Abbie Clark English 102 Response Essay January 24, 2016 Social Media: An Agent of Change
“The world, we are told, is in the midst of a revolution”, Malcolm Gladwell, a journalist for the New Yorker states in an article entitled “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted” (312). Gladwell took his stand on the social media “revolution” and the effects this new platform of communication could have on activism across the world. Gladwell unfairly states that today’s youth are incapable of standing up for others, he is partially wrong in his belief that social media use can not lead to strong relationships, and he has fault in claim that social media makes impacting others harder for teens. Initially in his article, Gladwell brought up the issue that youth in America no longer know the courage it takes to stand up for what is right. Gladwell’s claim that “. . .we seem to have forgotten what activism is” rests upon the questionable assumption that all of today’s youth are not ready to take a stand (317). This statement in unsound because of the work that adolescence have put in order to show their passion for spreading awareness on a multitude of issues. No matter the issue, young adults have taken to social media in order to identify problems within our society and inspire others to take a stand against the unjust actions that go on within our society. I have personally seen the benefits of social media within social movements. Every time I look at Twitter or Facebook, I am notified of injustices happening across the globe. I am fortunate to be a part of a generation that is connected worldwide, and willing to speak out for people that we have never met. My generation has not “forgotten what activism is”, but has reformed the way we can speak out for others. In his next point, Gladwell goes on to discuss the part social media plays when building and maintaining relationships. Though I concede that “The platforms of social media are built around weak ties”, I still insist that social media can inspire greatness in younger generations (Gladwell 319). Although, I am aware that bonds formed on websites like Facebook and Twitter are less likely to result in true and lasting friendships, I know that short encounters on these mediums can result in people feeling inspired to make a change not only in their own life, but also to impact the lives of others. I have formed friendships with many people online that I never would have had the opportunity to meet in a real life situation. Many people I come in contact with on the Internet share my beliefs and political stance, which helps me to see any action that I can take in order to help in causes I hold to be important. The relationships I have formed online, however superficial, have inspired me to take a greater stand on issues that I find unjust. As a final thought, Gladwell declares that the Internet makes it easy for a person to hide behind a screen as opposed to actually helping in challenging situations. While Gladwell is probably wrong when he claims that “ [Social media makes it] harder for expression to have any impact”, he is right that “[Social media] makes it easier for people to express themselves” (327). Many people find it easier to express their opinions on the Internet, this does not necessarily make them any less likely to act on their beliefs in real life. In fact, youth stating their opinions online could result in them finding organizations that correlate with their beliefs, leading them them to research and truly understand how they can support their cause on a deeper level. I have “followed” and “friended” many accounts on social media that link me to causes that I find important. This act does not make make me feel as if I have already done my job, but infact inspire me to become more involved in the organizations I have become aware of. When I find it necessary I am not afraid to post my opinion on current events, yet I know I can have an impact on another person’s life whether it be through social media or other means of outreach. Some people may claim that our nation is leaving real-life activism in the past for likes on Facebook. Malcolm Gladwell, author of “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted”, is one person that believes this to be true. Gladwell is incorrect in his claim that younger generations do not know how to advocate for others, he is partly wrong in his thoughts about relationships formed on social media, and is also is incorrect when he states that social media use makes advocating for others challenging for teens.
Works Cited
Gladwell, Malcolm. "Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 312-328. Print