Quotation (with page number or parag number or time stamp if video/audio)

“Where activists were once defined by their causes, they are now defined by their tools.” Page 2, Paragraph 3.

Comment (250-500 words)

I picked this quote to comment on because I think it is extremely important to consider when discussing activism. I also don’t necessarily agree with it. I think that activists have always been defined by their tools, maybe more than their causes. Before social media allowed anyone to share their story, activists needed time, money, and support to further their cause. Although social media has allowed activists with less time or money, there are still many with worthy causes who may not have access to social media. They may also not be able to gain traction on social media, which is very hard due to algorithms and public interest. When there was no social media (like in the 60s), activists had to rely on word of mouth to spread their message. If they didn’t know that many people, it would also be difficult to gain any traction. With social media, it’s also difficult to tell if someone is genuine or not because there is so much performative activism. I think there are ways social media has made it easier for activists to spread their cause, and there are ways that have made it harder.

Question

Are activists defined by their cause or by their tools, like social media, today?