Responding to Voices: Technology & Activism

Responding to Voices: Technology & Activism

Climate change discussions have been going on for years, but little seems to be done to mitigate the effect. Greta Thunberg is a young adult from Canada that has been a frontline climate change activist. Thunberg started as a single activist outside the government buildings of her country. However, her campaign has gone viral through social media, and other teenagers and young adults are joining in on her movement to protest the laxity with which governments are dealing with the issue (Mesley, 2019). Hundreds of thousands of teenagers march the streets of Canada in anger, protesting the role that politicians play in encouraging the use of fossil fuel.

The use of social media to garner the masses to make a viable, driven campaign has caught the attention of leaders all over the world. In the interview with CBC, Jamie Margolin, who is Thunberg’s co-activist, addressed the issue of the role politicians in downplaying the effects of climate change. She spoke of the anger with which the young activists and protesters speak, stating that it is not an act. She elaborated that ‘If you are not angry about politicians blinding the world with fossil fuel money at the expense of destroying life on earth,… then I feel like there’s something wrong (Mesley, 2019).’ The statement soundly echoes their campaign slogan ‘How Dare You’ in bringing out their anger.

The power of social media in creating campaigns and mobilizing masses into action has been primarily highlighted by the mass following created. Young people are using social media to drive their campaigns and bring attention to their demands for better policies on various issues (Hestres & Hopke, 2017). Politicians have been called out on their reluctance to go hard against the use of fossil fuels and to embrace green energy. The young activists have accused them of choosing fossil fuel money over the lives and futures of their children. It is awakening for all who watch, how great a movement social media can summon up.

References

Mesley, W. (2019). How teen activists are mobilizing using social media | The … Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPBozWS6I7A

Hestres, L. E., & Hopke, J. E. (2017). Internet-Enabled Activism and Climate Change. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Climate Science. doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190228620.013.404