Fight the media

I am going to begin compiling a bit of a misery-making list of “Subtle media attacks on young people”.  We have the summer “Your exams don’t count as they’re getting easier every year” headline, the word “hoodie” used to describe anyone under the age of 21, and now we have “slacktivisim”, the rather snarky word used to describe anyone who signs internet petitions or who protests online.  Sue Perkins first identified it on Radio 4’s News Quiz, saying that activism now consisted of putting “RT @iraq” or whatever on your Twitter account and then pressing send.  The word slacktivism implies that young people are taking the easy route to protesting.  Twitter and Facebook campaigns have been phenomenally successful.  I think they are pragmatically using all the tools at their disposal to make their voices heard.  Veterans of Aldermaston and Greenham Common might be snooty about it but one look at the youth of the protestors at Copenhagen shows that their dedication to causes is as strong as ever.  I vote we change slacktivism to “Pro-Activism”.  Anyone  fancy starting a Twitter campaign?