The Hashtag Activist

Let’s talk about the so-called social justice warrior. But first, let’s talk about his or her counterpoint: the hashtag activist. Because blaming the social justice warrior for the supposed alienation of “unabashed liberals” is both misguided and disingenuous.

The hashtag activist is familiar to everyone. He or she posts Facebook statuses that decry various social injustices. He or she will comment on their friends’ statuses using similar methods. And you know the rest. The age of unlimited and unfiltered expression through social media has produced these hashtag activists, the newest, 21st century version of the armchair activist.

There is nothing inherently wrong with hashtag activism. If you can spread awareness for causes (at least, causes that need awareness-spreading), then you are performing a valuable service. The danger of hashtag activism is that it often takes the place of real activism.

Hashtag activism, for many 21st century, social justice-inclined individuals, is a comforting blanket with which to wrap oneself. “I am aware that these problems exist and I am doing my part to try to solve these problems,” they say to themselves. I know this because I am sometimes guilty of this offense.

The social justice warrior, or at least the so-called “radical” social justice warrior, is usually the opposite of the hashtag activist. Of course, there are individuals who are both social justice warriors and hashtag activists. But, for the purpose of our discussion, let’s focus on the “radical”—I use quotes so we know that we’re talking about Harvard’s version of radicalism—social justice warriors, the organizers of the Primal Scream protest and the Divest protesters outside President Faust’s office.

To some, these social justice warriors are the real problem with liberal or leftist activism these days. But criticism of these social justice warriors is often little more than an excuse for inaction.

But this is a grievous misdiagnosis of the problem. Instead, these protesters are making a very clear statement against the very thing that their critics are secretly trying to justify: the apathy of our generation. This apathy is merely cloaked as disillusionment with new liberal activism.

Rather than a “near-constant assumption of bad faith,” these social justice warriors are trying to fight against both injustice and indifference all at the same time. It is thus easy to see why these social justice warriors resort to “radical” tactics. But let’s not diagnose them as the problem, or the reason why “rational” liberals are being turned off to activism and social justice causes. The so-called “rational” liberal is being turned off to activism because he can comfort himself with hashtag activism in place of real activism. And hashtag activism is generally a very poor substitute.

And let’s be clear: I’ll be the first to admit that social justice warriors are not always right about their tactics. Was the primal scream protest completely justified and appropriate form of activism? No, probably not. But the real problem in the world of liberal activism is not misguided tactics, it’s no tactics at all. Social justice warriors are not the ones “losing unabashed liberals”; unabashed liberals are losing themselves with their unwillingness to leave their comfort zones. And that’s really what it’s about here: comfort. It’s more comfortable to talk about activism than it is to act. And it’s more comfortable to criticize a protest than it is to organize a protest of your own.

If we need to have a discussion about tactics, then let’s have that discussion. But let’s have that discussion by putting forth the kind of activism that we want to see. If you think that Christine Lagarde should absolutely be allowed to speak at Smith College (and I would agree with you 100 percent), then fight for her right to do so. If you think that the Primal Scream protest was inappropriate because many of those who were participating had impaired judgment due to alcohol consumption, then, again, voice that concern. But after voicing that concern, get up from the armchair and help organize the next protest, the one that does things the right way.

To a hammer, everything looks a nail, and to the hashtag activist, real activism is scary and uncomfortable.

But let’s be honest with ourselves: social justice warriors are not the reason that social justice causes are “losing unabashed liberals.” The time, effort, and discomfort that are required for proper activism is what’s losing unabashed liberals. So let’s get back to the arguments and debates about ideology and tactics that matter and stop criticizing those that have the courage and audacity to act.

Nick F. Barber ’17, a Crimson editorial writer, is a history concentrator in Mather House.