Digital Dissenter

Human beings are a very fickle bunch. And we are becoming increasingly so with the advent of social networking and social media and the growing need to construct and maintain our online personas. It is our preoccupation with image and social profiles that acts as quite a considerable barrier when it comes to getting people to do something.

Just like no one wants to be the first to arrive at a party, no one wants to be the first, or only person to show up at a protest. This is where the notion of mob-mentality comes into successful digital activism.

For anyone who knows me, you were probably surprised that I didn’t find some way of turning last week’s post about the Julius Malema issue into an animal rights issue. Fear not! This week I’m back on my favourite topic: animal rights activism.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) get a lot of flack. Rarely can I hand out one of their cute “I’m not a nugget!” stickers without being asked if I subscribe to the organisation’s extremist tactics. Well to be honest, I do and I don’t.

PETA is extremely inventive in the way in which they approach their different campaigns. They are often in the news for either bearing all on sidewalks or for throwing red paint on fashionistas who dare to wear fur. Their online campaigns are equally controversial and often feature scantily clad celebrities posing in cabbage leaves or holding a strategically placed bunny.