over the world to connect, it allows people to share different ideas and promote important causes; social media has become a platform for activism. By sharing, liking, and tweeting all people have become activist for all sorts of causes. In recent years, scholars compared activism of this type to the activism that has occurred during the Civil Rights Movement. Recent debate has quite different views regarding activism through social media as an influential factor in publicizing causes. According to Malcolm Gladwell, social media may aid people in becoming aware of certain issues, but activism through social media does not solve any of the problems they try to fix. He also argues that social media create weak ties between people. I am of two minds regarding Gladwell’s claim regarding social media activism and the ties it creates. On the one hand, activism …show more content…
through social media has its limits, but; however, I feel social media is an excellent way for creating connections. Activism though social media is beneficial for creating awareness but does not involve any high risks to the users. Gladwell discusses the high-risk activism occurring during the Civil Right movement (Gladwell). Supporters went out and risked their lives for a cause they believed in through boycotts and sit-ins. I agree that social media cannot provide the same high-risk activism; my experience in activism through social media confirms it. During the summer of 2014, the “Ice-Bucket Challenge” was a massive phenomenon online to raise money for the ALS Association. Hundreds dumped buckets of ice water on their head and posted it on social media in support of the cause. Some did donate money to the foundation, but most just did it to pour cold water on their friends head. People took no risk, but they felt as though they were making a difference. Social media makes people feel better about themselves thanks to the support a certain cause, but in reality, real activist do not use social media as their primary platform of activism. Another limit of activism through social media is the lack of structure it has.
Social media activism has no sense of organization or leadership. According to Gladwell, “Networks don’t have a centralized leadership structure and clear lines of authority, they have real difficulty reaching consensus and setting goals (Gladwell).” Organizations find agreeing and establishing goals problematic. Not having the ability to set specific goals and complete them effectively leaves networks vulnerable. Using social media lacks the organization required to properly execute an aim for a group. It is quite obvious that since anyone can take part in social media sites and simply the vast number of people online; it would complicate anything that they were trying to achieve. Working even in small groups of people can create difficulty. Social media increases the number of people. So using social media as a platform for activism can prevent change from
happening. Social media allows for the creation of strong ties between people. The internet allows us to interact with different people and obtain unfamiliar ideas. Gladwell, on the other hand, insists that “the platforms of social media are built around weak ties (Gladwell).” Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter allow users to become “friends” with those that live miles away. He feels as though these connections people make online, since they are not close in contact, form weak ties. Whereas Gladwell provides ample evidence that social media sites create weak ties, Zeynep Tufecki’s discussion on Gladwell’s assertion convinces me that social media does not in fact only create weak ties. Tufecki argues, “Strong ties become weak over time and vice-versa(Tufecki).” The internet allows people to connect so at first the ties between them are weak and as time progresses they become strong; it is like any normal human interaction. At first, you may not know a person, but as time goes on you become closer to them. The only difference is that this exchange is happening online. Gladwell is right in regards to his claims of social media, creating weak ties, but he forgets to observe how over time those weak ties can become strong. The claims of Gladwell leave digital natives feeling upset about social media. Some may say, “Social media does have risks!” or “Social media can create real change!” Digital natives regard social media as a useful tool, but are unaware changes can be achieved without it. Events such as the Civil Rights Movement and American Revolution created change without utilizing technology. Clicking on a link to promote a cause or tweeting one’s opinion about a current event involves no risk. Real activism requires putting something meaningful on the line or speaking out against a popular idea. Using social media allows people to hide behind a screen. Social media activism does not equate to real activism due to the fact that in reality there is no real change. Malcolm Gladwell has contributed a great deal to the conversation of social media activism. He contributes a compelling argument that social media is a limiting platform and real activism involves actual risk holds true today. Clicking a button does not make one an activist. Social media creates weak and strong ties despite the claims Gladwell makes. Social media is a way for people to connect and become closer. Social media has grown to be a controversial topic and its debate continues. Hopefully, one day real change can come from social media.
Gladwell’s essay discusses the developments of the social media and how it has changed social activism.”The platform of social media is based on weak ties”(Gladwell, page 174). He discusses how the Civil Rights Movement was based on strong ties among people who knew each other.People would rise up and join the revolution if they saw their friends, peers or neighbors in the news or newspapers. There is not much of a risk
Malcolm Gladwell’s article "Small Change: Why the Revolution Will not be Tweeted" raises a significant question about the prospective contribution of web-based social networking to the advent of progressive social movement and change. Gladwell bold declaration that "the revolution will not be tweeted" is reflective of his view that social media has no useful application in serious activism. Contrasting various elements of the “high-stakes” lunch-counter protests in Greensboro, North Carolina in the 1960’s with the “low-stakes” activism achieved through social media, Gladwell concludes that effective social movements powerful enough to impose change on longstanding societal forces require both “strong ties” among participants and the presence of a hierarchical organizations. In contrast, Gladwell characterizes the social networks as an interwoven web of "weak ties" that is inherently devoid of a hierarchy. Gladwell’s prerequisites for social movement are firmly based in strong body of sociological evidence, but his views regarding the nature of online social networks are laughably lacking in foresight and obstructed by a misleadingly selective body of evidence.
In my opinion, social media is a way to bring the world closer and an assertion of consumer choice can be used for promoting issues that matter. A human rights activist can make an unknown story reach hundreds of thousands of people by the ‘simple click of a button’.
Gladwell strongly believes that activism was viewed in a much different way before technology took over the world. In the 1960’s protests, and boycotts spread rapidly but usually only among friends. Today, information spreads to thousands of people in seconds due to social media. Gladwell believes traditional activism formed strong-ties whereas today 's movements and protests form weak-ties because of social media. People are motivated when they have close friends with them in a movement, not just through a text message. As Gladwell states, “where activists were once defined by their causes, they are now defined by their tools.” (Gladwell 408) Gladwell believes these tools can’t really help a social activism movement, but he does acknowledge the speed of social media networks. But, without news and social media how will the information spread? Anything placed on the internet can be broadcasted to a large audience within seconds. Gladwell writes: “Social networks are effective at increasing participation—by lessening the level of motivation that participation requires.” (Gladwell 408) Gladwell makes a good point but how will the motivation ever be there without people receiving information? Nevertheless social media has many flaws, but with other tools
Relationships between people affect and complicate everything in the world, from the most trivial to the most important things. In his essay “Small Change, Why the revolution will not be tweeted.” Malcolm Gladwell discusses relationships between people and how it affects activism, and particularly how it has changed over the past 50 years. Human relationships complicate the outcomes of activist initiatives in many different kinds of ways. Strong relationships between fellow activists indicates a strong activist movement. The relationship between activists and their opponents is also important and can make, or break, an initiative. A system of organization and hierarchy among a group is crucial to a successful operation.
Technology has had a negative impact on this generation- we have lost and forgotten many things because of it. In Malcolm Gladwell’s “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted”, he discusses the difference between social media activism and “real” activism and the loss of human connection that he has identified. He believes that with social media activism, we lack the connections a community should have because we don’t get together in person- we are satisfied with being connected through technology. He also thinks that as time goes on, we will only get worse when referring to the ideas that we are delusional because the issues we fight about (such as getting phones taken away) aren’t as important as we think.
Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are essential parts of every individual in todays day and age. The article Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted declares that people do not need social media to unfurl peoples quarrels around a large group. for example when the students ordered sit ins during the war against segregation. The world now is not how it used to be in the past, were individuals did not have TV or computers to rely on for news. Malcolm Gladwell asserts that all of the new technology is unnecessary to keep people informed of a certain subjects. For example when Hitler was killing the jewish religion in Germany. Not only was that something of extreme importance, but if we did not have technology or social media could one have ever known about it. Malcolm makes comments about Facebook, MTV, and Google assuming that people could write whatever they want and consider it as news. Nevertheless if one ignores things that individuals alleges on the web and you think it’s a rip-off, could we be able to help anyone?.
In the discussion of Small Change: Why the Revolution Will not be Tweeted, author Malcolm Gladwell works to prove his firm opinion on social media's effect on social activism. While Gladwell does recognize that social media websites often serve as slight platforms for certain movements, he is clear in his belief that internet activism is a weak form of action. In order to prove his point, Gladwell brings up various moments in history that were crucial toward the push for social justice in our country. One thing that all of these historical acts have in common is that they were very real, person-to-person interactions. As I read this piece, I began to connect Gladwell's recalls of the past to the issues of the present. I thought to myself, is
He goes on to reiterate, “the platforms of social media are built around weak ties. Twitter is a way of following (or being followed by) people you may never have met” which makes it a much more feeble and fragile way of promoting change. Because social media is built on weak ties, people don’t have much to gain or lose by claiming to be a part of the so-called activism. Overall, Gladwell finalizes that social media “is simply a form of organizing which favors the weak-tie connections that give us access to information over the strong-tie connections that help us persevere in the face of danger…It makes it easier for activists to express themselves, and harder for that expression to have any impact”
Social movements come and go; they represent all manner of political aspirations, and aim to achieve their political objectives by influencing a particular target group’s opinion. Some groups reach out directly to just a few key decision makers or constituencies, while others act more indirectly by broadcasting their message to as wide an audience as possible. Popular forms of social media have played a significant influence in social movements throughout the last few years. Two prominent examples are Ai Weiwei’s use of the social platform: Twitter, and the use of Yik Yak at the University of Missouri. Social movements rely on the media for the mobilization of political support, validation in the mainstreams discourse, and opportunity to broaden
It supports populist causes because it empowers the public and the masses. The company empowers anyone, anywhere and on any interest unless it promotes hate and violence. It gives the power to the people to voice their opinions and gain support, with the growth in internet and PR, the voice of the people weighs heavier than
This summer if you were on social media you heard about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The concept was simple, just film yourself dumping a bucket of ice water over your head, challenge your friends to do the same, and donate ten dollars to the ALS Association. Opt out and donate one hundred dollars (Madison). Many Americans did not know what ALS was and by putting this challenge on social media has brought tons awareness to this devastating disease. Activism used to be taking action to bring social change, people in the 1960s used to gather in front of community centers and protest and or speak about their issue or cause. Now even though people still gather together it is much easier to use the internet. Hundreds of social media applications
The number of revolutions in the last 3 decades has increased, and seems to keep increasing. Civil unrest and protests brought many victims including civil and political figures throughout the world. In the era where technology is at the peak of its success, especially in communication technologies, mankind suffers from lack of communication. Problem is not caused by the technology itself, the problem is in human nature. I will continue with an analogy. Man invented the knife, which is very useful tool in our daily lives. The problem occurs when one thinks about the purposes that knife could be used. Story repeats itself with Newspapers and News Media. Technology improved the speed and the size that news can reach anywhere in couple of seconds. In a few seconds we can reach our friend at the other pole of the globe and receive pictures and live videos in response. We can send information, receive it and even create it in the artificial world. Life has become easier with technology. We can control our cell phones with voice command and reserve a table in the closest restaurant for dinner. Technology is everywhere in our lives, but if we think for a second the purposes we could use them for then the danger begins. In this short essay I will be talking about the struggle of mankind for freedom and the stages it went through. There are 3 parts to my paper. In the first part I will discuss the birth of World Wide Web and how the purpose of it went through changes. In the second part, I will be talking about birth of newspapers in the Web, precisely how it developed into an intermediate body that transfers information to people. Ultimately, I will discuss the Ukrainian revolution and the role of the news media in it and ho...
From the words of United States President Barack Obama "Call your members of Congress. Write them an email. Tweet it using the hashtag #My2K." (Coffee). Social media has played an increasing and larger part in today's government. Social media has the power to influence elections and connect the people to the policy makers in new ways.
On social media, each individual has the power to be influential and important. There is a freedom of expression on social media that we are allowed to express. A user on Facebook can post anything they want or anything they want for free.... ... middle of paper ... ...