Social activism has come a long way throughout history. In modern day, social networking has been heavily relied on, even for social change. Corresponding to Malcolm Gladwell’s Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted, social media alone is not enough to bring along a change for a movement.
The next revolution cannot be done through social media considering the challenges to increase motivation. Advocating one's opinion over the internet does not have the same influence as the high risked activism from the civil rights movement. For instance, Gladwell mentions the Greensboro Sit-in movement in which four students sat at a lunch counter in Woolworth's that were reserved for whites, but they stayed despite being told they will not be served because of their skin color. Consequently, other students and even some local white people began to do the same, and this protest eventually expanded over the country. Although the protesters were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct for disturbing the peace, their actions made a significant result as Woolworth's agreed to serve black customers at the …show more content…
It isn’t a strategic form of activism because of the absence of central authority. Gladwell describes how during the civil rights movement, there was little room for conflict and error during boycotts, sit ins, and nonviolent confrontations. Moreover, people aren’t as committed for high risk activism anymore, social media may be responsible for that. This is an issue due to the fact “the platforms of social media are built around weak ties” (Gladwell 174). Although people are able to voice their opinion online, it does not involve the financial or personal risk. Social media is only going to bring social acknowledgment and praise, not an actual
The next revolution cannot be done through social media considering the challenges to increase motivation. Advocating one's opinion over the internet does not have the same influence as the high risked activism from the civil rights movement. For instance, Gladwell mentions the Greensboro Sit-in movement in which four students sat at a lunch counter in Woolworth's that were reserved for whites, but they stayed despite being told they will not be served because of their skin color. Consequently, other students and even some local white people began to do the same, and this protest eventually expanded over the country. Although the protesters were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct for disturbing the peace, their actions made a significant result as Woolworth's agreed to serve black customers at the …show more content…
It isn’t a strategic form of activism because of the absence of central authority. Gladwell describes how during the civil rights movement, there was little room for conflict and error during boycotts, sit ins, and nonviolent confrontations. Moreover, people aren’t as committed for high risk activism anymore, social media may be responsible for that. This is an issue due to the fact “the platforms of social media are built around weak ties” (Gladwell 174). Although people are able to voice their opinion online, it does not involve the financial or personal risk. Social media is only going to bring social acknowledgment and praise, not an actual