Performative activism just became that much easier
Social justice graphic slideshows bring attention but also complacency to an apathetic audience
Hallie Wiltshire /Asst. Opinion Editor / The USD Vista
Infographics in calming colors and solid backgrounds, phrases painted on someone’s face, large bold text and trigger warnings — this is the new side of social justice activism and it has found its home on Instagram. Graphic design activism posts have taken over social media in the wake of protests for racial justice during the summer of 2020. Although this type of content may usher in an increased awareness of social issues, it’s a double-edged sword, as it lends itself to lazy performative activism rather than real work for change.
The Black Lives Matter movement has been active since 2013, but gained significant momentum in May 2020 when George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. An estimated 15 to 26 million people attended protests in support of Black Lives Matter, making it the largest social justice movement in United States history. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to force people to stay inside and distanced, resulting in a two-fronted protest. Millions marched in the streets and cities while millions more protested online.
Deeper interest in the issues championed by BLM and various terms central to the movement led to the birth of the Instagram slideshow activism trend. Individuals used their skills in research and design (or their access to Canva) to create digestible posts about important social issues, boiling complicated topics down to a few definitions and examples.
Two of the most popular Instagram accounts are @sh*tyoushouldcareabout and @soyouwanttotalkabout, which have accrued 2.5 million and 2.3 million followers respectively. This kind of exposure is important and key to bringing social action to apolitical individuals. Activism has taken over Instagram, making it nearly impossible to scroll without seeing it in some form, whether on your feed or on someone’s story.
There is no doubt that this new form of activism has increased political awareness in a largely apathetic population. When your feed is completely saturated with “Racism 101” and “Justice for George Floyd” it’s nearly impossible to avoid. The easy-to-look-at style and simple explanations help greatly — it only takes a minute to read one of these posts and learn something timely and valuable. Rather than forcing people to go out and find the information themselves, these accounts bring that complicated information to them.
Unfortunately, these posts are not made by official news or media organizations who are held to certain fact-checking standards, but by dedicated individuals who are subject to the same biases as the rest of us. People tend to believe what they read and never bother to do their own research and fact verification. Whether slight political bias or blatant lies, graphic slideshow activism runs the risk of encouraging passivity and blind acceptance in those who view the content.
There can also be a degree of carelessness in the creation of informational posts. In attempts to make complex topics digestible, they can easily become oversimplified. Rather than serving as a person’s only form of education on the topic, they should be a jumping off point, a way to become familiar with key terms and know what to look for in future personal research.
Posting anything on social media is a performative act in itself, but this kind of activism is particularly susceptible to it. A like and share only take a few seconds, especially if you only actually read the first slide of the post. Misinformation can spread rapidly if people are not careful. By sharing a few activist informational posts, you could look “woke” and involved in the movement without ever doing anything beyond that. By not sharing at all, you can be labeled as complicit in oppression, even if you’re doing your own research in private.
Most of these creators have no malicious intent. They want to do their part in creating awareness and informing the public in an accessible and engaging way. Still, the consequences must be considered. People cannot allow themselves to fall prey to misrepresented information and performative activism.
The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.