Blog Prompt: Changing the World One Click at a Time?

I feel like I agree in many respects with Malcolm Gladwell.  The weak connections of social media make it easy for someone to “scroll” over your “post” for action.  Lacking the in person connection makes it difficult to advance movements and ideas.  As was said in class, so many people show up because word is spread through social media, but they can often be left wondering what is next.  Social media can allow for the absence of leadership because just seeing a post makes you aware of the issue at hand, but that does not mean you will feel the need to act on what you saw.

However, social media’s ability to gather large masses of people with a common vision or goal is incredible.  The determining factor in people’s participation comes down to how serious or important is the idea or movement to that individual.  Looking back on the Civil Rights movement and what people were fighting for made it easier for people to actively pursue change.  The stakes were high enough that much could be gained from a societal change.  The recent Women’s March has much of the same feeling, but I also feel that the movement could benefit from more voice and leadership.  I am not largely knowledgeable of the press and media surrounding the Women’s March and its follow on activities, so this leadership could exist and I do not know about it.

 I am a fan of the personal leverage we have on our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.  People typically respond well when you tug on their heart strings.  I know that I am more likely to fall for the in person hard sell versus the impersonal mass message.  People like to know that they are giving up their time or attaching their name to for a person that has a vested interest in the success or failure of an idea or movement.

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