Comparison Of Is Google Making USupid And Small Change

Advancements in technology have been made up to a point where it is changing the way we think about social matters and how we respond and act towards a specific social matter. Everyday our brains adapt to the way technology works and therefore create a different “output” action-- it will change the way we respond to a certain social issue. Comparing present-day “activism” and the activism from the 60s, it can be seen that indeed, technology has played a great role towards our view and definition of activism, and what being an activist really means. Both Nicholas Carr’s essay, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”, and Malcolm Gladwell’s essay, “Small Change,” both exemplify the way in which technology can be both a positive and negative influence in

I agree with both Gladwell’s and Carr’s claims of the influence of technology on us. Gladwell begins to first mention the idea of social media activism (new activism) in the essay with, “The world, we are told, is in the midst of a revolution. The new tools of social media have reinvented social activism. With Facebook and Twitter and the like, the traditional relationship between political authority and popular will has been upended, making it easier for the powerless to collaborate, coordinate, and give voice to their concerns (Gladwell 310).” Gladwell claims “political authority and popular will has been upended,” that technology is creating a societal relationship where there is no system of hierarchy, therefore creating no set system of order and balance; everyone is to have an equal say in any

Gladwell’s most memorable quote, “[a]ctivism that challenged the status quo-- that attacks deeply rooted problems-- is not for the faint of heart (Gladwell 311).” Through this, Gladwell is trying to get across to the readers his definition of activism is not merely sending letters, using hashtags on twitter, or sending emails to the specific nations head of state to address a specific issue; true activism is not protesting with signs with words just simply written on them. To Gladwell, he considers true activism to be people who risk their lives, people who put their lives on the line to show clearly to the public the hidden, deep-rooted problem; something that catches someone’s eye and is rebellious in nature. True activism is going against normal societal standards, as Gladwell puts it, “activism that challenge[s] the status quo”; it is to do something rationally unexpected, something that will tick people off enough so others will know about it, not through social media but through people, like the good ol’ days. Gladwell’s definition of true activists know when they protest, they have a chance of becoming injured, or even killed. However, they are willing to put themselves at risk in order to stand up for what they believe