Socialize to revolutionize

"any and all instances in which a state or a political regime is overthrown and thereby transformed by a popular movement in an irregular, extra constitutional and/or violent fashion" - Jeff Goodwin

If you have read most of my previous posting for these past weeks, you would notice that i have describe the internet as if it was a godsend gift to humanity to be able to voice out the unheeded plea and opinions. Well after reading "Facebook and Twitter are just places revolutionaries go" by Evgeny Morozov, I realize that the internet has caused us to change, in a way that we could do so in the past. But in the article it stated that social networking sites today acts more of a new tool for us to voice out our dissatisfaction, is more of a place that we put up our emotions rather than a place where people keep in touch which originally intended. It seems to me that we as the users are trying new ways to be able to voice out and send a clear strong message to the authorities or just trying to create an awareness all through social networking site that was never originally intended to use that way.

Let's look at Facebook, Facebook was originally intended to a site where people can be kept connected with their friends and over time Facebook added in applications and games which was something new, it was a smart move in order to keep the existing users happy with things to do and thus getting more user migrating from various other social network. However, over time when you have 500 million and counting user in a social network site things tends to get really personal, emotions starts to flare and users are willing to fight over on Facebook now, Facebook itself is like a public area where people can see whatever you do, this proves one thing that users are becoming more daring now, in terms of expressing themselves and their emotions on social networking sites. However, in the article it talks about how Facebook and Twitter could stir up such a revolution and overthrow the government, which actually possible. Of course you can't start a revolution through your own Facebook wall, you will get arrested long before you could get a "Like" on it. The internet is crawling with the authorities keep an eye on almost every invidual, but the good news is about Facebook is the fact that you can create groups, groups which are private. And so that is where they can gather, that is where they can voice out their opinions. Many users believe that the internet is their hope for a freedom of speech as well as freedom of expression, because there are no real sets of rules when it comes to the internet, sure authorities may set laws for it but there was no rules to begin with.

Times are changing at a rather rapid pace now, back then to start a protest or a revolution was not an easy feat, but today is just like a push of a button. Facebook and Twitter, both were never intended to be revolution and protest starter kit, both were originally made to be keeping people connected and in touch with each other. So this leaves a big question mark as to whether or not is a good thing to have the social network around, what will happen in the future? Will users find new ways to utilize social network for more justice or injustice in the future? Will it disrupt the balance of the harmony? Whichever it is, is rather rhetorical. However, the internet is still a godsend gift to humanity to voice out their opinions and worries. If voicing out in public would lend themselves in prison, then the nest best thing is the internet. Besides it is the best way to garner the support of millions of user who uses the internet.

We live in an era where the people can no longer be contained like they do back then, technological advances has given many people hope that they can now voice out when they couldn't previously. Traditional media could allow them but new media like the internet gives instant connection to the world and thus enables them to express themselves more freely. From mere chat to organizing a protest and revolution, the internet has proven once again that it has so much capabilities that we should not take it too lightly, as well as the authorities. They can try all they want to silence the people but so long the internet exist the silence cannot be contained and the echoes of voices would be heard by the millions.