Activism

After several weeks in class, I still haven't come to a decision as to whether I agree more with Biz Stone or Malcolm Gladwell.  Maybe if they weren't both so convincing and well-spoken I would have an easier time making a decision.  What I can say though is that I think both men make very strong cases about each type of activism.  I also agree that both types of activism are necessary.

I think whether you're tweeting about an issue, or protesting it in front of the courthouse, you're engaging in activism.  Gladwell and Stones' ideas of activism are both necessary to each other in my mind.  What I mean by that is, they are inter-related.  Without one type of activism, I don't think a cause can be as effective.  I think it depends on the individual participating.  For some people, the activism that fits their style is tweeting or posting on facebook.  For other people, the activism that suits them is going out in the trenches and battling for their cause.  A while ago we brought up the tsunami in Japan.  I don't have the means or resources to fly to Japan and donate my time rebuilding.  What I do have though is money to send, and I have a voice that can spread word that people need help.  What I think is awesome about activism is that both types raise awareness and can make a difference.  So I honestly think that both types of activism should be present within a certain issue.

Another example is the Walk A Mile project I participated in with my Comm 340 class.  The event had several aspects.  We needed to recruit people and spread the word, so we tweeted and handed out flyers.  But we also needed people to attend and show that they were standing up for victims of sexual assault.  Both types of activism were necessary for our event to be a success.  Just tweeting wouldn't have had the same results, but just showing up the day of without getting the word out would've resulted in a less successful event as well.  In my mind, both types of activism actually benefit each other.