Latest News
  • New York City School Diversity: Repairing Harm and Leveraging Success
  • The State of Black Working Women in America, and Why Intersectionality is…
  • “The Wheels of Justice Move Slowly,” Say the People Moving the Wheels
  • Can mass-transit expansion by itself solve traffic congestion? The São Paulo case…
  • Expanding Paid Sick Leave Protections in New York State
  • Policymaking in a Pandemic: Evaluating Alternative Approaches
  • Recommendations for the Proposed Lenox Hill Hospital Expansion
  • Addressing Storefront Retail Vacancies with Commercial Rent Control
  • Proposal to Make the MTA Buses Fare-Free
  • Opportunity Zones, Five Years In: Who Really Benefits?
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet The Staff
      • Masthead 2021-2022
      • Masthead 2020-2021
    • Mission Statement
    • Contact Us
  • Articles
  • Podcast
  • Call for Submissions
    • Alliance for Climate Change and the Environment
    • Stonewall Alliance RFP
    • Wagner Philanthropy RFP
    • Wagner Womxn RFP
    • Wagner Review 2022 Conference Request For Proposals

Activism, So Hot Right Now

Home /Articles/Activism, So Hot Right Now

NYU Wagner Review

Feature,Op Ed |
03/27/2017

by Sasha Massey

Any liquor geek or hipster distillery in Brooklyn will tell you that white whiskey is having a moment. Unlike regular whiskey, it can be created overnight, doesn’t require a lot of investment, and, most importantly, it’s trendy. But its lackluster quality is giving true whiskey a bad name. The rise of this faddish spirit has been accompanied by the increasing popularity of another: activism. But, like white whiskey, it is taking on a new form, one in which the impact may be fleeting.

Malcolm Gladwell characterized high-impact activists as people of passion, willing to take on high risks for high reward. Many of today’s self-proclaimed activists display more superficial tendencies. The growing popularity of social media as a political tool has given everyone the license to declare themselves activists, without having to stick their neck out. Perhaps this is that facebook friend who changes their overlay to every of-the-moment cause and hashtags #persist with every post. What change does this create?

As Stanford sociologist Doug Mcadam argues, change-makers require strong ties to the community impacted by an issue, or deep roots in the issue itself. These roots can emerge from learning, working with or knowing someone who is directly affected by the issue, or experiencing the problem first-hand. Conversely, social media platforms are largely founded on weak ties. A like, repost or tweet does not an activist make.

Yes, citizens of a democracy have every right to and should exercise their ability to advocate for change and make improvements to their society. But a click of a mouse does not make a participatory democracy. As history and research demonstrates, nothing is more effective than deep engagement with the decision-making processes that affect an issue. As Gladwell says, “activism that challenges the status quo—that attacks deeply rooted problems—is not for the faint of heart.” Like any good whiskey, an activist is not born overnight.

Famed economist Anthony Downs’ argues that public attention, particularly in America, rarely remains focused on an issue for long. This is largely because problems are often slow to develop, and new ones are always popping up to divert our attention. This challenge is augmented by social media, where we are inundated with a constant barrage of new topics and information. If this article has made you self-conscious of your social media “slacktivism,” know that it’s not all your fault; surface-level engagement is partially an adaptation to the times.
Social media has great potential to help communities organize, and is particularly useful for fast, frequent distillation of information. However, when it comes to what Gladwell identifies as high-risk activism – the necessary ingredient to enact tangible social change – social media can only be one tool in a larger strategy. So before you press like, re-tweet, or go on that Facebook rant, make sure you are using it as as a springboard to advocate for a cause, rather than a finish line.

Forgone Opportunity Cost: Diversity in Tech-Industry
In defense of public space: Why planners should protect the right to occupy public space during the Trump Administration
TAGS: civil rights and liberties civil_rights public conversation public engagement public policy social media activism

Related posts

New York City School Diversity:…
The State of Black Working…
“The Wheels of Justice Move…
Can mass-transit expansion by itself…
Expanding Paid Sick Leave Protections…
Policymaking in a Pandemic: Evaluating…
Recommendations for the Proposed Lenox…
Addressing Storefront Retail Vacancies with…
Proposal to Make the MTA…
Opportunity Zones, Five Years In:…

Contact Info

NYU Wagner Review
New York University
Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
295 Lafayette Street
New York, New York 10012

Email:
wagner.review@gmail.com

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in these articles are strictly those of the authors and do not reflect the views of NYU Wagner Review, the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, or New York University.

Connect with NYU Wagner Review

  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Like us on Facebook
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe on Spotify
  • Subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts
2022 NYU Wagner Review. All rights reserved. Created by Macho Themes