We’re Talking About Slacktivism Like It’s a Bad Thing
The Slacktivism debate is an important one for us to have, but I also think we’re failing to see that there are real benefits to all our keyboard warrior Facebook friends. Okay, yes, your Mom’s friend Susan who keeps posting memes that say “share this picture to save this adorable, tiny puppy” is probably not actually doing anything to change the situation, but she feels good about it. Let her have it. Yes, Susan is a slacktivist—and not even a really good one at that.
So, what is Slacktivism? According to my handy, all-knowing Google machine, Slacktivism is defined as “actions performed via the Internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement, e.g., signing an online petition or joining a campaign group on a social media website.”
Yes, these might be the people who are first on the scene to change their Facebook profile picture, share a meme, or even say they’re attending an event, but do they actually do anything to help facilitate any change? The easy answer is “Um, no. LOL.” But, the answer really isn’t that easy at the end of the day (pro tip: there aren’t often “easy” answers). Of course, it would be much more effective if we could turn all those clicks into actions for any given cause, but there is still importance in those seemingly trivial online behaviours.
In civil society, there are strong ties, medium ties, and weak ties. Strong ties are the relationships we have with our inner circle: family, friends, et cetera. On the opposite end of the spectrum, weak ties are acquaintances. Many very smart people — in this case specifically, Malcolm Gladwell — have suggested that the weak ties forged during online slacktivism equate to nothing in a real-life context. However, we know from sociologist Mark Granovetter‘s observations that they actually play an important role in creating change through the influence of new ideas and information. In the professional world of marketing and communications, we’re well aware of the power of influence, especially in large numbers. The power of 100,000 people in a singular message can speak louder than 1 person’s actions… And even better when we can bring the two together to show support and carry out actions simultaneously. Perhaps this influence can even lead to creating stronger ties that create a larger group of ‘doers’ in activism.
If you’re looking for real-life proof, check out Clay Shirkey’s TED Talk on Cognitive Surplus.