Slactivism

I think everyone knows what I mean by the phrase slactivism. It divides opinion. For some it is a way of engaging people in politics who wouldn't otherwise do so. For others, it is an annoyance, especially if they are on the receiving end of hundreds of identical emails all demanding a reply.

Personally I think it is a useful development in politics. Transcending party politics in an era where politicians are suffering a massive decline in trust across the board combined with the greatest technological advance of recent times, the Internet, is enabling people to directly influence decisions in a way they never have before. You can show your support for a cause by the simple act of writing an email or signing a petition, knowing you are not alone and that there are people working tirelessly to coordinate campaigns for that cause.

Take the example of Hugh's Fish Fight. With the support of over 800,000 petition signatories, one man has led a successful campaign to change EU policy. It shows the potential this method has.

Now this doesn't sound too far away from the traditional methods of community politics, finding an issue, campaigning tirelessly and gathering petition signatures, just on a much bigger scale. The Internet has brought the world a lot closer together, and the people a lot closer to those with power.

I have supported campaigns on many issues through this method. I am a "member" of 38 Degrees and Avaaz, although I don't agree with everything they do. Other campaigning organisations I support including CAMRA and Friends of the Earth are increasingly using these methods to add impetus to campaigns they run.

As my blog develops, I intend to write regularly about campaigns I support and those I don't, and in some cases writing down the arguments for or against may help me decide. What the topics are depends entirely on what arrives in my inbox!