The civil uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, and other Middle East countries provide illustration of how a few individuals can change the behaviors and lives of many others. While the principal players in these uprisings used many of the techniques used in revolutions before the 21st century (e.g., strikes, demonstrations, marches), they were able to plan and communicate these events much more quickly by using online social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Certainly, the communication advantages provided by 21st century social media are non-trivial. Thousands of people can instantly be given instructions via smart phones. Where to form rallies, what targets to select, what resistance is being given: These demonstrators had better battle communication systems than any army from WWII, Korea, or Vietnam. What many people seem to forget is that the governments of Egypt, Tunisia, etc. also had access to these same pages, tweets, and videos. No, these social media outlets provided more than just improved coordination. They provided the right psychological environment for a chain reaction of changed behavior.
First, social media galvanized the movements by proving to each potential demonstrator that there were other people with the same feelings and beliefs. News of Mohamed Bouazizi’s self-immolation in Tunisia and Khaled Said’s death at the hands of Egyptian police not only spread throughout the region, they were spread by people “just like me” with comments to match. The effect was amplified in a way that television or radio could never achieve because those media came from one, distant source. “Tweets” and Facebook “comments” showed the multitude of people who were moved by their sacrifice. They communicated not just the message, but also the social norm that instantly told individuals that there was a shared emotional reaction, a movement ready to launch.
Second, the two-way nature of these media helped to nurture what the next step should be. While any one individual might have considered a next move to take, now there were countless others agreeing and complimenting what otherwise might have been dismissed. You might say that social media created a “group think” atmosphere with positive results. It is the very nature of social networking media to provide social support of individuals to behave differently, such as skipping work to take to the streets. If there was ever a support group for would-be revolutionaries, web 2.0 is it.
Third, social media helped to magnify each individual’s commitment to do whatever it was that he or she discussed online. Because group members publicly committed to take action, they were far more likely to follow through. Their identity became tied to the movement, and predictably, as each regime brutally fought the protesters, the protesters grew more adamant to their cause. Certainly rebels are, by definition, willing to fight and to die, but having an online tool that both recruits and helps retain your fellow street fighters is an added plus.
So, is there something here that can be applied to less dramatic change initiatives, like new guidelines for the salespeople or community support for a local school?
What I notice is that social media help to overcome two major obstacles to getting individuals to join a change effort: diffusion of responsibility and missing the resonant frequencies. There are usually many individuals who are passively interested in a particular cause, such as protesting legislature or voting for a candidate. Yet, many of these individuals will not act because they believe that some anonymous others will take care of things. Social media does amplify the sense that others will take action, but it personalizes the cause through networks of friends and acquaintances, thereby drawing a person in rather than letting the person relax. Social media uses norms (i.e., crowds) to motivate action rather than passivity. Yet, even when you have a large number of members ready to act, the actions will not achieve any goal unless they are coordinated. Everyone has to pull at the same time in the same direction to win the tug-o-war. The analogy I make is to the physics and musical term "resonance." The classic example of finding the resonant frequency is the act of pushing a person on a playground swing. If you time your push "in phase" with the motion of the swing, then minimum effort will make the person eventually swing much higher. However, if your push is not properly timed, it will not lead to higher heights no matter how much harder you push. Social media are able to get the right actions at the right time to achieve maximum effect with minimal effort. For example, careful planning with just a handful of rebels can lead to the burning of police headquarters, which then makes it easier for hundreds to march in the streets of Suez the next day.
So, is there something here that can be applied to less dramatic change initiatives, like new guidelines for the salespeople or community support for a local school?
What I notice is that social media help to overcome two major obstacles to getting individuals to join a change effort: diffusion of responsibility and missing the resonant frequencies. There are usually many individuals who are passively interested in a particular cause, such as protesting legislature or voting for a candidate. Yet, many of these individuals will not act because they believe that some anonymous others will take care of things. Social media does amplify the sense that others will take action, but it personalizes the cause through networks of friends and acquaintances, thereby drawing a person in rather than letting the person relax. Social media uses norms (i.e., crowds) to motivate action rather than passivity. Yet, even when you have a large number of members ready to act, the actions will not achieve any goal unless they are coordinated. Everyone has to pull at the same time in the same direction to win the tug-o-war. The analogy I make is to the physics and musical term "resonance." The classic example of finding the resonant frequency is the act of pushing a person on a playground swing. If you time your push "in phase" with the motion of the swing, then minimum effort will make the person eventually swing much higher. However, if your push is not properly timed, it will not lead to higher heights no matter how much harder you push. Social media are able to get the right actions at the right time to achieve maximum effect with minimal effort. For example, careful planning with just a handful of rebels can lead to the burning of police headquarters, which then makes it easier for hundreds to march in the streets of Suez the next day.
Imagine the possibilities if you were to get even 50% more active supporters for your cause, and you were able to time various actions to create a more hospitable environment for even more support. The attempts for systemic change, neighborhood improvements, civic action, and social justice could use this same blueprint from the Middle East. The events of early 2011 demonstrate the power that technology provides ordinary citizens. Let's choose a just cause to join, one that is just as worthy as the struggles for peace.
This content is protected by the 1976 Copyright Protection Act of the United States of America. The proper citation for this blog is as follows: Mastrangelo, P. M. (date posted). Title of Post. Bump on a Blog, available at http://paulmastrangelo.blogspot.com. This post is not intended to represent any person or organization other than Paul M. Mastrangelo.
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