What is Activism?

Tuesday in class we discussed the opposing viewpoints of activism between Gladwell and Stone. When we separated into groups to suppor one of the viewpoints, I originally went with Stone. Stone characterizes activism as: leaderless organizations, open exchange of information that allows for checks and balances, and activism that reshapes authority. In my group, we decided that social media helps assist activism, and in some cases, social media can stand as the activist movement.

Ironically, when I got home from school that day and logged onto Facebook, there was an invitation to a group called “2011 Snowpocalypse Petition for Sensibility at Ball State University”. I believe Stone would consider this new Facebook group activism because there is very little leadership, and it allows for people to post information that can be checked by other viewers. However, is creating a Facebook group to complain about Ball State’s decision to hold classes really taking a stance for something?

If we give this Facebook group the title of “activism”, I feel as if we are taking away from activism acts that occurred in Greensboro (the sit in at the lunch counter), and the protests organized by Martin Luther King Jr. I agree with Glad well, that “social networks are effective at INCREASING participation”. However, I disagree with Stone that social network activist movements alone stand as activism. The “2011 Snowpocalypse Petition for Sensibility at Ball State University” event is serving nothing but an outlet for people to complain about having class, and to gain attention to their posts. None of the posts suggest a movement for better results during bad weather.

After further examination on the two view points of activism, I agree with Gladwell, that activism posses the characteristics of: danger or high risk, personal connection to cause and people involved, requires high effort, and spreads to others through hierarchical organizations.

This Facebook group could have been used to inform students of a petition or a meeting being held, information on topics being covered, or a place where brainstorming could take place, with the intention of further, mature, activist movements. Don't get me wrong, the pictures and posts are humorous, but no where near an activist movement.