What is Slacktivism ?
Can slacktivism effectively raise awareness about social issues?
Slacktivism is a term used to describe a form of political participation or activism that requires little effort or commitment from individuals. This term is created by combining slacker and activism. In slacktivism, people usually engage in activities that are easy and convenient, such as using social media platforms to express support for a cause or promote a social or political issue, without necessarily taking any tangible or meaningful action. For instance, slacktivism includes signing online petitions, sharing posts or images related to a cause on social media, changing profile pictures, or using hashtags to raise awareness about a particular issue. While these actions can help to spread awareness, critics argue that they often lack depth and real impact. Some argue that individuals may feel a false sense of accomplishment or engagement through slacktivism, as they believe they have made a difference without taking meaningful steps to address the underlying problems.
In today's world, social media is a powerful tool for spreading information about current events, gaining support, and raising funds for social causes. It can shape and influence people's perceptions based on what is trending on various social media platforms. The negative aspect of this can be that this creates a false sense of care for a social cause in an individual’s mind, leading them to insouciantly participate in a movement about a social issue without understanding the core of the problem. It is like treating a serious issue with a hint of levity.
Slacktivism to me lacks the palpable human element, as supporting a cause virtually does not evoke the same feeling of gratification that one derives from engaging with an issue personally. This makes it difficult to discern the real impact of your actions and how they might be making a difference in someone’s life. For instance, Afghan girls whose futures seem to be looming in a perpetual state of uncertainty would not be resolved by an individual tweeting about the cause or someone posting a picture on social media holding a placard #million children out of school. It would rather require collective efforts by transnational organizations to assert international pressure on the incumbent government in Afghanistan to amend its regressive policies.
In my opinion, solely relying on a platform like Global Citizen as a means to bring about social change in society is not effective. The platform incentivizes individuals to spread awareness about current social issues through rewards, but this often contributes to the superficial aspect of slacktivism. In my view, real activism is the genuine willingness to volunteer for a social cause where you can see the real impact of your actions. I used to volunteer for the NGO ‘Sarvahitey,’ when I was at university in my home country where I taught underprivileged children the fundamentals of English and mathematics. Witnessing the positive impact my actions had on their lives was an experience that cannot be replaced by slacktivism.