Revolution In Your Pocket
In the vast digital wasteland that makes up TikTok, I often find myself drawn to the hidden gems—videos with minimal views that provide intriguing glimpses into the lives of strangers. A few days ago, I came across one that only had about 30 views and 12 likes. In the video, there was a woman who talked about working as a residential director at a university in Boston– and she HATED her job. She went on and on about the students, the administration, and ALL of the workplace drama. For three entire minutes, I watched this woman who I’d never met, in a city I’d never been to, rant about a job I’ll likely never have, and I still ate up every second! It’s truly fascinating how the internet has this tremendous power to connect people. I could’ve gone my entire life without hearing about this woman, yet here we are. Now that I have, her own stories have left me to wonder about what sort of ridiculous situations my own residential director has to deal with, or if students in Boston are really just that annoying.
This woman had no idea that I specifically would hear her rant, but she did know that if she recorded herself speaking and posted it online, someone would. This may seem pretty trivial, but this represents a monumental shift in human advancement. Historically, recording the everyday lives of ordinary people has been proven to be a unique challenge for historians. Throughout much of history, only the wealthy and literate could widely share their ideas, due to their access to resources and education. In contrast, poorer individuals(most people) relied on oral traditions and local interaction to share their stories, limiting their reach. The advancement of communication technology has democratized this process, enabling marginalized voices to connect and share their common struggles, simultaneously fostering social progress.
A perfect example of this is the widespread use of television and radio during the late nineteenth century that proved to be crucial for advancing the support of both the Civil Rights Movement and the anti-Vietnam War protests. The Vietnam War was the first war where U.S. citizens could see and hear in real time what was actually occurring overseas. They could also see the heart-wrenching images of young Black activists protesting in the streets for their civil rights right there on their television screens. It’s one thing to hear someone else speak of these types of issues, but it’s an entirely different thing to see it and understand it with your own eyes. With this new method of communication, an increasing number of Americans were able to identify with these issues themselves and bring their own contributions to the movements.
The internet has had the same effect as television, only exponentially greater. Almost everyone has access to the internet; rich or poor, Black or white, straight or queer, literate or not. The internet has brought with it a new era of human rights advancements. Social media platforms have democratized communication, allowing direct interaction with people from all walks of life, free from the filters of traditional media. Through this unfiltered exchange, we've witnessed remarkable progress in disability rights, LGBTQ+ rights, diversity, inclusion, and feminist issues. Human advancement hinges on our ability to listen, learn, and evolve collectively. With the internet's limitless potential for connection, there are infinite opportunities to collaborate with those who possess different experiences and work together towards resolving societal challenges.
Strike Out.
Writer: Mycheal
Editor: Jane Dodge
Chattanooga
