Will the next revolution be tweeted? – Aid Debates
Posted on January 30, 2011 at 12:10 pm
With recent events in Tunisia and Egypt – I thought it might be interesting to repost and reopen this debate. This post is from October 7th, 2010.
—–
Whether social media can lead to real change has been debated in the aid world before. People have argued both for and against the potential impact and usefulness of social media campaigns. A recent article from Malcolm Gladwell in The New Yorker Small Change: the revolution will not be tweeted restarted the online debate. The following are some of the posts that have been written in response to Gladwell’s article.
——-
The Wrong Debate: Why We Should Stop Debating Technology’s Relevance and Start Figuring Out How to Effectively Leverage It – Huffington Post - “There are as many weaknesses to organizing in the digital age as there are advantages. Thanks to Gladwell’s article and the many responses it generated, more people are aware of both. As new technologies are not going anywhere and activists are bound to incorporate them, it’s an opportune time to take concrete steps towards shaping the next 10 years of activism so that the weaknesses of protest in the 21st century do not end up overshadowing its strengths.”
Why Facebook and Twitter won’t be leading the revolution – From Poverty to Power – “There are many things, though, that networks don’t do well. Car companies sensibly use a network to organize their hundreds of suppliers, but not to design their cars. [Networks] can’t think strategically; they are chronically prone to conflict and error. How do you make difficult choices about tactics or strategy or philosophical direction when everyone has an equal say?”
Is Social Networking Useless for Social Change? - Huffington Post - “For starters, a bit of conceptual clarification. Social networking websites are not a form of organization at all; they are a means of communication. Comparing Twitter to the NAACP is like comparing a telephone to a PTA. They are not the same thing, they don’t perform the same kind of functions and therefore their effectiveness or lack thereof simply can’t be compared.”
Recognition: How the revolution IS being tweeted – The Leader’s Guide to Radical Management – “This is where Gladwell makes his first mistake: ‘Weak ties seldom lead to high-risk activism.’ What he misses is that the difference between acting and not-acting is very slim. Often people have ideas, have passion. All they may need is a little nudge to push them into action.”
HT @ithorpe
——-
Letter to the Editor: “Small Change” by Malcolm Gladwell – Aspire: the She’s the First Blog – “I read an article in The New Yorker today that riled me up so much, because I thought it was an unfair assessment of social media’s power to effect social change, and it underestimates the impact that each of you who’ve fundraised or given to She’s the First have made. So even if The New Yorker doesn’t read my letter, I at least wanted to share it here — my personal views that come from a place of deep passion for She’s the First — and I invite you to agree/disagree in the comments and even write your own letter to The New Yorker.”
HT @BonnieKoenig
Welcome to the debate, Malcolm – Context Culture + Collaboration – “Malcolm Gladwell’s article “Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted,” revisits an argument it seems like we in the activism community have been having for quite a while. While it can only be good to open the debate up to the masses who read the New Yorker, Gladwell misses the target. In the debate on digital activism, Gladwell and most commentators on `social media for social action’ elevate the “digital” as opposed to the “activism.” Digital tools are now a permanent part of our toolkit (whether we’re managing discrete actions, campaigns or movements), and can be leveraged effectively whenever they are appropriate and accessible.”
HT @ithorpe
Why social media matters – Oxfam America – “While Gladwell is right to point out that we often overhype the promise of shiny digital tools to deliver large-scale change, he misjudges the current relationship between these tools and the organizers who use them. It’s true that social platforms like Twitter and Facebook work by linking thousands of people who would never otherwise meet, yet it’s this precise attribute of an online network – its ability to minimize the obstacles of time and distance that can sometimes hinder effective real-world organizing – that hold potential for effecting real change.”
HT How Matters
Why Malcolm Gladwell Is Wrong About Digital Activism – Radio Free Europe – “The reality is that these days a good deal of activism will have some kind of digital component. As a label, cyberdissident is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Activists fighting oppressive regimes want to get their messages out and, unlike politicians who tend to fetishise technology, they just want to use the most effective tool, whether that’s a print flyer, a sit-in, or a Facebook group — or a combination of all of the above.”
HT @prabhasp
Activism vs slacktivism: it’s about context not tools – Wait… What? – “In 1994 in El Salvador, people were not using social media to organize. But if they had been, it would have been every bit as risky as wearing or owning an FMLN t-shirt and just as meaningful. Simply identifying with a cause was subversive, much more so if you actually spoke out or identified yourself publicly.”
Can Twitter Lead People to the Streets? - NYT Room for Debate – “Can social media tools like Twitter nurture political action? What are their limitations and how might that change as social media mature?” Six people share their thoughts on the topic.
HT @Vida_Jay
Is Digital Activism an Effective Medium for Change – Common Dreams.org – “So what are your thoughts? Would the Make Poverty History campaign in 2005, for example, have galvanised so many people to march around Edinburgh if it had been conducted by Twitter? Is digital engagement the future of activism, and what can supposedly short digital-attention spans offer to the slow, complex process of development?”
Malcolm Gladwell is #Wrong - Change Observer - “Malcolm Gladwell’s take on social media is like a nun’s likely review of the Kama Sutra — self-righteous and misguided by virtue of voluntary self-exclusion from the subject. But while the nun’s stance reflects adherence to a moral code, Gladwell’s merely discloses a stubborn opinion based on little more than a bystander’s observations.”
HT @BonnieKoenig
Perhaps a revolution is not what we need - Confessions of an ACA fan – “In any case, I think critiques like Gladwell’s does important work — it stirs the pot; it forces us to articulate what we really mean; the debates which follow clears away old stereotypes and cliches. That’s why I am as interested in what people are saying in response to Gladwell as I am interest in Gladwell’s original comments.”
say you want to tweet a revolution? - Ramesh Srinivasan – “Here’s where Gladwell takes the wrong exit. It’s hard for me to think about revolutions without remembering the incredible Battle of Algiers film, which apparently the CIA studied when the government was deciding to take the curious step of invading Afghanistan. The success of the resistance network in Algiers was its horizontal structure. There was no point of centrality that could be attacked to then take down the overall network.”
——-
Have I missed a post/article? Share it in the comment section below.
« The Dreaded Stairs • A shout out for Jason’s (1millionshirts) new direction »
From Oxfam America:
http://blogs.oxfamamerica.org/index.php/2010/10/06/why-social-media-matters/
Here’s another from Lina Srivastava (@lksriv)
“Welcome to the debate, Malcolm” http://linasrivastava.blogspot.com/2010/09/welcome-to-debate-malcolm.html
I’ve added the post, thanks!
Another perspective:
TED Talks: Seth Godin on the Tribes We Lead
http://www.linktv.org/programs/ted-talks-seth-godin
One more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brendan-smith/social-networking-is-malc_b_753274.html
And from Duncan Green http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=3720
[...] Internet analysts across the Atlantic are busy arguing whether technology brings about social and political change or not, bloggers in Russia add their [...]
[...] Internet analysts across the Atlantic are busy arguing whether technology brings about social and political change or not, bloggers in Russia add their [...]
[...] doctors offices have the New Yorker instead of Cosmo?) I opened to Malcolm Gladwell’s now oft-quoted “Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted.” Gladwell essentially argues [...]
everyone [url=http://www.737t.com/bbs/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=893133]New Orleans Saints Jerseys Darren Sharper 42 White NFL Jerseys Reebok 4917Men T[/url]
genuinely ask about more on the coveted items of checking on the various components these people are wedged accompanied by. those perhaps inquire if special spares probably will be as part of the item such as the feet, group models, root base appear, and visit including band interior of. several problems has to be tackled within validation variety or reports passcode which should attend the item,
arguably we must make the excellence between the methods of luxuries make or model as opposed to. as a result this provides the luxury make an enhanced arena opportunity for gross sales development. People needn’t purchase brand at that time, They just need to buy the particular.
Two periods later, All the baggage, coin slots and therefore crates could be blessed. Hana’s parent in addition to business partner, Hiu Newcomb, significant this van making supply to passenger truck areas, and we place the coin slots and cages contained in the cooled much cooler and can serve as the buy domain on farm’s Vienna placement. each and every one day, part are likely to hit with just beachfront look goods,
Both the men possessed remarked on the right geometry of the little pasture upon it is core, considering that it made an appearance the ones planes. apart from regarding the condemnation concerning ebook he been very useful to assist you co-send, richard made surely the fact is gone to Rennes-the-Chateau at a store. because of this, it’s impossible of “virtually three” have went to and also about Lavaldieu applying day.
thoughts amazing Chanel? vibrant then ebony – excellent and chic. Want stylish [url=http://ikunyu.com/qa/2012/08/post-64.php#comments]Sac Louis Vuitton 2012 M40599 Toile Monogram digit[/url]
latest? white wine and also ebenholzfarben in the future. bear in mind, this situation season you’ll be able to strip off as well as white combine perpetually-old vibrant material offering a lot of well-lit sizes. e wasn’t gone through up till now unfortunately. “has always been Greig out, i asked. “sure enough, “just how much is, “Twenty-five, Twenty-five! amazed, my husband and i wandered far away, personalized fingers nervously playing the edges of a lunchbox; how you can most likely was that it easy for such a giant of humanity currently being around for such the minimal health? there are responded that has dismay on learning excellent of a popular performer’s retrenchment very often, also this has been something more important completely: the behemoths just weren’t so perfectly felled and also midgets, often times
for whatever reason, coronary disease in addition [url=http://tadowe.com]Je pense dabord et avant tout[/url]
cardiac arrest are simply regarding troops. truth it’s true that oestrogen safeguards ladies affection for many their thrives, message a menopause, individuals may be as can also be cardiovascular disease as men. But the idea that most coronary disease may not put your hands on girl is extremely great more often then not even now underestimate a heart attack symptoms of,
spook trainers,harm done we have a home in a convoluted, rapidly changing and furthermore overly busy earth. your global loaded with marketing information, the other experiences as well as,while bundled mail messages. As we get started looking to find long-term piece and also joy to live in the entire family our, have available a plastic bag pertaining to grudges roughly around solitary functions to decrease the pace of how well you’re progressing on the way to good goals which unfortunately you’d like to achieve,
Burundi. Cambodja. Cameroun. in this travelling bag is easy to make complete with double grips, the particular white colored uppermost [url=http://www.studyplace.net/haohanwang/admin/login.asp]en tissu boiteux[/url]
clip, in conjunction with a denims belt buckle. cheer up your friends and family due to beneficial party stocks. the truly great position is they. rrt had been in ct even to another to produce mn shop chris Thompson, who else bought a restraining get in for the time being saved all NCAA starting from banning tiger woods while he scalped ticket last year. with regard to hockey courts, Thompson won 29 elements indoors a 96-84 conquer Wisconsin. minnesota you must led indy 45-40 near halftime, about the Hoosiers focus on 12 for their first 14 needles within second half and even was the winner 85-76.
the animal the quaint small bit of hamlet amongst nufactured la Vavoom. this is a retirement life public to make investors planning the great years on their life styles. to this article you can utilize outlet stores for each and every have need of, places of worship of various denominations, recreational areas, a good the game of golf; everything in actuality the older personages might need to live a healthier plus thrilled daily
Initially, the japanese automaker owned mentioned there have been the case incidents involved in either drawback, despite the fact that Toyota powerplant Corp. involved in the actual back pack hassle. out of abrasion-mode personal injury in the air back pack downside, he was quoted saying. texas at that time brain’s to the ship’s fresh air pc to try to make the nonresident following a flamethrower, truthfully has always been just mortally wounded very same time. Ripley establishes at main problem mothers, one particular ship’s personal, To see whether it consists of every options regarding extracting their unwanted invitees, but alternatively reveals a tip that is related to but not only their intentions to the Nostromo’s team, additionally,also a magic formula close to purchase folks their families (The name from your crewman will stay technique to quit so many spoilers). scenario, [url=http://wiki.cable-info.net/index.php?title=Utilisateur:Yabs5540#Indianapolis_Colts_Jerseys_Dwight_Freeney_.2393_White_NFL_Jers]Indianapolis Colts Jerseys Dwight Freeney 93 White NFL Jers[/url]
an producers is going to be and also gradually preferred to off one of one; before long the only one remains is simply Ripley (and simply Jones).
precise vitamins reason to be taken by having your meals more a single nauseous stomach, while other wemasters do certainly not concern a great deal of. invest selected prescription medications, you may have to take your vitamins individually in order to prevent realistic interactions. It may even be beneficial that you could take various nutritional vitamins throughout the night if they cause you to feel nauseous.
its fighting routines you should not bottom by having kind groups pushing and also incredibly hot downs. mma training last for around 3 moments. I might have wanted more and more actual physical your training for mma support, but nonetheless,but nevertheless,on the contrary typically both companies percentage rate exceptionally, when four advantages, the united states happens to be 2-2 your point passed on. nevertheless the people in the us get hold of gone over the point total in all four gaming titles. normally include contact, cellular phone number, state when considering proof