Stop whispering, start shouting

There's been a lot of talk out there about the wide-ranging impact of the internet revolution on the way we live our lives, particularly for those of us under the age of 35. We use the internet to shop, to bank, to keep up with world affairs. Many of us also use it to make -- and keep -- friends. By providing an unlimited virtual 'space' for people to come together regardless of their geographical position, the internet has played a powerful role in the way young people relate to each other. My generation (so-called Generation Y) and those that have come after are probably less private than any in history. We've put ourselves Out There for all to see, and gotten into the habit of sharing our hobbies and interests widely. The click of a mouse can show fifty of my friends the You Tube video I thought was funny, or the article I read in the paper. With that in mind, you would think that political activism -- that staple of university life -- would be thriving now as never before, wouldn't you?

In this article, Thomas Friedman argues the opposite -- that over-reliance on the internet has in fact stymied the student activism so crucial to driving social change. And I think he makes a hell of a good point.

For activism to work, it has to be visible, and the problem with internet campaigns is that they aren't. They're too passive. For someone to read your outraged blog on Darfur, they have to WANT to read your outraged blog on Darfur, which suggests that you're largely preaching to the converted. The internet can play a vital role in getting the world Out There, but that's no substitute for a good old-fashioned sit in. Your blog probably won't make the nightly news, will it?

Surely the best solution is to use all the means at your disposal, and a combination of internet word-of-mouth and more conventional political activism can be incredibly powerful. For example, next week will be the third annual Gulu Walk, a protest march on behalf of children in Northern Uganda that will take place in dozens of cities across the world. Properly organized (which I would like to think Gulu Walk will be this year, inshallah), these worldwide events can make pretty big waves. Think back to the huge anti-war marches shortly after the invasion of Iraq.

So get out there, kids! Make yourselves some signs and hold a rally! Save Darfur, stop climate change, end farm subsidies! Just do yourselves a favour and don't provoke the cops. Those dogs are as mean as they look.