• Magnusson Dillon یک بروزرسانی ارسال کرد 2 years, ماه 1 قبل

    So what is an activist? Can you really identify the difference between an artist and an actor? The answer is both “yes” and “no”. Activists are people who get things done, make people pay attention to them and give them a reason to stand up and fight for what they believe in. For many people this is all that is required, and they have not much more to do with it other than to ensure that their cause gets results.

    Activism is such a broad field, filled with many different individuals, groups and Causes that all have their own different ideas, aims and goals. Being an activist is never easy, though it can happen almost anywhere. Sometimes you may experience plenty of successes or at least disappointments, such as when you are only finding it difficult to persuade people to support your cause, or even that your campaign slogan is just going viral.

    As a social media generation, we have come to expect instant gratification. We want our politicians, celebrities to come out and talk about issues immediately. Unfortunately, this is often not how it goes for activism. Activists may spend months or years collecting funds, building organizations, developing new policies, creating forums and more before they see any results from their efforts. Many people feel that by joining an online social media website such as Facebook or Twitter that they are doing something positive in terms of social change and have some sort of influence, but unfortunately what is an activist on these sites cannot really be considered “an activist”.

    Activists are individuals who take their causes very seriously, who are prepared to go beyond traditional means to effect change. By participating in popular online social media websites such as Facebook, there are some activists who may participate in a bit of self-promotion, by creating pages for controversial topics such as animal rights, or gay rights, as well as pages for political campaigns. While this type of activity certainly does have an impact on the spread of awareness about issues, this type of online promotion is typically done by individuals with an interest in politics and those who may consider themselves as part of an organization rather than an individual. For these individuals it is important to remember that what is an activist is not the use of social media, but rather the commitment to effect change within the environment of power, influence and authority.

    The other major divide between what is an activist and what is not is the issue of privilege. The word “privilege” itself has a loaded connotation. For many years the word “privilege” has been associated with those who have historically had the most power in society. However, today it has become increasingly rare to find that type of person in the public consciousness. Instead we commonly hear about people who engage in acts of disobedience based upon power, whether it is economic or political. Those who are labeled as “activist” by those who claim to speak for them often have a slightly different view of what privilege is.

    For magazine on the issue of privilege is a matter of perspective. In other words, for most activists the word “Privilege” is a way of describing what they consider to be the benefits that come along with being an activist. By participating in social media communities, activists use the platform provided by the Internet to expand their base of influence and also communicate information to a larger audience. By doing so they have taken advantage of the first responder privilege, and have given voice to those who otherwise would not have been able to make their voices heard. Activists are usually using the term “privilege” as a description of a set of beliefs that automatically benefit them in comparison to those who do not hold the same beliefs.

    Activists believe that those who sit on the sidelines and complain about everything are not part of the true revolution, and should not be considered part of the movement. By engaging in social media activism, these activists feel that they can change the future by impacting change within the social media networks. The goal of all activists is to create change through grassroots efforts, by influencing change in decision makers, and through protests and marches that draw attention to issues. What is an Activist?

    In conclusion, what is an activist is a combination of many things. However, the core meaning of an activist is determined by those who identify as one and those who engage in that activism. By engaging in actions that make the lives of others better, and by making change happen, that person becomes a true activist. All others who claim to be part of that activism are mere lip service, a diversion from the core issues at hand.