activism « CLEVE.ARGUELLES dotcom

22Sep/105

On Facebook (online) Activism

I’ve been asked by a first year UP Manila student probably an Arts student regarding my views on online activism. Apparently, she recognizes that I’m an online activist. However, she was not able to give me a definition of what online activism is or how she recognizes that a person is an online activist. Still, I gave her my insights regarding the topic.

I maintain a mainstream blog (www.clevearguelles.com) which contains all possible topics under the sun. Largely, my blog is an unorganized collection of my insights regarding different topics especially that concerns Philippine politics. I also use my blog as a personal journal. Aside from my blog, I also use social networking sites to cross-post my blog posts and insights on different issues. I use Plurk, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo Meme and Tumblr to maximize my reach. If this counts as an online activism, I’m not that sure.

From placards to keyboards

I believe that you can’t be an online activist without being an activist outside the virtual world. It lies on the assumption that the online world acts as an extension of the real world therefore, campaigns should be extended to the online world as well. The availability of new mediums to reach students regarding student sector’s campaigns should be maximized. Its effectiveness in reaching the students led me to use these mediums to share my campaigns and to mobilize them for these different campaigns.

This actually proves the contemporary theory that online activists became online activists out of necessity. Activists should maximize available mediums to reach the most number of people.

However, we should always consider the dangers of online activism. While online activism is a very useful form of activism that maximizes available mediums, it can only be regarded as an extension of traditional activism. It cannot be considered as a whole new form of activism.

Online activists tend to believe that their line of work is just limited in the virtual world. We must not commit the mistake of thinking that the virtual world is the “world” where campaigns should be brought. It only acts as an alternate world (extension) of the real world where campaigns should be really voiced out. Also, we must not always think that the Internet is a place where we can reach everyone or the majority of the people. Especially in the Philippines, the majority of the population does not have access to Internet. It actually defeats the purpose of the activism—that of reaching the most number of people regarding campaigns and to mobilize the most number of people out of these campaigns. Primarily, if our aim is to mobilize the greatest number of people, campaigns should be spearheaded outside the virtual world (but simultaneously extended to the online world). Lastly, online activism tends to encourage “clicktivism.” We are inclined to believe, because of online activism, that joining causes on Facebook or by re-tweeting campaigns on Twitter would automatically translate to social change. In reality, this is not true. Social change could be achieved through collective show of force, action, and dedication outside the walls of the internet. Our greatest aim remains to be that of arousing, organizing and mobilizing the most number of people for our cause.

From closed fist to mouse activism

But online activists are most welcome.

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Clicking like on Facebook on a status opposing the 1.39 B Peso Budget Cut to UP would not really help stop the passage of it in Congress. Joining this Friday's (September 24) nation-wide walkout of students against budget will do. Don't commit clicktivism. Be heard (not just in the virtual world).

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Tagged as: activism, clicktivism, cyberactivism, e-activism, internet, online, online activism, Philippines 5 Comments

29Mar/106

For the Holy Week: Liberation Theology

Semana Santa na naman. Madaming Pilipino na naman ang matutuwa dahil may extended na bakasyon kapag Holy Week. Two days of additional vacation is really something to look forward to especially in this kind of situation. Trabaho, bahay, trabaho. Minsan lang ang bakasyon! Lalo naman sa mga estudyante na umpisa pa lang ang bakasyon! Diretso sa beach lahat ngayon! Napaka-init pa naman! Kahit may recession at patuloy ang pagyaman ng mayayaman, okay lang gumastos dahil minsan lang ito sa isang buong taon. Pero I would just like to leave a short note for you Christians to take note of for this Holy Week.

Panahon ito ng paggunita sa pagpapakasakit, kamatayan at pagkabuhay ni Kristo. Sabi nga nila, ito ang panahon ng pinakadakilang sakripisyo--- ang pag-aalay ni Hesus sa kanyang buhay para mailigtas ang lahat ng mga tao mula sa kasalanan. Heroic. At ngayong ginuginita natin ito, bukambibig ng lahat ng mga pari at Kristyano na nawa’y pagnilayan natin ang naging buhay ni Hesus at isabuhay ito. Sundin natin ang kanyang mga aral at sumunod tayo sa kanya.

Behind Wires

From the point of view of Liberation Theology na sa tingin ko ay tama at napakahalagang pagbabago sa relihiyon ay dapat isa-konteksto natin ang mga aral ni Hesus sa pag-liliberate sa mga mahihirap. Tandaan nating ang mga disciples ni Hesus ay hindi mga “educated” cabinet members from the top universities or from the prominent families, they came from the basic sectors of the society. Apat sa kanila ang mangigisda, may mangaggawa at meron rin namang tax collector. They are chosen and called by Jesus to be his apostles. Tumira si Hesus sa bahay ng kanyang mga magulang na hindi rin naman mayayaman. He never lived in a mansion kagaya ng tinitirhan ng Pope o kahit man lang ang mga napakaraming napakalaking simbahan. He lived with the people at nakisama sa kanila. Hindi niya ipinagkakait ang kanyang nalalaman at ibinabahagi ito sa lahat ng mga makakasalubong. We could never blame Jesus for being pro-poor. The kingdom of God is dedicated to them. That’s what the Bible says. At lalong hindi niya hinayaan ang isang sistema ng pang-aapi. He challenged the emperor and even the High Priest. Jesus himself lived like a poor, in real material poverty, not a spiritual one. His criterion of a just life was practical material aid for one's neighbor. Madaming naka-away si Hesus dahil sa kanyang pagtalikod sa mga organized at ritualized religion noong kanyang panahon na hindi naman sumasalamin sa kanyang prinsipyo na love thy neighbor. At hanggang kamatayan ay ipinagtanggol niya ito. He was executed by the order of the Church authority that felt threatened in its organization and power. Sa pag-aaral na rin ng mga Bible Scholars, yung mga tumuligsa at nanawagan sa pagkakapako sa krus niya ay yung mga middle class at mayaman dahil sila ay napahintulutang masali sa paghahatol. Hindi bukas ang palasyo ni Poncio Pilato sa lahat kaya naman ang mayayaman lamang ang nakakapasok rito. Tinuligsa siya ng mga saserdote at ang mga opisyales ng empiryong Romano pero hindi niya tinalukiran ang kanyang dapat gampanan. This is not a social analysis, this is the Bible not taken out of its context.

Red Christ

Para sa linggong ito, hindi sa pagkain ng isda makikita ang pakikiisa natin sa sakripisyo ni Hesus kundi sa pagyakap sa kanyang mga aral at ang pakikipag-isa sa batayang sektor ng lipunan. This is a parallelism between the violet season and the red march. Pagpupugay sa Liberation Theology!

"Authentic socialism is Christianity lived to the full, in basic equality and with a fair distribution of goods."

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