This video was incredibly interesting to me and I really enjoyed the stories he told in order to provide examples of how media has changed the world we live in. Over time technology has been changing and through that we are able to connect with people all over the world with the touch of the button. Even in my daily life I have noticed the way classrooms and companies operate is all online or via text messaging. So many companies and charities are also on twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and link (and I'm sure a variety of other social networking tools I am unaware of).
After thinking about this it make me think about different groups of people throughout history that have come together and made a change by working together, whether it be for the good or the bad of the world. Some examples of this are the Nazis, slaves, mobs, and feminists.
How crazy would it be if these groups could have created Facebook groups for people to join that were for or against their cause. Pictures could be posted of union strikes put on by women hoping for better working conditions. They might have been able to speed up the process and gain more protection if there was a specific place everyone could go to speak up and assist one another. The way charities use these sites today in order to gain help and support could be a way for these groups to reach out to family, friends, or fellow fighters for the cause that are afraid to speak up or are unsure what to do in the situation.
Thinking about these groups having and providing them with a different way to fight for change or create devastation to the world could have been both helpful and more harmful. What other groups throughout history do you think could benefit from having these social networking tools and how so?
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I think abolitionists would have benefited tremendously from social networking and the technology we use today. As you mentioned, its so easy today to get behind a cause of special interest group by way of the internet. Abolitionists could've displayed real photos of the chattel slavery system for the entire world to see which would've by and large been a sore spot in the United States. Maybe war could've been avoided had the southerners seen a world wide coalition against their 'way of life'.
ReplyDeleteSocial networking sites would have really helped the cause of the Civil Rights movement. People would have been able to form groups and organize much easier and would have been able to spread the word to other parts of the nation....if only.
ReplyDeleteI think social networking would have been extremely beneficial during the Japanese internment camps. Those being prosecuted could have spread the word about their innocence and the horrible conditions they were facing.
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