Real Activism Essay

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The people of the 21st century get to enjoy the many amazing advance technologies that are available to them. The new technology has changed our history in numerous ways in countless aspects, and it will be very difficult to turn back to older ways when it comes to certain things. Things such as ways of communication, medicine, and one that stands out to me the most, activism. The internet has allowed activism to occur in real time, and available to anyone who has access to internet. In the past activism has happened through word of mouth and many other systems used around the world. Now in the present, the internet has allowed everyone to be an activist and in no time, spread the word with ease about a cause. As well as, organize and come …show more content…

I think that activism, although it has changed drastically from what it used to be, in my opinion is still real activism and people are still making a difference, whether it is little by little by posting something regarding the cause of their choosing or all at once, or by going out and doing something for the cause in person. Ted talk presenter Ethan Zuckerman, during his discussion on “Listening to Global Voices” talks about how “a club by the name of Foko in Madagascar, started as a club to just learn more about English and computers/internet but ended up speaking to an international audience about the coup Madagascar had went through. They wrote about the demonstrations, the violence and everything going on within the country.” A very small group of people, not intending to become such an important organization for their people helped make a big difference. Every little contribution to help improve the world in any way is …show more content…

Many people around the world give examples of how back in the day, activism was a lot more “high risk…. little space for error”(Gladwell 347), people put their lives on the line to cause change. What they fail to mention is that, to set all of that up took month of preparation because there was not a way to spread the news faster or communicate with one activism to another from different parts of the country or even world. This new technology generation can instantly draw attention to matters, as they are happening, they don’t have to go to the newspaper and wait a couple days for them to print the story and distribute around the neighborhood and then after a couple weeks, people in other towns hear about the same story and it takes longer and longer to reach people that are further and further away, but now with a simple click, people can let each other know about causes, whether good or bad, almost instantly, there’s no waiting. Someone across the country or even on a different continent can see your post and it only takes a second! If activism requires passion and commitment, then it makes more sense that social media will help with advocacy by connecting more of those who do have passion. At the same time, people that are not as passionate can still make a little contribution. There are many ways of promoting social change like increasing awareness, providing support, and taking

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