Revolution with a Click

Let me first make note of a couple concepts before talking about the article to relate to.

In our class we discuss whether or not these technological products made by humans have helped or harmed our community and environment. Arguments can be made for claims. The media in particular holds a very powerful sway in how political status and government is sometimes dictated.

In my other class, Soc 430, we talked about a sociologist who mentions this notion of “The Tragedy of Culture”. Defined as a situation in which objective cultural objects dominate and (possibly disempower) individuals and society. In the words of Reddit –> tldr; All our technological dependence is taking over and weakens us as a person and us as a collective hive mind. These objective cultural objects can be translated to physical devices such as computers and cellphones which have become a secondary part of our life. Arguments have been made that these technologies make us impatient, our memory is very short term, and in general makes us dumber and a slave to the machine.

In contrast to this idea of The Tragedy of Culture”, we can consider the positive strides we’ve made with these technologies too. In this article we talk about the Egyptians overcome oppression, sexism, police brutality, unemployment, injustice, and poverty. There is a saying; “Once out on the internet; it’s out there forever”. I don’t actually know the exact wording to the saying, but you get what I mean. It’s out there for good and there is no taking it back.

Post-dethroning, citizens continue to fight for their freedom and against injustice. Their mode of bringing a sense of community and standing together as one: The internet, more specifically, Facebook and cellphones. With these devices they can now upload it for the world to see and make a commotion about the injustice being done to them. Standing against your leaders is hard to do in person, but the facebook and other social media allowed them to convene in secret, plan, and riot against the police together in greater numbers.

This incident is almost parallel and identical to another issue that happened in the Middle East. This was considered the Arab Spring conflict in which a Fruit seller was being bullied, looted, and blackmailed into keeping their stand. Unable to take the torment any longer, he went to the police and asked why nothing was being done, which he was faced with rejection. Soon after he set himself on fire feeling abandoned by the authorities that were meant to protect him. He became the straw that broke the camels back that started a revolution.
In the article, Khaled Said was the catalyst to the Egyptian revolution where he was faced with injustice which costed him his life. Like the Arabs, the Egyptian government faced a massive force that was knocking on their door online and offline. In an attempt to suppress the revolution they tried violent retaliation and taking down the internet in general. Unfortunately at this point, not only are they fighting against their own people, but foreign powers that were witnessing the events unfold which would reflect badly on them if they tried stopping them. Of course this failed.

It only goes to show that with a click, a world online and offline is behind you.
Here is the video about the Arab Spring Conflict