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Revolution 2.0 reflects tehficial or not for a social movement to have a structure alike to this (that of complete democracy), although in the case of the Egyptian Revolution it could be argued that it was indeed beneficial. The epilogue of the text also talks about how a collection of people can be brave and powerful social activists when united together as one through the internet as opposed not being a cohesive force when isolated (even if they are not usually activists or risk-averse to begin with). It is stated in the context of the Egyptian revolution that “the power of the people are stronger than the people in power”- but in the context of social media campaigns today can this be true? Or is it more efficient for an organization wanting change to be run through one individual, in a more linear manner?
Activist Bill McKibben uses his website 350.org, to bring people living in the same areas together to address “regional issues with planetary causes” (Lopez, 143). 350.org not only addressed the issue of the Keystone Pipeline Project with information that educated people on the problem, but still “distributes media [on the climate crisis that]…facilitates live encounters during coordinated days of action when people gather in their communities to bring attention to the cause” (144). The site takes activism a step beyond advocacy by mobilizing internet users to take action in their home communities. What is particularly powerful about this approach is that it breaks down the larger issue of the climate crisis to spread news and coordinate events in areas most impacted by the issue. If more activism sites were able to move from ideas of immediate, sweeping, and large scale change to advocating for people to educate their friends and fix issues in their communities, online activism campaigns would be able to involve more people and use them to create tangible change.
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