“Slacktivism” and Narrow-mindedness
Jun 27
The Stop Con Ass Facebook campaign is nearing the 100,000 sign-up mark. It’s amazing how fast it’s grown over the past couple of weeks. What’s interesting to note though is how some of the proponents of physical rallies (for the same cause) have been hitting on the campaign, even calling it “slacktivism”. Instead of embracing technology and maximizing communication channels, they turn it down because it’s not what they want to happen – which is for people to go to the streets with them. While I admire their fervor for nation building and genuine change, I’m a bit disappointed that they’re not pushing the cause online.
Campaigns should be Integrated
There are so many channels that can be tapped to communicate your message. Limiting oneself is not good because you’re not reaching out to all possible communities out there. It’s just like a normal marketing campaign. You have a message and you find ways to be able to be heard by your prospects in the most cost-effective manner. Since this campaign is targeting a broad base, then the organizers should appreciate new communication lines.
Reality Check: Not everyone can afford to go to the streets
Let’s face the truth – no matter how hard we shout out and try to convince people to rally, if the threat is not big enough and relevant to them, they will not march. Instead of trying to ram down the idea of physical rallies down their throats, let’s open up more avenues/mediums for them to be one with the cause. It’s the responsibility of the organizer to establish various “embassies” so that their constituents can reach them and join them.
Like what I said above, the key is to integrate efforts so that instead of several small pushes, we have one cohesive giant effort that says the same thing and reaches more people.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
I would like to share that for most OFWs like us, we obviously and quite literally cannot go to the street and rally for the cause.
But we, at least, take the initiative to get our views heard by more people. We don’t just sit on our desk with indifference. That is not slacktivism.
Just because we don’t sweat and bleed along with other activist, doesn’t mean we care less.
Never underestimate the combination of technology and communication.
I really appreciate this article. Thanks for this blog.
just like what happened more than a century ago, when the revolutionaries couldn’t agree on how to fight Spain, either by a bloody revolution or integration as province. Bonifacio, rizal or aguinaldo.
@Sheila: “Just because we don’t sweat and bleed along with the other activist, doesn’t mean we care less. Never underestimate the combination of technology and communication.” You’re on the money with this statement.
@ceblogger: Good point bro.
I wrote about this in an article that came out in the Manila Times last month. (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/june/18/yehey/opinion/20090618opi5.html)
Frankly, “proponents of physical rallies” have no qualms with the use of New Media tools in any campaign. The problem is when the people’s participation ends there, for change can never be achieved solely in the front of your desktop. A number of examples have been cited in the article if you are interested.
As per my fellow commenter Sheila Tan’s limitations, migrant activists in fact find ways to air their grievances, and not only limited to the web. I suggest you to get in touch with fellow migrants and organize your own mobilizations. The activist group Migrante has chapters all over the world who have done this regularly, and even in the most creative ways, for example.
In fact, the efforts of the Stop Con-Ass Now facebook cause all amount to a Facebook EB, does it not? It goes to show how a physical mass-up of people is still what we aim to achieve in tapping new media as a tool to address con-ass and cha-cha. Let’s face the truth – if the Arroyo regime doesn’t consider a few thousands on the street a threat, what more to a group that doesn’t physically materialize? Virtual actions alone will net virtual gains alone.
As the old saying goes, “kung gusto, maraming paraan, kung ayaw, maraming dahilan.” We must remember that we use New Media, not as the action that will stop chacha or conass itself, but as the means for patiently and tirelessly explaining, persuading, and convincing the people why we need to go out of our comfort zones to step up our action against the Arroyo regime.
Like you said, the key is to integrate efforts, and this goes for both the proponents of physical activism and online activism. There is no need to consider any of them a novelty different from the other.
Who knows, if the 2nd people power was bolstered by SMS, maybe our 3rd would be bolstered by Facebook, eh? Here’s to the success of the campaign against con-ass and cha-cha!
just two points, carlo:
1) it is not true that activists (those who go out in the streets) are not pushing the cause online. you’d be surprised at the amount of organizing they do online. the only difference, of course, is that they show up. they know that FB and all that are just the means to an end, not the end itself, which I think what makes their activism different than the one you’re pushing.
2) reality check: not every one has a facebook account, let alone a computer and internet access. new technologies are far from the mind and way off the budget of poor people in the countryside and in the depressed communities — farmers, peasants, ordinary workers — who are directly affected by the policy these activists are fighting in the streets.
again, this is not to denigrate online activism because it does have its purpose. we all value what the internet has done for democracy in other parts of the world.
but to propagate the idea that your “movement” is more effective just because more people signed up on your FB cause than those who showed up in rallies — that is not only misleading, that is telling those protesters that they were wasting their time.
in any case, congratulations for nearing the 100,000 mark. here’s hoping that the arroyo regime now quakes in its boots.
Hi Leon and Caloy,
Thanks for the comments! Appreciate that you took the time to write really good insights.
Ultimately it boils down to integration. What’s disheartening is hearing and seeing people who actually believe in the same cause give a thumbs down just because they don’t understand or appreciate the value of the internet. It’s another channel that needs to be maximized and instead of shying away from it, we should embrace it.
Based from various studies, we now have 21M Filipino internet users, and we expect that to balloon to 28M in 2010. The internet may have been an option a few years ago, but it’s now a necessity for any good campaign.
Let me reiterate the last line of the post: “Like what I said above, the key is to integrate efforts so that instead of several small pushes, we have one cohesive giant effort that says the same thing and reaches more people.”
Thanks again for your comments!
Cheers,
Carlo