COLUMN: Change requires more than tweeting Mindful Musings
Watch and feel moved. Maybe even shed a tear that compels those fingertips into action. Retweet. Repost. Blog. Email. Help a link spread and save the world. After all, “Nothing is more powerful than an idea … whose time has come … whose time is now.”
These are the familiar words to the introduction of the YouTube sensational campaign video, “Kony 2012″ – that has more than 85 million views – which set the precedent for the remainder of the video. It’s a powerful, emotion-evoking presentation revealing the horrors of invisible children.
I am not writing to debate the accuracy of the information from “Kony 2012″ or talk about if the dispersion of the proceeds is entirely ethical. Nor am I writing to deny the horrors surrounding the harsh reality of invisible children, or promote the cause itself. I think the reality of the issue is horrifying and if I could, I would save every single one of those mistreated kids singlehandedly.
Instead, I will candidly consider implications of the growing trend of social media activism. Due to the widespread viewership and overall familiarity USU students have with “Kony 2012,” it will stand as an accessible reference to point out the pros and cons of social movements.
The Kony campaign video stated social media are changing the world. We rarely see college students rallying on campuses, breaking rules, or defying conformity and authority, to change government policy. We are seeing fewer groups rallying on the steps of state capitols around the nations. We don’t see them rallying at town halls. Instead, we see people gathering online from the comfort of their couches – alone. The elements that accompany a physically present group of protestors are losing momentum.
Activism may be changing compared to movements past, but no screen, no movie and no song will ever replace the power and connection that face-to-face contact and active involvement invoke in the human spirit. Simply posting a video, yet never discussing the issues, or remaining lazy instead of getting off the couch to do something about the issue, is complacency.
When considering social media activism, we cannot let ourselves fall into a false sense of achievement. I firmly believe one person can make a difference, and when individuals rally together for a cause they care deeply for, incredible results ensue. But real change happens when awareness is converted into action and backed up by research. The cause worth fighting for must also be fully understood. It is our physical action to move, create, volunteer and get involved with others face to face that forces powerful change.
The capacity the Internet holds to connect us on a global level is phenomenal. We do not have to look far to see powerful social movements that use the Internet and social media outlets to cause some serious stirs in the pots. Look at the Arab Spring – people are changing entire governments with social media at the center of the movement. Despite this, it is important to remember that a tool that has the power to reach millions of people can be just as dangerous as it can be good. At the risk of sounding cynical, the harsh reality is a charismatic-yet-evil person with a good public relations team could quite feasibly use the Internet to cause a lot of damage.
We must ask ourselves some practical questions before we repost a link or pull out our credit cards to donate to a trendy campaign. Why do I care in the first place, and why should I work to help others care too? How deeply do I feel for this cause, and how far would I really go for it? Will the people affected by the issue be adversely affected by my participation? If it is an organization or nonprofit you are choosing to put your time and money into, is it a legitimate organization? Generally, watching one well-done campaign video is not enough to generate enough zeal in an individual to make them lend a hand. How many of you who watched “Kony 2012″ at its peak a few weeks ago have done anything since then to move the cause forward? Reposting the video does not count. I doubt many truly involved themselves.
There is no denying, social media are incredible tools to promote awareness. Any way in which we develop a greater understanding of the larger world is positive, and awareness is better than ignorance. The capacity Facebook alone has to reach millions around the world is mind-boggling. I will be the first to say that sharing that link, if filled with accurate information, is better than doing nothing at all. With incredible tools at our disposal, we can and should use them. But gathering on the Internet alone is not enough to make lasting change. Combining the power of social media with the power of physical contact and face-to-face dialogue has the power to push our generation to make the biggest changes our world has seen.
Let’s not be known as the generation who tried to save the world from our couches. Instead of exercising our fingers on keyboards, let’s promote good causes, creating awareness by putting blood, sweat and tears into the causes we believe in.
– Tyra Simmons is a senior majoring in sociology. Her column runs every other Wednesday. Comments on her column can be sent to tyrasimmons@gmail.com.