Exclusion and inclusion in Technology
Digital technology has changed the society that we live in many different ways. We do most of our work using the internet and social media platforms. We are able to communicate with each other excessively and with ease using these resources. Digital activism is a major conversation in the technological realm and scheme of things. Because we are able to have so much freedom and access toward one another, we are also able to post about issues too many different people groups all over the world. A term that comes up in the activist world is slacktivism. This word, or “term slacktivism lacks clear meaning or precise definition. The term didn’t catch on until it was used pejoratively for the ineffectual forms of activism and techno utopianism connected with Silicon Valley futurists” (Christensen, 2011; Morozov, 2011).
The value of digital activism is important to grasp. But to begin we ought to look at the objections towards it. Slacktivism is the mainline criticism towards digital activism. In other words, “For those who criticize digital activism, slacktivism is the epitome of lazy, self serving digital acts conducted by a narcissistic, tech obsessed millennial (Stein, 2013). Those who hold to this view of digital activism believe that it is not beneficial to anyone but the one who is posting because it is entirely self glorifying.
The benefits of digital activism can be recognized in such a way that a person could respond to the objections towards it and respond by showing where the person is presupposing too much. It is possible that a person would be a digital activist in the slacktivists sense but it is also possible that the person participating truly has a heart for change. If the person that is convicted in their heart for change wants to see a massive impact then there is no wrong being done by participating in the community and online. It would only benefit to do both. Digital activism opens doors for tolerance in every realm and an ethical conviction to be beneficial for everyone. This can become a major resource for change and good things to come.
