The VHL and Clicktivism

[Berocka 2,263]

The VHL and Clicktivism

 

All through the years of the internet Clicktivism has become more and more prevalent in our daily lives. People changing their profile pictures to include flags or sayings. You remember that day everyone posted a black square on Instagram for who knows what. There are so many things that people do to make a “change” and “difference” in the world.

 

Every pride month a lot of the logos in the VHL discords will change to be rainbow. Recently most of the logos have been updated to include Blue and Yellow colours for Ukraine and their struggle. What I want to know is why? What is it achieving really? When I open my discord I can see that the members of the VHL really care about Ukraine and that Russia is bad. Well yeah but I don’t need a coloured logo to know that. I look and they are all rainbow and I think oh this is the month we are meant to be nicer to LGB… community. But aren’t we always meant to be nice to everyone.

 

All I want to know is why, this doesn’t save a soldiers life in Ukraine, this doesn’t save someone from being bullied. It is a badge people can wear to say hey look at me I am a good person.

 

Don’t get me wrong the VHL does great things with community drives I just don’t understand the clicktivism.

 

Anyway hope you are all having a good day that is all from me for now.

[JardyB10 4,869]

I prefer the term slacktivism because it’s more clever.

 

I’m mostly with you, I’ve always found the social media trends like these to be a bit of a pat on one’s own back. But to be fair, I think it’s well enough to colour a logo for a holiday or a cause just for funsies. And speaking as someone who comes from a pretty redneck community, I can also see how a large wave of rainbow coloured social pressure can be helpful to give people some pause on their shitty opinions.

 

But THAT said, social pressure is a double edged blade and can lead to what feels like a mob mentality at times. Back when all the George Floyd incited protests were going on, I remember my Instagram feed being HAMMERED with BLM, ACAB, etc posts. Most notably, there was a very strong rhetoric going on that was to the effect of “If you’re donating to a reputable related cause, or actively protesting in the streets, or (and this one got me) using your social media presence to influence change, you’re basically a racist.” It was quite aggressive, and I didn’t think it was fair.

 

A VERY short time later, the pandemic arrived and most the world was on lockdown. And suddenly, THE VERY SAME people who were spamming the “go out and protest or you’re a piece of shit” type posts then turned into “Stop being a selfish piece of shit and stay the fuck home you ignorant dogs.” To me, not only did it feel hypocritical, but I also felt it exposed aren’t necessarily thinking critically about the issues going on, but were just reposting passionately aggressive stories because that was the thing to do.

 

Anyway, I don’t know if I can definitively claim that slacktivism is useless, but I’m not a big fan all the same.

[Gaikoku-hito 2,141]

I find the internet Clicktivism or slacktivism; is actually a type of censorship and clear a mob mentality. Too much of the conversations are one side now where the louder you scream the more you are correct. Then look at the Media censorship, twisting of the stories and creating a complete different dialog of the actual facts of what is taking place around their country, world etc.... 

 

I understand the want to belong thus the Clicktivism or slacktivism; but I would love to see freedom of speak actually become a thing again without being screamed down, being told you are ...... simply because you might have a different opinion based on seeing the facts differently or understanding the actual topic differently.

 

Today I think more then once, twice and three times before I post things. I write, read and then re-read, delete and re-write almost everything that I post now a days with self censorship caused by the mob mentality in fear of stating my true opinion on topics that are clearly different then mass or the mob. Does it make me a bad person? Some will say yes, you have to think the same as everyone else but clearly I have different opinions since I have different perspective through different experiences then most. What happened to the day when difference where celebrated and open discussion was viewed as healthy. So no I don`t like this Clicktivism or slacktivism as it clearly you think this way or you are against us way of thinking. 

 

Honestly, if it isn`t happening in my backyard or in my house then it really isn`t effecting me so I now chose to have no opinion on the matter or at least learned to self-censorship.

 

Edit* And yes I slip from time to time especially when baited into giving my opinion followed by the instant regret.

Edited April 26, 2022 by Gaikoku-hito

[JigglyGumballs 1,056]

Personally, I'm the type of person who simply doesn't give a shit a good chunk of the time. When I see social media posts and Instagram stories of people posting in solidarity of certain movements, I tend to not participate out of the desire to stay impartial. I honestly can't say what I do is good, and I have done my fair share of clicktivism myself so my opinion might not be the best. However, I can point out a couple of things that I hope make clicktivism a bit more understanding.

 

From my understanding as a teenager who's not exactly capable of possibly donating or is able to organize events/fundraisers, stuff like changing logos or making random posts/online movements may be a method to express solidarity or support in that movement. I've admittedly done the black square post before. From my perspective, it was to voice my opinions as a minority myself in support of a serious social issue seen in both Canada in the US. I can understand why you feel like it's a pat on the back sort of action. It's certainly self-gratification to a degree. But to those who actively support that movement who can't exactly do more, it's a bare minimum.

 

This also leads to my second point and that is awareness. More and more often you see society become less tolerant for certain touchy issues. Clicktivism in a way promotes that sort of awareness. Of course, it's a bare minimum again. And those companies that change their logos to rainbow colours while not directly contributing any actual financial or organizational contribution are a problem, I can see why people want to use methods like the black square posts to raise awareness.

 

I'm a person who thinks of social issues with a more logical/analytical mindset. My brain is wired in a way to think of these things as impartial as possible. I don't know if it's a lack of empathy from my part or a possible personal fear of my opinion being disliked by others, but I guess I'm sorta playing devil's advocate for this post. I understand why people think that clicktivism is bullshit, I understand that doing more for things you actually care about is worth more than a PNG change. I also understand that people might be socially pressured to do something like clicktivism. Especially with the opinionated climate of social media. I know I have on occasion. But maybe showing that you support something might be what other's consider as enough in terms of support. Idk, I really appreciate you for bringing this topic up, it really does provoke discussions like this. I just hope this can provide some better understanding of clicktivism in general.

[rory 1,945]

1 hour ago, JardyB10 said:

A VERY short time later, the pandemic arrived and most the world was on lockdown

FAKE NEWS ALERT!

[JardyB10 4,869]

20 minutes ago, rory said:

FAKE NEWS ALERT!

After a Google it might be that I flip flopped those two things, haha. First people screamed at me to stay home or I’m a selfish dink, THEN I was told to mask up and protest or I’m a selfish dink. 

[rory 1,945]

8 minutes ago, JardyB10 said:

After a Google it might be that I flip flopped those two things, haha. First people screamed at me to stay home or I’m a selfish dink, THEN I was told to mask up and protest or I’m a selfish dink. 

who tf told u do this in rural sask

[JardyB10 4,869]

12 minutes ago, rory said:

who tf told u do this in rural sask

The ‘gram stories and other social media posts! Every single one was like “JardyB10 needs to stay inside and stop spreading COVID, until there is a worthy cause like a protest.” And I thought, “Damn, these targeted ads are getting really aggressive!”

[Ahma 1,444]

I think it's a bit pretentious, this slacktivism/clicktivism

 

just throwing a colored shading in front of a logo like that's gonna change world.

[Daniel Janser 2,217]

Yeah I cannot help but feel that a lot of these clicktivists would call the police if they see a 'suspicious' person who 'looks like not belonging here' is seen in their neighbourhood.

 

I do not participate in clicktivism (anymore), as it does not get shit done. But I am too lazy to engage in worthy causes either. What I try to do is to treat every person with respect until they prove me wrong. My dad is a very conservative person, but he has a refreshing attitude when it comes to 'sort' people: He says that there are two kind of people: people who are assholes and people who are not. And black, handicapped lesbians can be as much of an asshole as white straight men.

 

I work in an international company where I meet people from different ethnicities, religions, sexual orientation and sexes. And I do not care too much about all this (or do my best not to). I treat people how I want to be treated and I think this no bad basis to encounter strangers (unless you are masochistic, then you absolutely should not treat people they way you want to be treated).

 

 

Edited April 26, 2022 by Daniel Janser

[Mr_Hatter 1,608]

BTW, the term you are probably looking for is performative activism. Giving activist actions a negative slant because they simply occur in an online space is ignoring how important online spaces are to our modern society. The medium doesn't matter, the intent behind the actions and your follow through does.

 

So here's the deal: why does it matter? People should be free to champion whatever causes they want on social media. I don't particularly participate in a lot of solidarity posting, but I'm not particularly active on social media regardless. As far as what it is actually doing, awareness is always a positive thing. Like Jardy said

 

16 hours ago, JardyB10 said:

I can also see how a large wave of rainbow coloured social pressure can be helpful to give people some pause on their shitty opinions.

 

If you are in the position where seeing LGBT+ flags or people changing pictures to rainbow colored backgrounds feels like an attack for you also not participating in those actions, then consider how much you have been able to benefit from the status quo your entire life, and now the bare minimum of societal pressure is being applied to force you into participating in a discussion that you previously had the privilege to ignore. Don't get me wrong, imo if anyone gives you shit for not actively participating in the so called "clicktivism" then they are probably being shitty themselves; but consider if they are critiquing you for your implied opposition or just because you aren't participating in their trend.

You can be an ally without participating in social media trends. Simultaneously, you can fail to be an ally despite participating in such performative activism (read: giant corporations deciding to flip their stance on LGBT+ issues simply because it helps them turn a profit nowadays). 

I will admit for certain types of issues I feel less strongly about this, as the conflict in Ukraine is a not a social issue exactly, and social issues are where social media trends can actually have a bigger impact imo, but at the end of the day why does it matter if other people want to show their support for an issue that they deem important? My biggest issue with this post and the discussion had here is that while I agree that purely performative activism is annoying or even potentially harmful, deeming all displays of online support as such invalidates those issues in their entirety. 

One final comment as food for thought; consider how, in unfortunately many places in the world, showing public (IRL) displays of support for LGBT+ people will quite literally result in personal harm or physical violence towards the activist. If that doesn't show you why online support has value, then I don't know what to say. 

EDIT: Note, above the "you" I'm using is in general terms. Not really directing these comments at anyone in particular, more providing a general counterpoint. 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2022 by Mr_Hatter

[Enorama 2,039]

17 hours ago, Berocka said:

All I want to know is why, this doesn’t save a soldiers life in Ukraine, this doesn’t save someone from being bullied.

 

I have not changed the DC Discord logo or done anything else activism-related in the VHL in quite some time, but I always tell my players that if it would mean something to them if I rainbow-ized our logo for a month, then I would do it in a heartbeat. It being meaningful for someone in the community - be it someone LGBTQ+, Ukrainian, or any other group that has been under attack - that's why we change our logos.

 

Just my two cents anyways. Basically not doing it proactively but if someone assures me it means something to them on a personal level, I'm all for it.

[Victor 11,027]

On a related note I got on the tube today (cuz I went to Landan) and there was an announcement that it's currently Priority Seating Week and we should see if anyone needs the seat more than us. Fortunately this is not something I'll need to consider after this week ends!

[Daniel Janser 2,217]

13 minutes ago, Victor said:

On a related note I got on the tube today (cuz I went to Landan) and there was an announcement that it's currently Priority Seating Week and we should see if anyone needs the seat more than us. Fortunately this is not something I'll need to consider after this week ends!

is this not normal PT etiquette anyway? I constantly do check whether someone else is more in need to the seat that I am occupying...

[Victor 11,027]

1 minute ago, Daniel Janser said:

is this not normal PT etiquette anyway? I constantly do check whether someone else is more in need to the seat that I am occupying...

Nope one week and one week only! (no it totally is, I was so perplexed but this being a thing)

[Mr_Hatter 1,608]

17 minutes ago, Victor said:

On a related note I got on the tube today (cuz I went to Landan) and there was an announcement that it's currently Priority Seating Week and we should see if anyone needs the seat more than us. Fortunately this is not something I'll need to consider after this week ends!

Speaking as someone whose mother is currently in a wheelchair due to a degenerative disease, but at the onset of said disease had no obvious symptoms outside of being tired/having trouble standing, people need to be reminded of basic social etiquette more than you would think... common sense isn't so common. 

[Victor 11,027]

But to @JardyB10 @Berocka @Gaikoku-hito and anyone else, I read this article yesterday (beware, it's a beast) which delves a lot deeper into the culture of outrage etc and does a very good job. It's got an American lens to it and from this side of the pond it does seem a lot more extreme over there but covers social media which is more international quite well.

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/

[Mr_Hatter 1,608]

Yeah I really liked reading through that article. I certainly disagreed with a few points, and think that it points a little bit too much to "enlightend centrism" (the status quo is inherently a conservative position and benefits those in charge of the power structure)

 

But overall I think it raises a lot of good points. Thanks for the share  

[JardyB10 4,869]

1 hour ago, Victor said:

But to @JardyB10 @Berocka @Gaikoku-hito and anyone else, I read this article yesterday (beware, it's a beast) which delves a lot deeper into the culture of outrage etc and does a very good job. It's got an American lens to it and from this side of the pond it does seem a lot more extreme over there but covers social media which is more international quite well.

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/

Pretty insensitive of you to tag me in this when you know full well I don’t know how to read.

[Doomsday 4,143]

Thoughts and prayers

[Gaikoku-hito 2,141]

37 minutes ago, JardyB10 said:

Pretty insensitive of you to tag me in this when you know full well I don’t know how to read.

Good thing there is an audio form at the very top so you can click and listen then!! LOL!!

 

2 hours ago, Victor said:

But to @JardyB10 @Berocka @Gaikoku-hito and anyone else, I read this article yesterday (beware, it's a beast) which delves a lot deeper into the culture of outrage etc and does a very good job. It's got an American lens to it and from this side of the pond it does seem a lot more extreme over there but covers social media which is more international quite well.

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/

Very interesting read & listen. Couldn`t help myself but laugh when he states "passed out roughly 1 billion dart guns globally. We’ve been shooting one another ever since." Made me think of the Simpson when they tried shock therapy.

 

There was a few things that I could agree with but most of it was well put together and raise a lot of good points. Thanks for sharing!!

[JardyB10 4,869]

6 hours ago, Victor said:

But to @JardyB10 @Berocka @Gaikoku-hito and anyone else, I read this article yesterday (beware, it's a beast) which delves a lot deeper into the culture of outrage etc and does a very good job. It's got an American lens to it and from this side of the pond it does seem a lot more extreme over there but covers social media which is more international quite well.

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/

I’ve now read this and now I want to cry. Thanks for sharing!

[BOOM 8,818]

I'm dead inside and have become numb to social causes. It's unfortunate. 

[Hogan 1,425]

As far as I know I started the whole pride month logo's in the VHL. Realistically I wasn't the first to ever do it but I think in 2019? or 2020 I made some when I noticed there was none and ever since then they've been around every year. I made mine to show that there was somebody in the VHL who was there to support our members in the community. I think that's all I've seen it as. I had some teammates before that were members of the LGTBQ community and I figured it was a small way to show them that I care about that them.  I'm not sure if we have anyone in the league right who is being affected by the Ukrainian conflict in a large way right now but I think them seeing all this support would be a small benefit to them. Just knowing this many people are here for you can mean something to people.