1. Would you turn to the Internet or Social Media if you are looking to get involved with a political organization?
2. Do you think online activism has the same effect as physical rallies, conventions, and other forms of political participation?
3. What percentage of the political activists online do you think ACTUALLY take action? (Rather than simply "liking" a comment or posting on a discussion.)
I do not think that online activism has the same effect as physical rallies, conventions, and other forms of political participation. I think that people are participating in online activism from the comfort of their own homes in a manner that is individualistic. I think that when you go out to things like rallies and conventions and you are surrounded by like-minded and amped up individuals you get a completely different kind of experience. For example, I attended the Barack Obama rally when he came to Wisconsin before he was elected and being in the Kohl center surrounding by thousands of other people was an experience unlike any other. Obama became a semi-celebrity and I think my attendance at that rally was definitely a large part of the reason I became a supporter of Obama.
ReplyDeleteBeing politically active online can translate into taking action in the real world as it did in the 2008 Presidential election. Obama created a large fan base through the Internet and these supporters were motivated enough to vote for him as president when the time came. Even though some people could have supported Obama online and not chosen to vote, they could have still made an impact. Maybe their comments on his Facebook page sparked someone's interest or his large number of followers gained national attention which then inspired people to support and thus, vote for him.
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