Wednesday 3 April 2013

The Revolution Will Not Be On Facebook

Day 3 of NaPoWriMo and here's the poem. Yes I see the irony of posting a poem about Facebook on Facebook. I'm not against Facebook but I think that the extent of our campaigning can't be limited to it if we really care about an issue and want to change something. There are a lot of people whose voice and opinion can be harnessed, but it has to be harnessed to something for it to work.

I seem to be sensing a similar sentiment and I'm not clever enough to know what to do but if someone out there is, please step up.


The Revolution will not be on Facebook
 
I’m angry too
but I can’t help feeling
that Facebook has become
a safe, padded, echo chamber
where we can safely and impotently
scream our frustrations
without disturbing the neighbours,
let alone the government gimps
currently slicing and dicing
our future and selling it off
to the highest bidder.
 
Yes, it’s funny seeing photo-shopped
politicians as animals
with a witty, pithy bon mot
or corrupted slogan or logo
but will this get anything done?
 
Don’t mistake me.
I “like” Facebook.
It’s virtually my best friend
and I don’t want
the electronic jet stream
of wit and funny shit to end
but the Revolution will not be on Facebook.
 
It has to translate to something
in the real world!
and then we can get our friends to like,
send out an invite
and make something happen.
 
So here’s to the motivated,
the angry and whiny
who won’t be distracted
by something shiny
or the next clip of
a cute animal doing a trick.
Here’s to those too clever to just click
a box in a petition or say they agree or like.
Here’s to those who will make
the government take a hike
in ways that embarrass,
score points and make people think
Here’s to those who will do more
than click the next link.

You start and I’ll join you
our voices won’t be ignored
I’ll be there after I’ve watched
this clip of a squirrel
doing backflips on a skateboard
Ahhhh!
Look at him!
Isn’t he just darling!
Etc……………

 

2 comments:

  1. Ah, Mark, no it won't. Wonderful poem and wise. I will join you in the revolution, right after I look at another picture of grumpy cat...

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  2. It's called "clicktivism" and I'm as guilty of it as the next person...

    Nice one, Mark.

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