I read a very intriguing (and relatively short) article here about the new trend of what has been
"slacktivism"; that is lazy activism that can be done now by simply joining a Facebook group or signing an online petition. Then today one of my favorite columnists, Nicholas Kristof at the Times, wrote a short blog post here on the same topic giving another perspective. This really fascinates me because engines of social change have begun to be one of my top interests. How do we create positive social change? How do we build up community where it is broken? What is the nature of resiliency? How and why do the lower classes develop class consciousness, and why does it seem to happen so rarely? These are some of the questions that I am most eager to explore.
Anyways, this new trend of online slacktivism seems to throw a kink into the way that things have worked in the past and it's hard to tell what will come of it. When I first read this article I immediately felt guilty for the ways that I have participated in slacktivism simply to appease my own conscience. Websites these days make it so easy to write a letter to the CEO of Starbucks, your congressman (or woman), Secretary Clinton, the president of Peru, or whoever. Simply fill out your email address and write your name and you've done your part to fight injustice. Is it really that simple? But what if my motives are pure and I feel deeply outraged about an injustice or possible injustice that there seems to be no other way to address besides sending a generic letter from the comfort of my home?
I would scoff at that if I hadn’t been a part of some positive change brought about by slacktivism. Earlier this year a graduate of Wheaton a few years older than me was living in Egypt. I met this guy one time because he happens to be a very close friend of a close friend of mine. Anyways, when Israel started bombing Palestine to pieces back in December, many Palestinians sought to flee to Egypt, but Egypt closed the border and they were trapped. This guy helped organize a protest against the Egyptian government and was then arrested by secret police and taken to an undisclosed location where he was being interrogated and, for all we knew, tortured. As word got out at Wheaton many students and professors went to the Egyptian embassy in Chicago and protested. I didn't find out about that in time, but I did write letters to everyone I could, including the Egyptian ambassador, my congressman, etc. He was soon released and my friend talked to him on the phone and he told me that his interrogators were surprised at how many American friends he had. After a day or two they even brought it up to him while they were interrogating him. Can you believe that? We raised enough awareness for them to notice it and feel nervous. They had intended to for this to be a secret and we quickly made it clear that it wasn’t and this likely helped lead to their releasing him pretty quickly.
I don't know the answers yet, though I've learned that in our complex world you have to intentionally limit your scope or you'll go crazy. That might be one of the big temptations of slacktivism; to be an “activist” for too many causes to actually effect change in any of them. For me limiting my scope means sticking to what I know, what hits home and what I am just drawn to. There's a whole lot to fight for right in our neighborhood of City Heights, and there are people out there working on all of it; things like keeping our parks safe from crime and cigarette free, increasing access to cheaper, healthier, more natural food for the poor (i.e. food justice), improving our schools, integrating new refugees into our neighborhood, educating undocumented immigrants about their rights and more. Even in my own neighborhood I have to choose what to put more energy into and there are certain issues, people, and places that I am more deeply connected or affected by than others.
But what is more important than picking and choosing my pet issues to join internet groups about is being truly compassionate. A compassionate response seeks solidarity while Slacktivism is too easily lazy and distant. Sometimes it may be the only tangible thing to do, and it can potentially be compassionate, but it requires nothing. Your thoughts?
-Michael
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Thanks for the post and the articles. I am quite intrigued.
ReplyDeleteSome of my thoughts:
I also felt a bit guilty at first while reading that article. However, when he mentioned "ethical consumerism" and how it may draw away from more effective methods, my thought was that our activism needs to start with changing the way we live to align with what we believe. I think something like ethical consumerism is probably more important than going to a protest.
I agree that our compassion is key. I think another key consideration, somewhat along the lines of "limiting your scope", is that due to the amount and complexity of the issues in the world we can easily be overwhelmed, and we must recognize that if any positive change is going to occur it won't be due to our power, but by the power and grace of God. All we can do is seek and strive for His plan and His will for our lives and have faith that He has things under control. He will use us if we let Him.
So for me one practical aspect to that is to pray about decisions on how to spend my time and energy and money. I want to seek God's guidance to know whether or not I should join that internet group to Save Darfur or if I should fly to Burma to work at a refugee camp or if I should be focusing on the needs of the people I'm sitting in class with.
Awesome Post. Thanks Again. I hope I can visit you guys soon.
Dang, I probably should have just responded with a blog post of my own.
ReplyDeleteHow and why marginalized populations develop consciouness, language, and access to political capital are all a major part of Brandon's dissertation. If you visit Seattle some time (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) I am sure he would be happy to tell you about what he thinks :)
ReplyDeleteCompassion stood out to me also in your post. So I wanted to make sure I understood the nuances of its meaning. The word has Old French/Latin roots. A typical definition: 1. Suffering together with another, participation in suffering; fellow-feeling, sympathy.
ReplyDeleteThat led me to remember that Christ has been described as a man of sorrows. I looked to see where that description existed in the bible. I found that the verses 3 and 4 of Isaiah 53 really resonated:
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
As I seek to be more Christ like, I find there is a burden of sorrow (sympathy, fellow-suffering) that increases. Sometimes I suffer a little physically, as when giving up some small comfort. Sometimes it is more mental as I become more aware of how others are suffering.
I agree with Sam, I need God to help guide me in the best way to become more Christlike. It is especially true in an age when we are assaulted by tales of suffering from all over the globe. I suppose that is where the "scope" thought comes into play.
Dear God, what can I do, please give me the wisdom and the strength to be more like the man of sorrows.
With God's guidance I can decide whether to write a check, speak out, join a cause, spend my money more carefully, or volunteer some time. By the grace of God, I hope to find myself more and more able to follow through on his guidance.
It also feels a bit to me like I should have written my own post, but I wanted to respond to your question about my thoughts.("Your thoughts?")
It certainly is a pleasure to be having this kind of family "discussion". Thanks.
I've enjoyed the conversation too. Thanks for commenting. I think I'll need to post a separate post about compassion sometime. Also, Kate, thanks. That sounds very cool.
ReplyDeleteSam, you sound like an adult. You must be in college.
ReplyDeleteKate - oh how we would love to come visit you! But... since, ug, there is never enough time for these things, is there any chance you guys might think about heading down to my parents house sometime between Christmas and new years?
Dad, you're sweet.
Michael, you're smart.
the end.
Pamela and Michael-Unfortunately, Brandon will be in New York at the National APA job search during Xmas and NYE. I will probably be in IL trying to visit everyone I know in a 4-5 day period. But keep in mind that Seattle offers a 2 for 1 cousin deal that you are unlikely to find in any other major American city. :)
ReplyDeleteAs a general comment to this post: I understand the general tension that you are speaking to here, Michael. And I think that the conclusion that I arrive at, is the same one you arrived at. That is, in today's technologically connected world the definition of activism is widening and becoming more accessible on a global scale. Take, for example, the Iranians ability to use twitter and you tube to circumvent their governments censorship of news and alert the world to the reality of their politcal situation this summer. Powerful stuff. I think that slactivism is really only a problem when people use it in leu of creating authentic connections with their community and the communities around them. Relationship-building, in my opinion, across communities is the key to shifting power and creating change. But then again, I'm a community organizer, so you probably could have guessed my response :P
I'm excited for our next family reunion.
ReplyDelete