by By Parker Villiers
It can be extremely overwhelming and intimidating to see horrific world news all over your social media feeds every day. Many social media users are quick to jump on the “trends” of posting and reposting about worldly events without entirely being educated on the topics. While it is important to spread awareness of these occurrences, it is more important to physically understand and be knowledgeable of what is actually happening.
Those who are quick to hop on the “trends” without educating themselves are known as performative activists. Performative activism is when people post about important social justice topics for their own gain. In other words, it makes them feel better about themselves for “staying woke” on topics they know little about. Performative activism can take place on any social media platform, but it is most commonly seen on Instagram and Facebook, where infographics and selfies are more widely shared. In performative activists’ eyes, they look like a better person to their friends, families, followers and even fans– if they are a celebrity.
More recently, there have been numerous posts about the war in Gaza; coming from both sides in support of Israel or Palestine. There was a major rise in performative activism during the Black Lives Matter protests and social justice gatherings. On Instagram specifically, many people were posting about being at rallies and protests for their own social gain. There are plenty of ways to spread awareness about causes and justices without trying to pose “aesthetically” in front of a deservingly angry crowd.
Guide:
There is absolutely nothing wrong with posting on social media about current events. This idea is misconstrued when the lines are blurred between real activism and those who are trying to make themselves seem involved. So the question is, how do you become involved for the right reasons? A good first step is to educate yourself about the topic you are posting about. It is important to check the source the information is coming from to make sure you are not continuing the spread of misinformation. If you are able, another great way to support causes is to donate to their charities or funds. Instagram has a feature where it can show up on your profile that you are supporting [blank] cause.
It can be easy to go along with the majority of what you see on social media. Everyone is deserving of their own opinions and you can post about a cause if that is what you truly believe. It is important to note that social media pressure is very real. You should not feel forced into posting about political subjects if that is not what you use your platform for. While it is important to educate yourself on ongoing news, there should not be pressure to post, because that is what can lead to performative activism.
Hi Parker,
I am glad you brought up this topic because I’ve been thinking about it more lately in light of all the controversy. It’s interesting how these issues can gain so much traction on social media, and the controversy they can create with mis/uninformed people or those in it for the wrong reasons. It makes me think of the deeper impacts that this might have on conflicts like Palestine-Isreal and if they can be doing more harm than good to the people/groups directly involved.
Parker, I love this post! I think it’s important for people to be knowledgeable about the perspectives they’re sharing on social media to prevent the spread of misinformation. You offer donations as an alternative to performative activism. What are some other ways people can get involved in a meaningful way?
Great job on your blog Parker! I like how you addressed this very complicated and real issue with grace. It’s so relatable, the social media pressure you talked about. I know especially in 2020, I found myself posting because of pressure in my DMs for people at my school and sentiment online about how you’re a part of the problem if you aren’t posting about it. I cared deeply about the issues going on, but I found myself doing what you talked about, posting without fully knowing the history, context or fact-checking. Educating yourself is so important, and I love how you talked about that and the donation pages.
Hi Parker!
Thanks so much for posting about this. I think that performance activism is such a huge problem on social media and it is really hard to tell who wants to be involved or actually supports the cause. Your post also gave really good insights on how people can check themselves as well and make sure they are thinking about what they’re posting.