What Has Happened to Activism?
Wed. 18 2009 | Ashley Eyzengart
Forty years ago, college-age Americans were out in the streets. They marched for peace, they protested for love, and they advocated in favor of changes they felt the government needed to make. Today, college students are doing the same thing. However, our means of doing it and what we are fighting for are completely different.
Facebook could very well be what defines my generation when forty years from now people are asked to label us in a single word. What is worrisome is the message it will send. If you open any newspaper of late, the cover stories will be similar. There will be something to remind us that a war on terror is still happening, there might be a blurb on global warming, and there will definitely be an article about health care reform. So what are college students advocating for today?
A Facebook group called “Health Care Reform” has 10,830 fans and a similar group with the same name has another 850 members. A group called “Join The Fight To Stop Global Warming!” has 371,119 fans with the second largest group fighting to stop global warming at 58,377. There are two different groups that call for one million to stand up against the war in Iraq and neither has even reached 50,000. The biggest group I could find on Facebook has 4,304,432 people in it and a similar group, advocating for the same thing has 1,805,019. These six million people are “protesting” for Facebook to add a button that will allow users to let friends know they “dislike” a photo or a comment that has been posted. These six million people are revealing where our voices have gone.
The question now is whether this is a simple lack of education on global issues or if we are merely indifferent and politically and socially apathetic? Have we lost what our parents and grandparents had before us, faith in how much influence we possess as individuals? Honestly, I’m not sure. I can only hope that as we leave behind the bubbles and security blankets of our college campuses, we shake whatever it is that is holding us back and prove that our generation can not be defined by a single, virtual entity.
I think the problem is the lack of action after the goal of the groups is reached. The problem with facebook groups is that anyone can make them, and because facebook is such a huge network, that group can easily be seen by millions of people within the hour. However, when someone sends me a link that says “Need 1 million people to join and ______ will happen” where is the proof that will happen? And when is it going to happen? What usually ends up happening is we join the groups we care about, receive some information about the topic, and that’s usually it. Or our inboxes get flooded with invites and messages we usually delete before reading. I agree that it might be a little sad that there are more people in the dislike button group on facebook than the health care reform group. It definitely makes you think about what college students view as important.
seriously an excellent article ashley… love it
This article is very insightful. mazel ash.
nice article, good message!
That’s a very interesting point. I find it sad really that the only way we voice our opinions is through the means of joining a facebook group or clicking the “like it” button. Our generation has lowered itself by allowing technology to speak for ourselves. Simply, it is easier to say what it is needed to be said behind the computer screen….
Very interesting! I agree. Very well put together
very interesting! nicely written
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Loved the article- very interesting! Really puts things into perspective!
I loved this article and i agree with your points. Very well written!
I I I I think this was the besttt article ever. Ashley did gr-gr-great.
Bravo Ashley–thanks for sharing your insightful points of view. As a person who lived through those times of youthful activism 40 years ago, I have a GREAT HOPE for the youth of America today. And I feel that Facebook does not accurately reflect the “conscience” of caring and concerned people of any age. But the difference in the numbers you wrote about were very eye-opening. With people like YOU, writing your thoughts and opinions, reminding us of the better person we can be, activism in the USA will never die.
Bravo! Great article and very true.
Well done!
This is really interesting, I have never thought of it before, it makes you think about what we, as a generation really care about. Our parents had such strong opinions on matters that are now influencing us, and we spend hours a day on a social network with no real purpose other than publicizing how many friends we have, it makes you think. Really great article!
Very well written Ashley! Put things into perspective.
I really enjoyed this article. You well articulated some very important points!
Amazing!!
Nicely put. I agree that it is worrisome that we, as college, are no longer really getting anywhere and not out in the streets protesting in marches, but that our messages and protests are simply in the form of words on a social networking system such as Facebook. It really does put things into perspective…
Great article Ashley, its sooo true about how people care more about fb apps than some real world issues
Very well written Ashley, this issue does not get nearly enough attention. Great points!