Aarya Patil Week 9 : #PowerthroughLanguage
In the constantly changing digital world, language has become a powerful tool for mobilizing social movements. Advocating online utilizes hashtags, viral campaigns, and much more to provide a platform for unique and diverse people to come together to challenge cultural norms.
Consider the #BodyPositivity movement, a digital campaign that challenged beauty standards and promoted self-love, specifically among women. In this movement, influencers were encouraged to empower language to shape societal norms that surround body image. Hashtags such as #BodyPositive and #LoveYourself have become rallies, engaging communities that celebrate diversity and challenge the conventional portrayal of beauty in the media. The language employed in these campaigns acts as motivation for individuals to embrace their uniqueness and reject unrealistic standards.
Another crucial example of digital activism is the #BlackLivesMatter movement, which gained popularity first in the light of George Floyd's tragic death in 2020. This hashtag became a powerful voice, not only expressing collective outrage but also serving as a unifying force that went across borders. Social media platforms became platforms for sharing information, organizing protests, and generating important conversations, especially those surrounding racial injustice. The conciseness but still heavy impact of hashtags has allowed individuals from across the world to support the movements against racial prejudice.
Another important example is the #YouMatter movement, a mental health initiative that utilizes social media to spread positivity and support. Through uplifting language and affirmations, people can share messages of encouragement and empathy. This movement has created a virtual support network where users can connect, share their struggles, and find comfort. The power of language in this rests in its ability to break the stigma surrounding mental health.
In the digital age, where information flows effortlessly through social media channels, embracing an active role becomes a responsibility rather than a choice. The accessibility of information in today's world leaves ignorance as a choice. News and current events are hard to miss on social media, leaving there no reason as to why one cannot participate in social movements. I would like to end the blog with a powerful quote from Mahatma Gandhi, who once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Hey Aarya! I strongly agree with your emphasis on the importance of language in encouraging a more compassionate society. Like you mentioned, the fast-developing age of today offers us a wide variety of platforms to express ourselves and, in turn, challenge cultural norms. However, with this accessibility comes a negative, which is the underlying shadow of hate and negativity that is just as easily spread as the positives. What are your thoughts on how we can further integrate such positive language into the educational system or just everyday conversations to create a more supportive environment for important yet overlooked matters such as mental health awareness, inequality, etc.? I feel like Mahatma Gandhi's quote was an amazing way to end this post because it really made me consider an individual's role in influencing collective change through language. This made me think about how, in a society where online interactions often lack nuance, we can encourage a culture of thoughtful and constructive language use, encouraging positive change both online and offline. I checked out the website on the #YouMatter movement, and it really speaks to me because of its inclusion of so many different aspects. I feel like students, especially high schoolers, would largely benefit if schools implemented teaching and sharing these ideas. Rather than teaching us about what to do if we ever find ourselves being bullied, would it not be more convenient to discourage people from becoming bullies in the first place? Hate is so easily spread; love should be too.
ReplyDeleteHey Aarya! I feel that you explained a very powerful development in the way the world unifies and pushes different messages with noble pursuits. Although the rise of the Internet and social media has led to cyberbullying, hate speech, and disinformation, it is also being used in service of progress. Before, movements required the slow gathering of physical signatures to gain traction. Now, social media accelerates that process, with trends being put on people’s pages to see, leading to more supporters and page appearances. You also mentioned that little effort is required to participate in these movements, further increasing their popularity. On the other hand, there have also been many backlashes against these movements. Many feel that some of these messages are being overly conveyed online, leading to the label of “woke.” In addition, others ridicule the black square profile pictures many used in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The main argument is that the lack of effort in these shows of support reflects the shallowness of the participant’s commitment to these causes. However, I think that the main purpose of these online movements is to spread awareness so that perpetrators can be pushed against their actions and activists can be pushed to take preventive actions. In this way, these movements still help the world progress in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteHi Aarya! I appreciate your powerful and well-structured blog on the subject that seems to grow more and more powerful almost everyday: social media. While there have been powerful social movements before the age of social media, the internet has undoubtedly made it easier to engage in social discourse and to engage in social movements. In essence, the information that you shared in your blog makes it seem like social media has allowed people to not just become more connected to each other but also more understanding of each other. Perhaps, it has even allowed people to show and share more empathy with each other.
ReplyDeleteNow, as we move forward in the age of social media is to consider how its impacts will forge the world we live in. As you mentioned in your blog, one of the clearest impacts will be allowing people to engage in civil movements and allow them to share their beliefs on important and ignored subjects. The end result of this will be a society that embodies the values of the people, rather than the values of those in the upper echelons of society. While all tis is extremely beneficial, it is important to understand that social media hashtags and movements can also have a dark downside.
Unlike the traditional media, which to a degree is vetted and has controls, social media does not have substantial systems of verification. This can lead to freer speech, but it can also lead to dangerous misinformation. I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight just how important it is to evaluate the information we consume to make sure that we are supporting movements and ideas for the right reasons. Overall, this was a very informative blog and I really appreciate the way you utilized a multitude of examples to really describe the multi-faceted nature of this topic.
Hi Aarya,
ReplyDeleteIn the present society, the power of language through social media has grown significantly, especially caused by the social movements that you have mentioned in your blog. There are so many positive and negative things about social media, but it is great to see people utilizing these platforms in a more constructive way to promote a better society. The #YouMatter movement, which was one of the movements you described, seems particularly interesting to me because I had always seen social media as an unsafe or unwelcoming platform, and learning about this movement gave me a better view on social media. It’s refreshing to see people use social media for a good cause, but of course there will always be people who choose to misuse social media to spread hate or negativity. In addition, I was unaware of the #BodyPositivity movement as well and based on your description it seems like a great example of a good use of social media. I have noticed that the trends circulating social media have constantly been changing along with the current events. For example, the #BlackLivesMatter movement was and still continues to be an extremely popular and effective movement, but I have noticed newer movements starting to have a large presence. One great example are the protests caused by the Israel-Hamas conflict. Recently, I have seen several posts and videos that have been spreading awareness about the protests and about the ongoing war. While keeping up with recent events, clearly social media has been a multipurpose platform that has been used in unique ways throughout the years, and the power of language is certainly clear regarding this topic.