Thoener
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Tyler Thoener
Professor Kay
English
18 December 2017
Throughout the history of activism, activism has had a key role to how the government runs the country. Activism is an action of using different types of campaigns to change political or social quo. Malcolm Gladwell and Biz Stone had a debate between two methods of activisms which are high risk or solely through social media. Malcolm Gladwell wrote an article, “Small Change” about how physical, high risk activism is the only way to make change, and social media won’t help make that change. After he printed that article. A spark went off between many people about whether or not social media actually can create. Biz Stone the co-founder of Twitter responded with his own article of how social media can actually make big change. At a glance, people might say physical activism is the best way for change, but a closer look at social media explain how it indeed can make change. Biz Stone believes that social media promotes change that is as important as high risk activism, and spreads strong ties among relationships such as the Black Lives Matter and the I’ll Ride With You protests.
Malcom Gladwell explains in his article that high risk activism has the “strong ties” while the use of social media may only produce weak ties to the change in status quo. In Gladwell’s “Small Change,” he tells that social media friends aren’t physical, which creates a weak bond between each person online. In person it’s different because you know the person personally and that they will support the cause even at high risk. A Facebook friend could say that they support the cause but may not actually support the cause 100% and take action into their own hands. “The platforms of social media are built around weak ties” (Gladwell). Gladwell is trying to say that social media most commonly never leads to high risk activism that could change the way we live. He explains that thousands of people online will say that they support the cause and what it happening, yet saying is easier than actually doing. Online people don’t have to worry about a personal risk or being confronted about their actions as if they were to do the activism that requires that high risk. What Gladwell really means is that social activism isn’t going to change society, and what is needed is the interaction of in person activism to change a view. I disagree with Gladwell’s view that in order to have actual change you have to be involved in the high risk activism to get your word out because, as research by Biz Stone has shown. Social activism is a way for anyone to be heard and for anyone to create a powerful activist group that can change a status quo.
In addition, Biz Stone the co-founder of twitter explains that social media is a great form of communication for change and it does lead to big change. Biz stone’s argument against Malcom Gladwell showed how he could use Gladwell’s words against him. Think of the man who hel...
