Re: <nettime> Social media and mass mobilization in Chile's presidential election

[David Garcia <d.garcia@new-tactical-research.co.uk>]

Felix wrote..   

"Being a social movement candidate, the mobilization of many different groups 
as active players in the campaign played a large role, and this mobilization was largely 
done over social media, with videos, hashtags, and memes. This is not to suggest that 
Boric is a social media candidate, he clearly is one of social movements, but it is still helpful
 to counter the somewhat self-defeating attitude that social media amplify only "fake news" 
and the far right."

.. I strongly agree. 

When we hear media activism routinely dismissed as ‘communicative capitalism’s perfect lure’ 
in which ‘subjects feel themselves to be active, even as their every action reinforces the status quo.’  
(Jodie Dean)

Or theorists such as Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams depicting similar initiatives disparagingly 
as ‘folk politics’ targeting the tactics of withdrawal, resistance, localism: arguing tactics and strategies 
that were precious and capable of transforming collective power into transformational gains have 
now been drained of effectiveness.” 

Are in danger of persuading us to leave a vacuum that is then gratefully filled by reactionary 
forces happy to occupy old and new social media spaces unchallenged.  

David Garcia


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