Since this class obviously focuses
on activism and how to properly go about activism, I would like to bring up a
strong competitor of activism: slacktivism. Slacktivism, if you are unfamiliar
with it, is a combination of both the term ‘slack’ and ‘activism’ naturally.
Both of these terms obviously contradict one another, yet slacktivism is a huge
phenomenon that is definitely consuming our society, specifically the social
media obsessed generation.
Slacktivism is a phenomenon where
individuals support a social cause, yet they tend to do the minimal effort to
support a particular cause i.e. they slack off. Those that partake in
slacktivism believe it is real activism, simply by making a Facebook status
supporting a cause or changing their profile picture to a supportive symbol. A
good example of slacktivism was the overwhelming support that same-sex marriage
received when a number of Facebook users turned their profile pictures red for
equality. Although the message is there, these Facebook users claim that they
are in support of same-sex marriage by promoting it through “activism” when in
fact they are supporting the mission in one of the laziest means possible. On a
personal level, I think having supporters is obviously necessary, but the
component of activism cannot be ignored.
So how does slacktivism affect
future activism efforts? Does slacktivism promote awareness for these social
causes or does slacktivism create this unrealistic belief that individuals are
ACTUALLY doing something if they change their profile picture red in support of
same-sex marriage, black because of SOPA, or to a picture of Kony in order to
protest his movement?
In my personal experience, I have
actually had a friend yell at me and defriend me on Facebook because I would
not change my profile picture to an American flag on 9/11. I explained to him
that I certainly do have pride in our country and I do not need to show my
pride simply by changing my profile picture. Having a picture of my face as my
profile picture does not make me any less American than having the American
flag as my profile picture.
He did not take this well.
Another example: When people were changing their Facebook profile pictures red for marriage equality, I had a friend call me up and ask me what on earth people were doing that for. She was not being educated by the Facebook profile pictures at all...it just confused her to the point of needing to call me and ask me about it. Is it bad she was not being educated through Facebook and needed to call me about it, or is it something positive to think about since she was seeking out education on the matter? And if she had these questions, I wonder how many other people had questions about the profile pictures.
Another example: When people were changing their Facebook profile pictures red for marriage equality, I had a friend call me up and ask me what on earth people were doing that for. She was not being educated by the Facebook profile pictures at all...it just confused her to the point of needing to call me and ask me about it. Is it bad she was not being educated through Facebook and needed to call me about it, or is it something positive to think about since she was seeking out education on the matter? And if she had these questions, I wonder how many other people had questions about the profile pictures.
Why is our society so obsessed with
slacktivism? Are we that lazy? Is our generation not being properly educated on
what activism really is and how we can make a difference in our society? Or am
I being too negative and slacktivism is the next best thing towards achieving
activism considering social media does play such a prevalent role in our
society? I would love to hear what other activists think about it. Am I being
almost too traditional or am I being realistic about this situation? Where is the fine
line between someone that supports a social effort and someone that takes action and does something about it? Obviously getting the message out their and educating the public is necessary, but is a Facebook status or profile picture really doing that?
Such a hard one! I don't know how I feel about slacktivism. On one hand, it isn't, by any means, making huge strides for any cause (as far as I know). It seems so miniscule compared to the Freedom Riders, for example. But then on the other hand, this is a new era. We are obsessed with social media. I barely know anybody anymore who doesn't have a Facebook. So, I think a positive of slacktivism is that does put issues in peoples' faces. Whether you like it or not, you are going to have to face issues like same-sex marriage when you log in. I think our generation feels like social media is the only outlet to voice their opinions. We weren't raised in the eras of protest, like the Civil Rights Movement. People of that movement were extreme and they physically made themselves heard. That's what I think our generation is lacking; the confidence and the determination to go out and change the world first-hand instead of posting about it online.
ReplyDeleteKirsten I completely agree with you. We are in a digital world right now, and because of that little things can be done to put hard issues on people's desktops. I think the problem with Facebook 'protests' is that a lot of people participate just to be cool. I remember during the same-sex marriage posts a lot of people were just putting the red equal sign up to look 'with-it'. That's what really upsets me about this slacktivism: that people just posts things now to stay in the loop. Many do not care about why it is important to put a red equal sign up. Some people, that I know, just thought it was a way to be like their friends.
ReplyDeleteDisclaimer: I choose not to be on facebook, as all of you youths frighten me with your technology. From an outsider's perspective, I have to ask what we think the intention of the kids doing this slaktivism is. Do we think they are being disingenuous in their promotion of these causes, or merely lazy?
ReplyDeleteIf it in genuine, I don't see the harm in slaktivism. While obviously, in an ideal world, we would be marching Washington to reap the many changes we need, we live in a society where voter turnout, the hallmark of our country, is hardly at 60%. If these kids are GENUINELY supporting these issues, I guess I would just view this as a broadening environment of acceptance.