The Power of a Hashtag

I’ve never been much of an active member of any social media outlet. It’s rare for me to intentionally go online and follow, like or post anything. I spend less than  thirty  minutes a day  on social  media which  I know is something not many  of my  peers can say. However, even then, when something happens that causes shock-waves in America. Whether its Kim Kardashian's exaggerated photo-shoots or the verdict on a controversial trial, I’ll hear about. Not only that, but I will know every perspective there is, know what experts and viewers globally have to say about it. I can attain all of this information, by clicking a hashtag. The hashtag is primarily  used on twitter to  demonstrate emotion , thoughts , support and so  on  but it has become so much  more than  that. When a hashtag is used by a large group  of people , it becomes a trending topic , giving it the power of exposure to  all  online users. This power has created a new realm of self-expression, community building and one can even say  a culture. I am  not a twitter users, and yet I will  come across the Twitter hashtag that has made it’s was to  the list of trending topics. The power of Hashtags and twitter has become so significant that News stations use them  to  create a more personal  relationship  with their audience. This makes for a larger audience and a more accessibility to the lives of this audience. I myself, am not a twitter user , but a trending hashtags is capable to  make it’s way  to  me where I may  be on the internet. For example, I quickly  found what #breaktheinternet was when there was comical  re- creations posted  all  over the internet. Of course there are a lot more socially  beneficial  uses to the hashtag than to see Kim K's behind. Hashtags have become movements, the users have become advocates and activists, expressing their ideals and views and supporting the views of their peers. Tweets has become the real voice of America. The majority  of america's population sits in young adults been the age of seventeen  and 30, which  happen  to be the primary  users of tweeter. When  American's do  not feel that the media sufficiently covers the controversial  topics and events going on in a America, or better yet ; when they  disagree with  the Media's choice in  words ; they  take their hashtag power and trend the truth. Twitter has become a go  to  new's source for a large portion  of America,  from  my  personal  observation, a person is more likely  to  loyally  follow a hashtag than  they  are to  follow an actual  reports from  say CNN or Fox. Twitter has the power to lead rebellions, ruin reputations  and cause controversial discussions; but Twitter can also  feed on to social integration and unity. Hashtags have the capability for bringing strangers together from all over the world  through  common  interests and passions, These passions  and strong opinions create the space for discussion  and unified encouragement for social change. 

Online Activisim

For our generation, involvement in social media is inevitable. Whether you religiously follow every  celebrity on Instagram or articles you  read online link you  to  different blogs and profiles; social media  and the type of essence and interaction it possess is everywhere. When  something is as present as social media is in a person’s everyday  life, it’s important to make use of it. Online activism is a way  that we can turn  something that is more commonly  used for entertainment into a promotion for change. Everything that is placed online, is placed there with  intention; it's activism , whether online or not, is intentional action  that is attempting to  bring about social  and political change. Activism allows the larger population to advocate and speak for minority groups that are being discriminated against in order to  reach legislative change that will  benefit these minority groups. One may  assume that productive activism  consists of demonstrations, protests, boycotts sit ins and so  on , however; online activism  has the potential to cause a shock-wave of change; all that is needed in this decade is a catch Hashtag. Many  might say  that social  media has actually caused alienation and isolation , and rather than contributing to  helping an individual  real  their full  human potential through  interaction with  others, it causes harm. However, for others being active  online, is their ideal and most production form of communication with  their peers , and more importantly, the international  community. As defined in Linda Steiner's Oppositional Decoding as an Act of Oppositional Decoding ;  communication  , as it is through the internet, is a ritual  process for circulatory transforming and Maintaining a social group's culture ( Carey, 1975). 

When  communicating online, there is no  filter for what is visible to the entire world, for the most part. This opens the opportunity  for  advocating for the Human  Rights of many  minority  groups not only in  The United States , but all  over the world. Due to  the  power of the dominant groups in different communities and the structure that is in  place, there are certain  truths that are pushed under the rug to avoid a civil  rebellion. As members off these communities and these societies everyone has the given  right to  be  informed about how legislative and communal decisions will  effect them. In result of the dominant groups efforts to  maintain  what they  perceive to  be an orderly  flow in  society , what is released by  media outlets is often times hidden behind white lies. Through  Online activism , activists can reach a larger population  and approach  global  news in a more inclusive, progressive , relate-able format that can lead to  more productive peaceful protests. As activists try  to  spread the word about their passion  for social  justice,  social  media assists on  making involvement possible for any person  who's interested. For example , if an organization is trying to  put together a peaceful  protest, they  can  efficiently rally  up  participants  online, as well as gain supports from  afar ; even if they  can not actually  be there.  We have become technologically advanced enough to  have our support and presence be in more than  one place  at a time and we should embrace that power.The language a government official  uses to  address an even will not be the same as that of a person looking at the event through  moral  rather than  legal  lenses. This is when it be comes most important to  use the internet to put the injustice we see in the world into  the perspective for the rest of the world looking from the outside in  , in  any  issue, anywhere. The  click  of a thumbs up  on  Facebook, a double tap  on Instagram  or re tweet on  twitter , the domino  effect can lead to international  recognition of what really  matters.

Globalizing American Culture

As our country  becomes more and more diverse and Minorities start to  become the Majority, in numbers not power dynamics, companies must start to  make changes and use innovation to  target these populations of people. This task  is easiest for fast food  restaurants and food product chains due to the fact that  they  are accessible to  every  socioeconomic class.This is relevantly  important because many people of color ,specially undocumented immigrants, are living pay check  to  paycheck  barely  making ends meet. To  them  a meal at a fast food restaurant is a significant outing. Some companies whose efforts to reach out to  these communities really stand out  are McDonalds and Coca Cola. Not only have  these huge companies globalized their image and made their products internationally known and demanded, they have made them is a part of American culture.This becomes an advantage when selling within  the united states because it gives immigrants a sense of regularity  after leaving their home country. Regardless of where  one is migrating from, chances are that there was a McDonalds there. McDonalds symbolizes the diversity  they  pledge to  have gained from international business through  the translation of their Jingle , I’m Loving it, into up to  a dozen languages. They  are attempting to  reach  out to  all  of their potential customers and make them  feel  a sense of comfort , understanding and acceptance through their Marketing strategies. They  have taken  advantage of the opportunities that come along with  Acculturation and assimilation. They  have used casting and cultural  aspects , such  as music and clothing, to  gain  the loyalty  of new groups of people.Another great brand to  look  at is Coca Cola. As individuals try to  adapt and assimilate to  the American  way  of Life Coca Cola takes the time to  make sure they  know that their differences are  embraced.  During the 2014 Super Bowl Coca Cola released  a commercial that tied together many  different races and ethnicities to  demonstrate their similarities  through  the love of the product. While this could be considered a genius and even beautiful  strategy  by  many , there was individuals  who  saw it and took offense because the words being used to  how their unity  was America the beautiful. My  assumption is that Coca Cola was making an attempt at surfacing the beauty  of the diversity of our nation and through  that reach  audiences  of all  backgrounds. Considering that in  this decade racism  and discrimination have surfaced as crucial  issues once again, it is important for there to be a company willing to  create an image of beauty  and Unity  among a diverse community.

Obsessed

In our society , we often make the mistake of underestimating the significance of stalking. Any pattern of unwanted attention, gestures and contact of any kind should not be taken lightly. When a person is being overly persistent, even after one has said no; many red flags should be going up. Stalking could result in far more than the guilty pleasure of the stalker, it could result in trauma or even death. Even though it could be assumed that most reports of stalking put the woman as the victim and the male as the perpetrator, our society has created a portrayal of stalking that has made it seem like it is an act that only a man  could commit. That however, is very incorrect. A woman stalking a man could be just as dangerous as a man  stalking a woman. For instance, the Movie Obsessed, staring Beyoncé Knowles. Her husband is being constantly stalked and manipulated by the new secretary. This new secretary has a hard time understanding that  she is not wanted and that the male character is not interested. Throughout the film she fails to understand that her persistence is not admirable nor desirable as she believes that it is. She is under the impression that  all of her  actions are romantic and that  she should  be repaid with  gratitude and love. She tries to  use her sex appeal  and  seduction  as a way to  win over the male, however due to  societies assumption that women  are hopeless romantics and men have the power and privilege to  bring women  to  a weak  submissive state, the male is blamed for seducing her.  This could be seen  in  the film   by the way  in  which  the detectives  would question the male over and over about his behavior,  rather than  the secretary’s. In  this film, the police officials assume that the man,  who is a successful,  attractive  business man, has the privilege of fixing this problem if he “wanted to”. Given that we live in such  a patriarchal society, the sexism  within  it shows that  men  have all the say  in these situations. That however is not the case in this film when the power of the woman show the consequences of stalking. Beyonce, the wife, takes matters into her own  hands when  the situation gets out of control. After realizing that her husband was not at fault, she defends him and her family  by  stopping the stalking. The fatal ending of this story  is only  one example of what can  happen when  stalking gets out of hand, it can also  demonstrate the danger of stalking even when being committed by a woman. As a society we should try working on  not putting a gender on the crime, but rather seeing a problem as what it is. 

Exclusivity of Music and Language

Cultural Assimilation can be seen through more than just choice of costumes on Halloween, it can be seen through things as such as language and Music. This country is full of many kinds of people and so many cultures; a way for them to remain cohesive is through their language and their music. When having to assimilate into American Culture, they have to learn the English language and often times that results in a culturally unique interpretation of the Language. This form of English becomes their own and although that may make them vulnerable to misunderstanding and stereotyping, it contributes to unity within the community. The first example that comes to mind, is the way that African Americans speak English and the way that their language is significant to their culture.   When African  Americans  began  to  learn the English  language they  mixed it with  certain  words or forms of speech  that  originated from their native languages, over time this created the need to  label their form  of speech as something uniquely  different than the English language. Through this came what can currently be referred to as Ebonics by linguist specialists.   Given that they formed this language within themselves, whether it is considered slang or actual language, gives them a sense of entitlement to it. This version of the English language has become a part of the African American Culture. Due to their feeling of entitlement it becomes invasive when individuals of other races adopt their form of speech to create something of themselves, such as rap/ hip hop artists. African Americans already have a long history  of being robbed of their freedom  and their rights, hearing others take their language as their own is set to  be upsetting. Not only that, but the African  American  Version  of English  is often  times referred to  as Ghetto, or ratchet  when  used by  African  Americans  but considered a part of pop culture when  used by  others. For example there is Justin Bieber and Iggy Azalea, they are both clearly  not African  American however they  talk and even  preform  as if they  were. They  have both  emerged into the pop / hip hop  world embracing that Hip  hop  culture, which  is considered to be predominantly  black.

They are often criticized for trying to  be a part of hip hop  culture because of their appearance and their back  ground. Hip hop music embraces the struggle and resilience that has come from living as an African America, giving them  room  to  feel they  are the only ones that should have the right to  create music through  their Language.