Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted

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Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted

Posted by Soulskill on Friday October 1, 2010 @06:13AM from the lost-amid-breakfast-descriptions dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Social media is ill-suited to promoting real social change, argues Malcolm Gladwell in this article from The New Yorker magazine. He deftly debunks conventional wisdom surrounding the impact of Twitter, Facebook and other social media in driving systemic social change, comparing them to the organizational strategies of the 1960s civil rights movement. For example, the Montgomery bus boycott, he argues, was successful because it was driven by the disciplined and hierarchically organized NAACP. In contrast, a loose, social-media style network wouldn't have sustained the year long campaign. He concludes that social media promote social 'weak ties' which are not strong enough to motivate people to take big risks, such as imprisonment or attack, for social change."

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ping by alphatel · 2010-10-01 06:15 · Score: 4, Funny

I can haz revolution?

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When the foot seeks the place of the head, the line is crossed. Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe.
TFA must be right, it's from the FUTURE! by BobMcD · 2010-10-01 06:20 · Score: 3, Funny

Article posts 'October 4 2010' as the publication date... Unless I pulled a Rip Van Winkle at my desk just now, we're looking at news FROM THE FUTURE!!! :)
1. Re:TFA must be right, it's from the FUTURE! by truthsearch · 2010-10-01 06:26 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  When will then be now?
  
  --
  Developers: We can use your help.
2. Re:TFA must be right, it's from the FUTURE! by Crudely_Indecent · 2010-10-01 06:28 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Great, I'll keep reading their articles.
  When I see "Nuclear War", "Stock Market Crash" or "Second Coming of Jesus" I'll have at least a few days to prepare.
  
  --
  
  "Lame" - Galaxar
3. Re:TFA must be right, it's from the FUTURE! by Shadow+Wrought · 2010-10-01 08:19 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Anyone with the handle, "Crudely Indecent" is likely going to need more than a few days to prepare for that last one :-)
  
  --
  If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
4. Re:TFA must be right, it's from the FUTURE! by paeanblack · 2010-10-01 08:23 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  soon
5. Re:TFA must be right, it's from the FUTURE! by Nethead · 2010-10-01 09:01 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Wouldn't've the Resurrection been the Second Coming? Or was that more like, shit, forgot my keys.
  
  --
  -- I have a private email server in my basement.
Wow, this is shocking news! by Anonymous Coward · 2010-10-01 06:22 · Score: 1, Funny

I had no idea The New Yorker was still in print.
Re:WTO? by Kenja · 2010-10-01 06:47 · Score: 5, Funny

No. Clearly they didn't light enough cars on fire.

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"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
Re:WTO? by Yvan256 · 2010-10-01 06:59 · Score: 4, Funny

Best car analogy explanation so far.
Oh yeah... by Syberz · 2010-10-01 07:12 · Score: 4, Funny

Social media led revolution works swimingly...
http://i.imgur.com/abXW9.png

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~Syberz