Does "the Buried Life" uncover social activism via social media?

Can social media be used for good or evil?

I've read many articles that lament the inactivity, the lethargy of my generation, but who hasn't? After all, we'd much rather watch something occur on Youtube, write a strongly-worded comment conveying our disgust, than actually get up out of the computer chair and do something about it.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Taser Tagged
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Rally to Restore Sanity

In the video above, an attendee looks on as his classmate gets unjustly tasered at the University of Central Florida. Stewart, known for his comic diatribes against the absurdity of our generation, pokes fun at this particular “douchebaggery” in a later clip; hypothesizing that perhaps this very individual went home to look up the video online, rather than partake in the action as it was playing out.

And while Stewart’s joke may have been in fun, it points to a larger issue at hand: This generation, under the cushion of social media, abhors high-risk social activism. At least, I think so.

A recently published article in the New Yorker confirms this assertion, stating that social media allows users to often disconnect with the issue at hand.

In other words, while it’s certainly strong at raising participation about an issue or a charitable event, it does so at the cost of encouraging little to no sacrifice on part of the user.

“The platforms of social media are built around weak ties. Twitter is a way of following (or being followed by) people you may never have met. Facebook is a tool for efficiently managing your acquaintances, for keeping up with the people you would not otherwise be able to stay in touch with. That’s why you can have a thousand “friends” on Facebook, as you never could in real life.
This is in many ways a wonderful thing. There is strength in weak ties, as the sociologist Mark Granovetter has observed. Our acquaintances—not our friends—are our greatest source of new ideas and information. The Internet lets us exploit the power of these kinds of distant connections with marvellous efficiency. It’s terrific at the diffusion of innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, seamlessly matching up buyers and sellers, and the logistical functions of the dating world. But weak ties seldom lead to high-risk activism…

In other words, Facebook activism succeeds not by motivating people to make a real sacrifice but by motivating them to do the things that people do when they are not motivated enough to make a real sacrifice.”

As a student at SHSU, I’ve witnessed first-hand the apathy prevalent across campus. Very few visitors attend the weekly Student Government meetings and this leaves our campus leaders with little to no guidance on how to proceed regarding important legislation, such as the Sam Shuttle, the recycling initiative and more.

Sure, students become outraged when a university injustice is published.




But how many answer the call to attend meetings where officials must answer for their incompetency?

Not many.
Despite the barrage of social media criticism both others and myself have spewed, MTV’s new sensation, The Buried Life, utilizes social media heavily throughout their program, which encourages social activism and it brings to light similar issues.
Designed as a documentary, four young men embark on an ambitious goal to change the world one crazy stunt at a time. Armed with their purple tour bus, Penelope, they travel the country to cross things off their bucket list. The catch? They help the people they meet along the way cross something off their list. Essentially, they ask viewers “What do you want to do before you die?” and they use social media to do it.

How? Well, Facebook of course.



By actively engaging with their audience via a major social media, both the Buried Life cast and viewers at home determine the course of their tour bus and what charitable venture they should dig into next.

And surprisingly, this solution has been successful; often earning the program high regards by the reviewing community.

Farrah Kaye at thetwocents.com writes

"I’ll be the first to admit I love a good reality show trainwreck (The Bachelor anyone?) but this show is far from that. According to their website, www.theburiedlife.com, this project has been going on for four years and their tasks aren’t completed. I like how they refer to it as a project and not a show. The previews alone give me chills ..."

So, what do you think? Can social media be used for good or does it inspire evil apathy amongst youth?

Posted in: charity,facebook,mtv,social activism,social media,The buried life,TV