Small Change

Parker

Enc 1101

01/29/2015

A perspective of “Small Change”

In an era where it is very easy per individual to feel as if simply tweeting about social change or liking a post supporting one on Facebook a few times will actually make a change. In reality there is such a small chance that just tweeting something or liking something will actually make a change. In the article “Small Change” written by Malcolm Gladwell, he starts off by discussing the influence and hold that social media such as twitter and Facebook, has on activism today. Meanwhile in the 1960’s activism was dealt in a much different way than it is today; protests were made consisting of thousands of people of all kind through the use of strong ties. Strong ties being “Activism that challenges the status quo- that attacks deeply rooted problems” (Gladwell #233). According to some, today’s technology is revolutionizing the world by giving us the ability to enhance and re-create methods of activism. But only methods of it, not actual activism where as of in the 60s people would actually risk their lives. Technology should not be considered bad though because people are inspired by the acquaintances more than anyone to get new ideas and information. Social networking has motivated people to make sacrifices, sacrifices that don’t ask too much, nothing but virtual sacrifices. Only enough so that they will participate and be socially praised for their actions. Social media has no form of organization that is controlled or regulated, there’s no real sense of authority, and nothing truly gets done as it would for example with the N.A.A.C.P. There are both strong ties and weak ties throughout every movement but, ultimately strong ties provide people with the change that they need because it allows like-minded people to make actual change with an actual structure of authority in place.

But through strong ties the change is more likely to come into effect. For example, in Greensboro, during the early...