Category: Blog English 110 (Page 1 of 2)

How do movements spread?

Large movements such as the Rosa Parks Bus Boycott or the Civil Rights Movement always begin with one simple situation and somehow spread to become nation or even worldwide. The power of weak ties is the major force that drives these movements. Charles Duhigg wrote in a chapter of his book From Civil Rights to Megachurches that according to Harvard student, Mark Granovetter, weak ties represent “the links that connect people who have acquaintances in common, who share membership in social networks, but aren’t directly connected by the strong ties of friendship themselves” (91). Strong ties could start the initial movement where a group of friends work towards a common goal  but how it spread is due to weak ties. Proof of weak ties working their magic is through McKibben’s 350.org organization that worked to climate change. He organized a world wide 350 day and found people from countries all over who were willing to work with them. In Bill McKibben’s Do The Math movie, it is acknowledged that “there had been over 5,200 demonstrations in 181 countries. CNN called it the most widespread day of political activity in the planet’s history” (7). If McKibben and his team did not put in the effort to create these weak ties then this day would not of been as successful as it could have been.

The best way for the climate change movement to actually progress comes from a mixture of McKibben and Duhigg. Duhigg’s strategy focus on how strong ties and weak ties is what drives social change. For example, if someone you know gets arrested for an unjust reason, it gives you more of a reason for fight to stick up for them. This is what drove the Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King movements to be so large. Weak ties just kept increasing the number of people participating. Similarly, McKibben believes that taking action is the only way to make change. He believes that noise will not be made unless risks are made. His 350.org movement began when he contacted people from all over the world. In creating these weak ties with people worldwide there was a lot more talk about his goals. In addition, many protests that McKibben facilitate do not just include environmentalists, but those of all occupations who just want to make a change. This also incorporates Duhiggs strategies in that it is part of these people’s social habits to make change. If we try to sway society’s social habits to be more like those who will risk arrest then change will definitely be made and the climate change movement will progress.

Of course, many will disagree on the grounds that individuals should not risk arrest. Risking arrest can be very diminishing to your life. As being this involved in protest, your life will be taken over by this movement. It is said that this movement will destroy the futures of young people today. Moore talks about how young peoples are told, “they need jobs to pay off their students loans, that they won’t be able to compete in the job market if they are distracted from their studies, and that they won’t get a job if they have an arrest record” (16).This causes many young people not to participate in these movements on that deep of a level. They fear the thought of their life being destroyed socially, rather than literally.

Climate change is such a controversial topic in today’s society. Kathleen Dean Moore, a writer, talks about her approach to social change. In an interview conducted with Moore called If Your House Is On Fire, she explains how climate change will only begin to be resolved through morality. In response to whether U.S. needs to revise its strategy for climate change, she says, “We will know that the climate-change movement is making progress when it blinks out of existence and is replaced by a global human-rights movements driven by moral revulsion and a rejection of the fossil-fuel industries and their indentured politicians” (14).  Moore believes that the climate change movement needs to be completely replaced by moral justification in order for there to be actual change. She thinks that if everyone was actually educated in what these large corporations were doing to the Earth then our morals would kick in and change would happen. The large companies have a way in tricking us to believe that there is no effect on the Earth in some of the decisions we make. In reality, our decisions is what is ruining the Earth. If humanity actually knew how our decisions were affecting the Earth then climate change movement would begin to progress.

Weak ties is a very important concept in starting a movement. Charles Duhigg, a reporter for the New York Times, supports this claim in a chapter in his book, Civil Rights to Megachurches. He argues that “The power of weak ties helps explain how a protest can expand from a group of friends into a broad social movement” (91). Without these weak ties an individual is only left to the ideas of their strong ties. Usually, those who you call your strong ties will have similar ideas as you. Whether we know it or not, weak ties are used in many major movements today, such as the climate change movement. In the move, Do the Math, an environmentalist named Bill McKibben uses weak tied in his campaign 350.0rg. He explained how “…there had been 5,200 demonstrations in 181 countries. CNN called it the most widespread day of political activity in the planet’s history” (7). The ties between McKibben and his team and the representatives from the 181 other countries would be classified as weak ties. Without these ties, the 350 movement would not of been as effective as it was. Duhigg also acknowledges how other major movements such as the Rosa Parks Bus Boycott were driven by weak ties. Overtime, there are many things that can change in these major movements. However, the use of these weak ties is something that will forever help in expanding movements so that they can be classified as a fight of their century as the Bus Boycott and climate change movements are.

McKibben’s strategy for social change is just to take action. In the beginning he talks about how his initial theory was if he wrote a book then people will read it and change but quickly noticed that that is not how change happens. McKibben was forced to get out of his comfort zone and make a little noise. I definitely do agree with this because anyone can write about how they feel or what they feel needs to be done but it takes real action for authority people to actually notice. The 350.org organization is very effective in that making this fight a world wide thing will also cause more noise in other countries governments. In reaching out to people around the worlds, this creates weak ties in which is similar to to Duhigg’s claim. These weak ties get the word out about climate change all over the world. McKibben’s strategies are very effective because he also makes a statement talking about how there is no winning this fight. A medium to be met that will make both sides happy yet keep the Earth on the right track. In addition, I feel that taking away the most important thing to these companies will be very effective. This important thing is money. In not giving them their usual income these companies will be forced to make a change if they want to continue running. It is also super moving that people who are risking to be arrested for this cause are not only self- identified environmentalists but everyday people are risking it all to save the Earth. This relates to Duhigg in that I believe this is similar to social habits. These regular people who are changing their everyday activities to working to fight against climate change are adapting new social habits. In adapting these new social habits, noise is being made and change will hopefully be the outcome.

Duhigg’s view on social change is that he believes that it is driven by social habits, strong ties, and weak ties. Adding to his argument, I would add that if social ties did not exist then nobody would even interact with anyone therefore they are necessary. Also, social habits are key in life as they are what we do everyday. By incorporating new social habits that support the specific movement then change will be present. Another point that Duhigg makes is that weak ties are stronger than strong ties. My view are contrary to those of Duhigg in that strong ties are stronger than weak tie. Weak ties are not necessarily possible without strong ties, so how can they be stronger? Strong ties are defined as “first hand relationships”. Weak ties are defined as “friends of friends- people who are neither strangers nor close pals”. Strong ties are friends and weak ties are friends of friends, therefore weak ties cannot even be possible without the initial strong tie.

Duhigg really opened my eyes to a different perspective in creating social change on a larger scale. When learning about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, I had always thought that it was their goal to fight against racism. In reality it was the people around them that began this change. Both of their weak and strong ties is what make them so well known. Both were known in their towns before they even started the movements. Through this movements, both of their goals was not to force people to change but just teach them new habits that would become part of their norms. In Rosa Parks case, the social habits of others is what made her case so well known. When someone that you know gets arrested it is instinct to fight for justice while when it is a complete stranger, most people will just not get involved in the situation. Eventually, weak ties begin to get involved through friends of friends. This will form the social change in a community. Peer pressure to lose these ties is also what causes people to conform into these movements. If you do not follow what people in your social group is doing, it is feared that one will lose their social standing. Overall, social change is not formed from forcing people to change their minds but standing up for these ties and fearing of losing them.

• any normal day
• he came home from work
• “Get out Dad!”
• Last thing she said to him
• Shock
• Confusion
• Sadness
• Sympathy
• tragedy
• scared
• all happened like a blur
• feels so long ago but also just like yesterday

For my podcast I will be talking about the death of my bestfriend’s father due to a heart attack. It happened on any normal day and we were there for a play date and he came home from work. We were about to leave for soccer practice when my friends mom came outside to tell us to run to the neighbors because she had to call an ambulance because Sean wasn’t breathing right. I am writing this to emphasize the importance is valuing time with your loved ones because you never know what could happen.

• 30% of all LGBT teens attempt to commit suicide
• Hard to show who you are in front of parents
• Generation gap with parents and grandparents
• Emily from Kennybunk: proves that sharing stories matters, changes people’s thoughts
• Safe Space Radio: not seeing their face makes it easier for people to share their stories
• People think it is contagious to make someone gay (Samantha’s story)
• Worrying about safety all the time
• Minority stress is associated with smoking rates, substance abuse, and mental health
• Aiden’s story: interesting to get the inside scoop of transforming into a boy
• “Need to be who I am or I can’t exist”
• What can we do? (prevent suicide)
  • GSTA at schools: provides a comfortable spot
  • Adopting anti discrimination supporting LGBTQ
  • Benefits straight boys
  • Bullying can occur accusing boys to be gay for caring too much

This podcast was really interesting to me as I have been around those who are LGBT. It states that 30% of LGBT teenagers attempt to commit suicide. I feel that the fact that it was audio made it a lot easier for the speakers. Most bullying comes from looks. It could be that some “looks” gay or transgender. I feel that the part that Safe Space Radio makes it easier for people to share their stories because their face is not shown to their audience. A very effective part of the podcast is where they talk about what schools can do to prevent suicide in general. They say that making GSTA clubs at schools to provide those with a comfortable place to talk and to adopting anti discrimination rules surrounding LGBTQ individuals. It is ironic because it decreases suicides of straight boys because bullying can occur  accusing boys to be gay for caring too much. It compares to the visual story with Martha Hall where she talks about how she feels when going through treatment. Similarly to those who are LGBT, Martha feels in the dark and alone and that she has noone to lean on.

Martha Hall’s books are something that I had never seen before. They are all so unique in their own ways. I thought her book about the quotes from the different doctors was very interesting. It gave an outlook on the different attitudes of the doctors. Some put her off on the back burner and some gave her false hope. I also think it was interesting how she has kept all of her appointment cards and put those all together. I am curious as to how she thought of the idea to keep all of these cards. Through keeping all of these cards it gave us a timeline as to what she had been through throughout the many years of treatment. A cultural change that Martha Hall’s books could have is going against authority. I like how her book about the different doctors had almost called them out. It was essential that she used their exact words for proof of how she was being treated. Overall, Martha Hall’s outlook on her illness gave me a completely different perspective on cancer and how it is being treated in today’s society.