Which will be the most essential #content provider of 2015: Elite Daily or Distractify?
— daveweigel (@daveweigel) January 1, 2015
… And will it matter? The Grey Lady says it’s all about “Millennials and the Age of Tumblr Activism“:
On a recent day, the feed of a Tumblr blog called Black Culture featured a drawing of Lupita Nyong’o, a video of a protest at William Paterson University and a text that read, “black lives > white feelings.” The blog FreeQuency Frequently Writes posted a Tweet from Solange Knowles decrying depictions of outspoken women, while another called Soul Revision turned up a post with the hashtags #SeasonOfInconvenience and #BlackLivesMatter.
As protests sparked by a grand jury’s decision not to indict Darren Wilson began spreading nationwide, furor was also growing in cyberspace, in the social-justice halls of Tumblr, a social-blogging platform dominated by users in their teens, 20s and early 30s. Their feeds were vivid mash-ups of articles, GIFs, cleverly labeled images, court documents, smartphone videos, stickers and cartoons, and their posts contained news about Ferguson, along with tidbits about identity, inequality, police abuse, racism, body shaming and more.
“A lot of millennials have been discouraged for a long time,” said Zellie Thomas, 30, creator of Black Culture. “Now, with social media, they feel empowered, like people are hearing their voice. And Tumblr is a great platform for all types of media.”.
There are more than 215 million blogs on Tumblr and, according to comScore, an analytics company, 50 percent of Tumblr users are from 15 to 34 years old. The company’s internal surveys show that 64 percent of users say that they care about social causes and look into them on Tumblr. These numbers suggest that millennials, who have long been pigeonholed as an apathetic bunch, have a strong interest in social issues — it’s just hidden from the eyes of their elders…
Ben
As a fellow millennial, I’m ashamed they didn’t vote in November…
ruemara
Nobody is hearing them except each other. The mutual admiration society and echo tunnel of the intertubes. I work in this field, I can be critical.
Edited to add, these potachos are amazing.
Chet
Exactly. Does it even count if they don’t do anything?
ThresherK
One down: Typing this from our new wifi in-home. Discovering all sorts of in-the-wall cabling issues that have existed in this domicile since cable TV was controlled with a wired box containing physical buttons, and you had to get up to change the volume. I think the last device hooked up to it was a DuMont.
I have my work cut out for me, but it feels like quite the accomplishment so far, having chosen the “self install” shipped box o’ goodies, instead of the “you can’t do it without our guy there” appontment.
BBA
There’s some meaningful content on Tumblr, but for the most part it’s incoherent pseudo-liberal rambling where the need to be outraged drowns out whatever it is they’re outraged about. It’s The Website You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With.
Omnes Omnibus
@BBA:
I thought that was Balloon Juice.
Mike J
Nobody will give a shit about your #hashtags until you’re in the streets.
ruemara
@Mike J:
FTFY
lol
@Mike J:
Who do you think has been out in Ferguson and elsewhere?
Ilya
Except half of tumblr is basically furries and radical SJWs who can never be taken seriously. For examples, see http://www.reddit.com/r/tumblrinaction
KG
How is tumblr different than blogger was a decade ago? Is it other than new tech/apps?
srv
Get your socialectrons off my lawn space.
This is just the first generation that will live mostly in a virtual world without the aid of drugs.
35 degrees out and we’re having a thunderstorm.
Omnes Omnibus
@Ilya: Again, how is that different from this site?
Major Major Major Major
Don’t see why we’re assuming the millennials on tumblr (the ones not using it for pr0n, at least) don’t overlap with the ones doing the voting. I’d assume it’s the ones who aren’t tweeting and tumblring and whatnot about social Justice cause du jour, but rather I don’t know pizza or whatever, that we should be pigeon holing into the “don’t vote” demographic.
Ruckus
@Omnes Omnibus:
It’s only some of us at Balloon Juice.
Omnes Omnibus
@Ruckus: It’s only some of them over there.
Zam
@Major Major Major Major: You’re more than likely right, but we can’t ever miss a shot to yell at those damn kids skating on the sidewalk.
Omnes Omnibus
@Major Major Major Major: Thank you. I get a bit tired of the inter-generational wars that pop up here every little while.
Ruckus
@Omnes Omnibus:
I was afraid you’d see through that.
NotMax
There’s non-pr0n on Tumblr?
Who knew?
mclaren
@Ben:
It wasn’t just millenials who didn’t vote this past November. U.S. voter turnout plummeted to pre-Civil-War lows.
And now, time to start the new year with a bang by taking a depressing look into our hellish economic future:
The road to Turkdom John Robb, Global Guerillas website.
Omnes Omnibus
@Ruckus: I fight hard against being someone who tells the kids to get off his lawn.
mclaren
PROOF OBAMA IS SECRETLY A FURRY!!!!!
Is there no end to this man’s perversion??!?!?!?
mclaren
@Omnes Omnibus:
Real Americans don’t tell kids to get off their lawn, they just shoot them.
With a fully-auto belt-fed tripod-mounted weapon that uses tracer rounds.
Omnes Omnibus
@mclaren: Dude, why aren’t you out organizing an armed resistance?
mclaren
@Omnes Omnibus:
Because drones dropping caltrops onto major freeways is much more effective at paralyzing a city.
Plus, as I’ve said repeatedly, violence in politics is a sure sign you’ve already lost.
mclaren
My personal favorite news story of 2014: drug-using Florida couple spends three days `trapped’ in an unlocked closet.
Eerily reminiscent of politics in Washington D.C., no?
BBA
@Omnes Omnibus: Balloon Juice is the Drunk Uncle of websites. Or maybe Billy Crystal and Christopher Guest as the “don’tcha hate it when…” guys.
Omnes Omnibus
@mclaren: My dear boy, if you want to use the rhetoric you use, you should have the fucking balls to do something. From what you have been posting, you seem to have certain beliefs. Those beliefs really require action, don’t they? Put up or shut up, shithead.
Omnes Omnibus
@BBA: Oddly, my follow up was that I made an effort to learn shit about modern pop in order to engage my niece and nephew about music. My nephew analyzes music – lyrics, melody, and rhythm. He will eventually come to like odd and interesting music. I look forward to encouraging it. My niece is likely to be a pop music fan like her parents.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
uh, huh.
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: I am not the one who is stuck in the 70s.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnib
no, no seventies, please tell us more about your nephew’s music
Little Boots
actually, that was a little low, sorry, buddy,
just post what you want.
seventies would be nice, though.
Little Boots
omnes you cannot be pissed at me.
Steeplejack (tablet)
@Little Boots:
It doesn’t matter.
And I’m out.
Little Boots
@Steeplejack (tablet):
already?
what nightmare is this?
Little Boots
omnes, seriously, gone?
a tear.
Steeplejack (tablet)
@Little Boots:
Shoulder hurts. Haven’t been sleeping well and can’t get on the computer much.
eemom
drat, late to the par-tay. Was reading the previous more pleasantly natured thread.
Mike in NC
America’s Hipsters — ironically not bothering to vote — need to take it hard up the ass from the Neo-Jim Crow/Tea Party crowd as they work to bring back the 1950s.
Little Boots
oh, fuck everything is not working tonight.
Little Boots
cept this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UWRypqz5-o
Little Boots
@Steeplejack (tablet):
well damn. miss you.
hope the shoulder gets better.
Little Boots
damn youtube is a pain in the ass tonight.
Little Boots
cept this, and eighties, dammit omnes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST86JM1RPl0
Omnes Omnibus
@Little Boots: YouTube is being an asshole tonight.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
don’t mock me. this is a thing.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mike in NC: FWIW I am largely a hipster… from my era… I always vote.
Little Boots
@Omnes Omnibus:
great, largely a hipster.
awesome.
Little Boots
you are easily offended. damn.
Keith G
@Major Major Major Major:
Regarding the linked article, for me it’s not about doubting the sincerity of the kiddoes described therein as much as it is being cautious about another “Here’s the next big thing” story.
A good thing about hash-tag activism (and the like) is its low barrier to entry, and that is also an important weakness. With so little skin in a game, it is easy for “activists” to toss in their hand and move on to another game leaving an important cause to be drained of energy like a forgotten echo. Witness #BringBackOurGirls or #BeenRapedNeverReported.
Little Boots
cause I just saw it, and it is sex on steroids:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvvX5QM4z3Y
eemom
@Little Boots:
Happy New Year, strange little ancient Rome themed fellow.
FWIW, just so you know — no matter what you say or do, OO will NEVER disdain you as thoroughly as he does me.
ETA: that is a great song you linked, btw.
Little Boots
@eemom:
whatever do you mean. I am beloved of all.
love the tainted love though.
wasabi gasp
Sex on pierogi:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd2T64tTUQ4
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: You’ve been left alone with eemom, you poor soul. Happy New Year.
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
and how are you?
and what is with youtube?
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: I’m well, playing with my new touchscreen monitor. I don’t use YouTube often, in fact mainly to find vids to post here. Hope the New Year is treating you well.
Little Boots
@BillinGlendaleCA:
it’s okay. like the democrats, need a better 2015
BillinGlendaleCA
@Little Boots: Really nice part of the touchscreen is that it works with my directv app. I’m trying to get it to work with my Linux VM’s.
wasabi gasp
Sex on Neosporin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n3OepDn5GU
wasabi gasp
Sex on nothing at all:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5JU6ftgrVs
Ruckus
@Omnes Omnibus:
It’s easier if you don’t have a lawn.
Darkrose
@Ilya: I wouldn’t use Reddit as a credible source on what Tumblr is like. Labeling Tumblr as all “radical SJW’s” makes about as much sense as labeling Reddit the home of #Gamergaters and MRA’s.
Bobby Thomson
@Ruckus: I thought it was the kids these days who didn’t have lawns.
NotMax
Quite the massive and intense front of thunderstorms going through here now.
Darkrose
It’s easy to dismiss Tumblr because the majority of users are young. And there are a lot of people who are just there for the pretty pictures and to hang out–which is okay. But you know what? They’re talking about stuff that in many cases, my generation couldn’t talk about because we didn’t have the vocabulary at the time. There was no space in the mid-80’s where a high school student could go to talk about being trans, or bisexual, or kinky. There was no space where you could go to say, “Someone in my class is telling rape jokes, and I don’t know how to articulate why that’s not cool.” There was no support outside of a few “problem” kids for pointing out that dress codes based on “girls can’t wear yoga pants because they’re distracting to boys” are putting the burden on managing male behavior on the girls instead of where it belongs.
And I have yet to see anyone explain why fighting for social justice should be something to be ashamed of or to be mocked–especially on a liberal blog. The scorn for “SJW’s” is exactly like the whining about “political correctness” from people who believe that their right to be assholes trumps everything.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Ruckus:
Whoa. Zen.
eemom
@BillinGlendaleCA:
GFY. kthxbai.
oh, and happy new year to you too.
Marc
@Darkrose:
Fighting for social justice shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of or mocked.
But reducing social justice to a hashtag – or worse yet, a set of passwords and shibboleths used to enforce another kind of social hierarchy – does nothing to fight for social justice.
The critical element in “SJW” shouldn’t be on the “social justice” part, it should be on the “warrior” – as mockingly applied to people whose fight rarely seems to move beyond policing their peers on social media.
But at this point the MRA types have dug into the label so thoroughly, and tried to make it about the social justice part, that it’s best to avoid it entirely. Quarantine the label and nuke it from orbit.
Ultraviolet Thunder
@BBA:
A few years ago I called our generous host Mr. Cole ‘The Foster Brooks of the Internet’. Only old people like me got the reference. One of the things I’m happiest about for 2014 is that the comparison fails now.
chopper
@Omnes Omnibus:
“every so often the tree of liberty has to be watered with the blood of other people. me? i have blogs to post on.”
Ultraviolet Thunder
A classic in the genre of taking the piss out of cranky liberal activism:
http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2008/02/25/your-mumia-sweatshirt-wont-get-you-into-heaven-anymore/
CarolDuhart2
@Marc: Not everybody can march or be that active-but I think even the hashtags raise awareness and uncensored information. I was a teenager in the 1970’s. We had less than nothing-no newsletters, nothing, not even cassette tapes until late in the decade. What we would have given for hashtag activism so people who thought differently could actually communicate with each other.
And something else I’ve noticed about hastag activism- during the whole Ferguson thing (it’s still ongoing), it did a lot to defuse bullshit quicker than anything I’ve seen before. When the bigots took out their COINTELPRO, Nixonland memes to discredit the protestors, twitter had firsthand video and pictures to disprove those memes. That “Cop Killer” video lasted a handful of days. There were hundreds if not thousands of pictures of completely peaceful actions taken in real time that both inspired onlookers and informed many.
Twitter also defused agent provocateurs, helped raise funds and in short gave activists a direct way to communicate uncensored. Martin Luther King would have killed to have a Twitter account or a blog where he could speak freely to millions.
tybee
@Ultraviolet Thunder:
yup. a classic.
Kay
I think there’s a bit of an assumption here that “everyone knows everything” so we have to go right to action or there’s no value and I would just not agree with that. Everyone doesn’t know.
My 12 year old son and his friends read this stuff and a lot of it is new to them. They aren’t born understanding the evolution of feminism or why Ferguson is (or isn’t!) like the civil rights movement or why there’s a big discussion about young women and gaming or any of the other things we all “know”. This is brand new to them. It’s compelling and interesting to them because it’s presented by people who aren’t much older than they are and it’s from each individual’s perspective. Living where they live and doing what they do they would NOT hear from so many different people on these topics. Now they do.
It sounds corny but it really does make their world much bigger to watch and read so many different “ordinary” (not famous) young people passing this back and forth. Is some of it maybe wrong or inaccurate or overheated ? Yeah, but that’s also true of a large group of people talking about anything,
Just for myself, I understand my grown daughter’s version of feminism much better after reading women her age while lurking on Twitter. It’s different then women my age and I didn’t know what they said or thought because I don’t hear hundreds of them in my daily life. I could read 25 carefully curated published essays by women that age but that’s a much narrower chosen slice.
Kay
@CarolDuhart2:
Agreed. I think you can call an awareness campaign a success if 12 year old boys in rural Ohio are asking about “hands up don’t shoot”. That’s a pretty effective awareness campaign :)
Kay
@Marc:
The main reason I was willing to be open to Occupy Wall Street was when I look at this country and the direction it’s gone over the last 30 years I have to admit whatever method or approach “we” were using to promote economic issues was not working.
I mean if “we” had this huge series of wins over the last 30 years on economic issues I would be a lot more comfortable telling the OWS people they were doing it wrong but we don’t.
Maybe they feel the same way about social justice. That they aren’t making gains.
Marc
@Kay and @CarolDuhart2: I agree with you about the value of awareness and information. I see no such value in the kind of shaming, silencing, ally-policing behavior that also characterizes a lot of online left discussion (using “discussion” very loosely here). Not every criticism of Tumblr activism is invalid–and the criticism that most of it isn’t really activism strikes me as the most valid of all.
Kay, I actually see a lot of OWS, Ferguson, and other social justice movements replicating the failures of the left of the last forty years–namely, the focus on self-righteous theater (whether street or online) ahead of working to influence the levers of political and economic power. I think OWS went wrong when its focus shifted from changing the conversation about economic inequality to holding the territory in a couple of city centers, and stopping traffic isn’t going to convince anyone that our criminal justice system doesn’t value black lives. It just isn’t. It isn’t going to move policy either. I think these are cases where the instinct to go “right to action” actually hurt the causes, so I agree with you on that point, but it’s not like the kids aren’t just as prone to it. At some point a movement has to move beyond awareness, and it definitely has to move past theater.
I went to a lot of marches, protests, die-ins etc. to protest the invasion of Iraq. I did more, much more to end it when I started knocking on doors for Obama. I’m not sure where the similar leverage points are on police brutality and institutionalized racism, but I suspect supporting Bill de Blasio would be a good start.
Another Holocene Human
@BBA:
It’s a New Left style circular firing squad without the pretensions to understand or reference philosophy, economics, or political theory.
It’s also a good place to get up-to-date with what’s trendy in gender studies but as a born Genderfraud! it gets my blood pressure up so damn much I stay the fuck away. Fucking asshats I was passing when you were still taking dumps in your diapers and now you’re trying to tell me I’m trans the wrong way.
Another Holocene Human
@KG:
Because it’s all HD images being reblogged so they show up on the scroll plus the technology to autoload more images as you scroll down, ensuring that the people who really use it hardcore will be on a university-class fat pipe only with the latest computer and keeping off cheapskate fogies like you or me with monthly bills to pay.
I’m so old and mean I remember when there were specific newsgroups for shitty binary image files and I must say I enjoyed the days of text only chatter. When php forums exploded with a million obnoxious gifs I thought it was the death of the internet.
Another Holocene Human
@Darkrose:
It depends what you mean by SJWs, do you mean actual effective activists or do you mean little teenaged narcissists playing oppression olympics and bullying each other online with flowery language ganked from women’s studies and gender studies?
MLK jr was a wise man. He said hate cannot defeat hate, only love can do that. There’s a lot of hate, victim complex, wounded egos, hysteria, bandwagoning, piling on, rage, and disproportionality on tumblr. Being a berserker for civility is a contradiction in terms. Witness the havoc Suey Park wreaked within the activist community she was a part of. There have been endless blog posts this last year about the addiction to anger and the harm being caused within especially feminist circles by the SJW mentality but it seems these twitter and tumblr users can’t stop themselves. It’s toxic, toxic, toxic to the core.
Of course they attract supervillians to battle them, such as the ever evil mustache twirling TERFs or the bully-boy psychopaths of Gamergate (and Operation Lollipop, which late the groundwork for it–GG of course had dupes whereas OL was all insiders). Batman is a crazy psycho who should be in Arkham with the Joker and the other freaks. Extremist SJWs are doing just as much harm as TERFs and MRA/Racewarriors online, they just color their cyber helmet with a different tint. Who cares in the end, when you survey the human wreckage. Fuck these people.
I have all the respect for actual activists seeking social change and I love tha the internet especially helps high school kids find support and resources. Both sexual and gender minorities and atheists and freethinkers have benefited enormously from this national support group and access to national non-profits who will actually provide them with legal help within their communities. In the past it was really hit or miss if they would even know such groups existed.
lol
@Another Holocene Human:
Idiotic false equivalency isn’t just for David Brooks and Chuck Todd I see.
NobodySpecial
People want to complain that millennials do so much stuff low-key and not confrontational and then get mad at OWS for ‘street theater’. Won’t even talk about the myriad of ways you can lose your job for your online content – well, no, it’s not for your online content, see? (wink wink) But the olds must have something to bitch about as their conservatism hardens in their veins.