A field guide to slacktivism
some jumbled thoughts of what it means to be "political" and whether our traditional view of activism is outdated (and ableist)
What - or who - do you imagine when you think about “an activist”?
A young person screaming through a loud speaker? A protestor throwing orange paint at a Mona Lisa? Someone blocking a highway? Someone on a hunger strike? An old lady pestering her elected representative day in, day out? Malala Yousafzai? Rachel Corrie? Greta Thunberg?
Or do you imagine a writer? An artist? A poet? A film director? A singer? A podcaster?
Do you ever imagine someone simply having a conversation with a friend or a neighbour? Someone quietly choosing not to buy certain products or not to support certain companies or celebrities?
Or someone creating and re-sharing content online, directing people towards resources, raising awareness within their circle of influence?
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what “activism” actually is. And I think we have it all wrong.
I think we (and I totally include myself in that “we”) imagine the first category of people as activists - people doing big, important things, giving up their daily lives for the cause, maybe even putting themselves in harm’s way in the process. Maybe the second category - writers, poets - at a stretch.
And the rest of us, we have jobs to do, and families to feed, so we can’t possibly be activists.
And I think it’s a convenient trope that’s been fed to us, to teach us powerlessness, to teach us helplessness, to teach us to “stay out of politics”, to “stay in our lane”, to just look away and ignore what’s happening outside, tend to our garden only.
We are taught that the only way activism works is going out into the streets, chaining ourselves to fences, making speeches, committing your whole life to the cause. Not only that, but also doing it perfectly, all of the time.
As important as the above activities are, it’s this belief makes actively participating in “political” life unattainable for the vast majority of people - which is, perhaps, why so many people say “I don’t do politics”.
The thing is, in the words of Mona Fakhry, “whether you do politics or not, politics are doing you”.
And so I think that maybe we need to reconsider what “activism” is.
Have you ever been accused of being a “slacktivist”?
I have. I’ve been told that what I do online doesn’t matter a single bit. That all that posting and sharing and petition-signing is performative. That all that bearing witness is meaningless and “bad for your mental health” (no shit Sherlock - NONE of it is good for anyone’s mental health but ignoring it isn’t going to help either). Often, that accusation comes from those who choose not not engage at all.
And at times, I questioned myself, too. Does it really matter? Should I stop? Is it just virtue signalling on my part?
But here’s the thing: There are many of us who genuinely care about changing the world for the better, but unable to do most of the things that are traditionally viewed as “activism”. So I think implying that there are some forms of activism that are better than others is, essentially, an extremely ableist stance.
There are those of us who have health issues meaning they can’t spend hours marching, or can only participate in a protest for a limited amount of time. Those of us with sensory and anxiety issues making attending crowded protests very difficult if not impossible. Those of us who are main (or sole) caregivers to small children or elderly relatives and can’t risk getting arrested during a targeted action, or take time out to travel to a rally or a vigil. Those of us who are working multiple jobs to make ends meet and don’t have the energy to campaign in the “real world” or make a large donation, or actively choose where they shop, but would still like to make a difference, somehow.
For those people, participating in activism in the online world may be the only option available, at least for a time being. For many, it could also be the first - and relatively easy and less prohibitive - step towards engaging in political life through other means. Does it make it any less meaningful or valuable? I really don’t think so.
If the only thing these people are able to contribute is speaking out on social media, using whatever platform they have - that’s valuable. I’ve learned so much from people doing just that - pointing towards resources, sharing their thoughts, providing information and education, inspiring to take action, to read a book, to challenge my unconscious biases - and yes, being inspired to take action beyond the online world, too.
Many people spend a lot of their time on social media. It’s the new town square (a very addictive and often insufferable one, but one nonetheless).
Like it or not, it IS the part of the real world. If it wasn’t, why are all the politicians and celebrities value their Instagram and Twitter followings so much? Why they share updates and calls to action? How does one post by Taylor Swift turns elections?
So I say: be a “slacktivist” if that’s the only thing available to you right now. Or do it as a first of many steps towards engaging with the world in a more meaningful way. Do what you can, when you can.
Changing the world won’t happen because a few people are able to do big things. It will happen if all of us do little things, consistently.
In the words of the British activist Laura Pidcock, “Activism isn’t the preserve of a special set of people, it isn’t a group of heroes that are trying to change the world. I feel like this kind of glorification sends a message that trying to change the world isn’t for everyone, when in reality it is about doing what you can with what you have”.
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