I have to agree with Malcom Gladwell in that real social change is brought about by people whose beliefs and values are so strong that acting on them is the true means by which social change is realized. I believe that social media has an important role and play, and that sites like Facebook and Twitter are good platforms for spreading information and enlightening the world on tough social issues. These sites are a means to get large numbers of people to realize the issues in a timely manner, however, it’s not the means by which significant social change occurs.
Changes to important social issues are made when people are motivated through sites like Facebook and Twitter to act. People who are passionate and committed to a cause must work together socially and in unity. It’s through these efforts that they have the ability to bring about real social change. It’s my personal opinion that the weak ties of social media have a role to play but are not the sole means by which social change is realized.
On the other hand, it has reduced the need for face-to-face interaction for friends and family that are already close. For example, my sisters often Facebook chat me from the next room in my home. Social media sites such as Twitter, have helped create an environment where regular people are able to stay in tune with their favourite stars, politicians, artists, musicians, friends and much, much more. This has created a large amount of social change.
Social media sites allow for total freedom to make it a public matter whatever you feel you need to. The level of convenience it offers will continue to cause change in social interaction. Social media sites will only further find ways to link us to the rest of the world, only making it easier and more accessible.
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
"According to Malcom Gladwell, a well-known author in the area of social media, social media are built around weak ties and real social change can never come from loose networks of people that do not know each other. Do you think that social media has the potential to bring about real social change?"
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Great blog JSwab you make a lot of great points. I do agree that changes in social issues are made when people are motivated through social media sites to act like you said. Social media brings people together in the fact that when there's a national disaster people are told through social media sites and everyone wants to do what they can to help out. I also agree when u made the point about face to face interaction. I so agree that pepople don't talk much anymore face to face they just talk through facebook because it's a lot easier. But your communcation and social skills start to lack.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you and I like your perception. I also agree that we don't meet or see our peers as we used to, it all comes down to social networks now.
ReplyDeleteGood job!
I agree with a lot of what you said there. Social media has made it a lot easier for people to get together and protest or support their causes. The only thing I question would be what happens when facebook and twitter die off? Facebook is already beginning to wane in the number of new users signing up and the number of users in general. Will social media be able to make social changes once people get tired of these mediums? Will something new, something better come out?
ReplyDeleteI agree with what your saying. It does allow for total freedom to what you publish and what you do on the social media sites. I also agree that twitter and facebook is a better way of getting information out to the public. Before social media we use to use methods like television and newspapers but social media is such a faster and more reliable method to get out information.
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