04 Nov ARE WE SIMPLY ENGAGING ONLINE WITHOUT ACTUALLY HELPING?
Is it just me or does the term “point and click activism” smack suspiciously of the same dynamics that brought us the “back seat driver” and the “armchair quarterback”? It’s not just the sheer annoyance factor that lumps them all together, it’s the underlying assumption that sitting on the sidelines and second-guessing is the same as playing the game. Although many “back seat drivers” do actually hold a license, weekends are filled with football, hockey, soccer, and rugby experts who have never set foot on those particular fields of battle.
So it seems with “point and click activism”, as described by self-described champions of many causes. UNICEF mounted a campaign to convince “slactivists” to give money, not just shares and likes.
This wonderful ad (from 2013!) puts it in context.
