Everybody is an Activist
The Artist D
It’s the 21st Century and everyone is an activist! The public “takes to Twitter” to make their statements known and stand their ground. I’ve always hated that term, takes to Twitter. I hate all the media buzzwords because they are all overused. These days everyone is taking to Twitter or Facebook. People now release statements about their positions even if they are nobodies. That used to be reserved for people who actually had to pick sides. Yes, people who were somebody. Now everybody thinks they are somebody because they just happen to have some form of body.
The definition of activist has been raped by social media and the 21st Century latte drinking hipster. You are not an activist if you are just Tweeting. You are not somebody if that is the extent of your activist lifestyle. Your opinion does not matter in the way that you think it does. Oh, your opinion matters, but not – the – way – you – think – it – does.
These days we are told to question the friends on our Friends Lists & Feeds if they have not posted a message of support for the latest tragedy. No, really, it’s a thing! I keep seeing these memes and copy/paste posts “warning” others that if your friend didn’t take to Twitter for or against something then you may not want to be their friend.
I don’t want to post statements for the sake of keeping friends. If you’re my friend then you should know where I stand. If you’re my friend you should accept that I may have differing opinions but you love me anyway. If you don’t love me anyway then you aren’t my friend, so why would I post a statement for the sake of statement posting?
I believe in privacy of opinion even for public figures. Just because you sing and dance in front of thousands does not require you to publicize your views on things other than singing and dancing. It doesn’t matter if you are a housewife or a superstar, people should not have to post something in support of a tragedy out of a false sense of duty. They should not change their profile picture to an LGBTQ or Parisian flag because everyone else did it. They should not post the latest mockery of Donald Trump just because they felt they had to remind their friends who they were not voting for.
I’ve felt this social media pressure too. I see all of the profile photos of flags and reposts of support for the dead and think, “Maybe I should …” But then I think, “That’s not me.” I will write about it. Then again maybe I will have a small gathering of friends over for a Candlelight Supper and quietly discuss the sadness of the most recent tragedy. Whatever I do I will respond in the way I feel is my way of responding.
Your posted opinion does not matter like you think it matters because it’s forced like drivel. Some are passionate and must post, but others are just following the horde. They see the posts about friends not posting and get worried. “Oh noes,” they think,” what will my friends think if I do not repost in support of!? ”
My grandfather never used to talk about who he voted for. Everyone assumed he was this way or that way, but he never confirmed or denied their statements. That didn’t mean he couldn’t share his opinion! He couldn’t stop talking most of the time, yet there were certain things that people just didn’t share. The reason there used to be a curtain in the voting booth was so nobody saw you pulling leavers. It wasn’t something to discuss. Politics was to be calmly analyzed over several cigars and scotches. To be decided upon with all the facts. It was never to be a mad rush out, tearing down the curtain, and pissing all over in some type of reality show hurricane.
Everybody thinks they are an activist. Everybody thinks they have to be a protestor. Well, here’s a newsflash in case you were looking for one! You don’t have to share your opinion. You don’t have to copy/paste and repost just because somebody else did. What you have to do is acknowledge your life and the things in it by doing what feels best. You do you, even if other people mistake that as being a bitter, old, crone.
Category: Transgender Opinion, Transgender Politics
About the Author (Author Profile)
The Artist D is a true raconteur and provocateur! He has been performing online since the mid 1990s. A relic from the cam show age before MySpace was any space. Author of In Bed with Myself, an autobiographical tale of transgenderism and Internet celebrity. Executive Editor of Fourculture Magazine and host of the Kawfeehaus podcast.Subscribe
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Another social media – facebook especially – phenomenon that I see a lot is people who share those graphics that carry some sort of uplifting message. Something like, “don’t let the negative people get you down, they don’t belong in your life.”
It’s virtually always women who post them; maybe men are too cynical or think they’ll be considered weak to do so, but I always wonder who the woman is posting for – to buck up her own self or to virtue signal every single one of her lady friends.
As you say, everybody has to let everyone else know everything they think and feel in this internet age (as I’m doing at this very minute). 😀
I’m not a fan of those either. Thank you for enjoying the article!
Another great article, D. 🙂