Advocacy vs. Activism

     Although the words "activism" and "advocacy" are often used interchangeably, there is an acute distinction between the two. In Malcolm Gladwell's, "Small Change" advocacy within social networking is criticized. Gladwell compares our present day form of "activism" to the civil- rights movements of the 1960s.  
     The author sets the scene by describing in Woolworth's protest in Greensboro, North Carolina. Local African- American students were denied service at a lunch counter. As a crowd gathered, a protest formed. Each day, the crowd grew larger. Sit- ins had spread miles beyond Greensboro, along with the spirit of activism. Men and women of all ages and ethnic backgrounds came together as brave advocates; they united for a common cause.
     This movement of the 60's was achieved without the use of cell phones, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. "Social networks are effective at increasing participation-- by lessening the level of motivation participation requires," says the author. Today, our idea of advocacy is "liking" a Facebook page. We consider ourselves activist by using a hashtag. Our brave façade is hidden behind the screen of a laptop and our most extensive form of action happens to be typing upon a keyboard.
     So where have we gone wrong? Our generation has been taught to use social media as a tool of communication. "The platforms of social media are built around weak ties," Gladwell points out. As we continue to gain followers, our knowledge of the world expands, and we feel an obligation to "pick a side" in every trivial matter.
     Despite our communication, our lack of organization and central leadership limits our effectiveness. The author sheds light upon possibilities as to why social media has become such an ineffective instrument of change. Gladwell writes, "Because networks don't have a centralized leadership structure and clear lines of authority, they have real difficulty reaching consensus and setting goals." The structure of networking makes it nearly impossible to make each individual accountable. We have no central authority, and therefore have one to answer to but ourselves. In this way, giving up or quitting is what causes our fervor to fizzle out.
       Social media has made us handicaps. We lack belief in our convictions; we are influenced by groups around us, constructed by weak ties. With only ourselves to answer to, we lack the motivation to find a passion. False advocates have replaced our fervent activists.