Recently, I’ve been particularly struck by the micro-communities that have been popping up during conferences, and the conversations that ensue via hashtags and @replies, and, as a result, I began to wonder how we could use those types of resources to continue the dialogue after those conferences and summits have ended.
This past August, I had the opportunity to travel to Japan for a 2-week seminar on Japanese and American remembrance / interpretation / commemoration of the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. About 9 American students met up with over 30 Japanese students, and we formed small “peace families” of four, with whom we could discuss things more in-depth. Even though there was no shortage of discussion with our peace families, conversation soon spilled over into the entire group, and spurred on by messages of taking action for peace (and nuclear disarmament, naturally), we were empowered to keep that discussion going, difficult as it may be at times. If we can’t discuss those issues that we find so hard to bring up – the reasons for dropping the atomic bombs, for instance – how can we build a relationship of peace between our generations?
Enter Facebook. Once the two weeks were up, there was a mad scramble of friending on Facebook, and tagging of photos, but then things quieted down. This was unusual, as we were never wanting for spirited discussion in Japan.
So I wonder: how can we keep these dialogues going? Social media, with its inherent immediacy and connectiveness, seems like the perfect outlet. It is perfectly in place to take up those reins, spread the word and encourage action in a wider place than we ever could have imagined – in this case, cross-cultural collaboration on creating an international community of conscience.
So how best to create and facilitate this dialogue? How do we use this framework of social media to promote action at home and abroad? How can we convince others through the sharing of our experience online?”
Tags: advocacy, culture, Facebook, memory, peace, peace-building, Twitter
I find that last question particularly relevant and interesting, especially in my work with student activists – a lot of whom are still weary of fully utilizing social media in a cohesive and strategic way. There are clear benefits we stand to gain – but they rely almost completely on individuals feeling compelled to utilize these tools over others to communicate their thoughts, ideas, vision and find these outlets effective and efficient ways to circulate resources and information. In a world where we are inundated with video and round the clock sharing through social media channels – what are the concrete benefits of participating in these networks VS OTHERS and more pertinent – how do we encourage individuals to move out of there comfort zones and consistently take advantage of the opportunities new media presents?
As organizations and institutions, I feel it is sometimes easy for us to slip into a ‘If we build it they will come’ mindset – but given that:
1. effective use of social media requires the active participation of individuals at multiple levels
2. people, activists especially, often rely on a connection – any kind of meaningful connection – to sustain their efforts – and that connection can be harder to initially find bc of information overload. It is also that connection that we depend on to drive the more positive uses of social media (inspiring action, reaching new audiences, connecting with others we alternatively would have no access to)
3. a top-down structure contradicts some of the fundamental aspects of social media
…how do we present a ‘here’s everything you need- now it’s up to you to go build it’ attitude – how do we put not only the power and the resources in the hands of the people we are trying to reach, who will inevitably be responsible for carrying out the end ask (whether it be carrying on an educated discourse, organizing a mass protest, donating, etc) but ensure they use it and ensure the voices coming across are their own, not ours? And how do we coordinate and unify actions/messages/voices from there?