Since I was in the group that argued for the premise ‘Be it resolved that social media enables sociopolitical change,’ the readings were in line with my beliefs and simply heightened my conviction that social media is a powerful tool in times where people’s voices are suppressed. Though I have always been a proponent of social media’s ability to create social change, Castell’s article and the points raised by my peers during the debate opened me up to alternate perspectives.
Castell’s article brought to light specific events that took place during The Egyptian Revolution which had high emotional appeal and evidence that clearly supported our stance. It was particularly gripping because it showed how social media united the world for one single cause despite several differences, and it helped me understand how ‘powerless’ individuals can come together and form a counterpower against ‘powerful’ institutions like the government body in Egypt. Moreover, I found that the opposing group raised interesting points by citing historical events where social media was not accessible and thus, a revolution took place physically. These were events I was unaware about and it definitely increased my appreciation for the traditional forms of protest used in previous ages. This, however, did not deter my group’s opinion that traditional forms of protest are valuable but social media in this new age is necessary for cultivating actionable change since it appeals to newer generations. Of all these points, the most notable argument for me was from the other debate with the premise ‘Be it resolved that social media inhibits sociopolitical change,’ wherein the against group rebutted the other group’s point of how social media has negative impacts on sociopolitical situations by identifying that negative change is also counted as ‘change’. I feel as though that was a convincing argument because it takes into account the resolution directly and addresses that social media enables change, positively and negatively. This point struck out to me because, in my debate, I feel as though we were biased because Castell’s article mainly points out positive sociopolitical change so we were not able to recognize the true meaning of the premise.
All in all, my belief that social media enables social change and can complement traditional methods of protest and rebellion changed only in the sense that I, now, more strongly believe that social media is a tool that new generations must use to unite more social groups because it truly can create an insurmountable impact.
Works Cited:
Castells, Manuel. “The Egyptian Revolution.” Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age(2015): 54-94.