With the advent of the 21st century and the growing wave of consolidation of human and environmental rights, activism has slipped out of the shadows of grassroots struggle and become a charming hashtag designed to go viral on social media.

This statement may seem somewhat fatalistic, but to provide some context, I will share a quick story.

I was sixteen when I started my work as an activist. I was very excited. I had always been an enthusiastic fighter for human rights, but I didn't know many people who shared my passions.

Coming from a conservative school where many social change movements were considered taboo, I believed I was entering a space of people as dedicated as I was to making the world a better place. Well, that wasn't exactly what I found.

My team was made up entirely of young people, most between the ages of 15 and 18, and one thing I noticed in the first month was that half of them were there because of college applications. They had been recommended by their counselors as a good extracurricular activity or had found it on the internet as something that would look good on their resumes. Others just wanted something interesting to talk about the next time they met their friends—what better way to convince your crush that you're a lovely person than by helping the less fortunate?

The problem was that this made the work very difficult. Deadlines were pushed back, in-person events had full confirmation lists but were often empty, and the classic burden of “group work” fell on the shoulders of the hard-working few.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of people out there who want to do good, more than we think there are. But I discovered that modern activism can be an unusual nest of parasites, people who don't legitimately care about promoting the cause, but rather themselves.

In this article, I defined two main stereotypes of people who end up getting involved in activism for the wrong reasons, motivated by the two main influences on modern teenagers: school and the media.

The Teenage Hero (or At Least Until They Get Into an Ivy League School)

If you do a quick Google search, you'll see that “community service” or "activism" appears as one of the main activities to do well on your application. It was also one of my advisor's suggestions. “It's great for showing character and leadership,” she said.

Many people end up supporting social causes for this reason, choosing one that is less controversial, or one that is compatible with their major and the values of their dream college, and signing up for all the clubs and volunteer opportunities available.

The problem is that this excitement doesn't last long, usually ending when the student gets a spot in the organization they wanted or another one they didn't know existed before researching the subject, but is surprisingly well-known.

The teenage hero shows up at their first meeting, a smile on their face, a Miss Universe speech about world peace, and the assurance that they are eager to work with the team. The following week, they became a name in a Teams meeting, with the camera and microphone turned off. A negative response in a poll asking who can attend the next in-person event, and an unread message reminding them of the deadline for an undelivered project.

In the end, the cause that this student spoke so passionately about in the club interview becomes just another topic that he might mention in a line in an essay or a note in the additional information section. But at least our hero will comment on his efforts to make the world a better place with some aunt at the next family dinner.

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The Instagram Activist

Who hasn't seen a video on TikTok of some girl with perfect nails distributing food to street children and making sure the camera catches her best side? The movies have fooled us; it's the angels who wear Prada.

It reminds me of when people donate money to parks just to have a bench with their last name on it. No one cares about that rare tree that needs to be preserved, but did you see how cool that bench with my name on it is?

Today, we see Instagram stories of people crying over forest fires and saying how they are going to donate thousands to repair the damage, followed by an advertisement for a new product from a company that produces a ridiculous amount of plastic every year. A photo of them hugging poor children so that followers forget their latest racist comment.

The role of public figures in promoting humanitarian causes is essential and very welcome; the problem is when it becomes a classic case of self-promotion and persona creation. Or worse, a hypocritical way to hide prejudiced actions and thoughts.

Image Credit: Erik Lucatero from Unsplash

Stop Wondering Whether the Glass Is Half Full or Half Empty—Just Drink the Water

What many people don't realize or would rather ignore is that activism is a daily action. It's offering your seat on the bus to an elderly person, supporting a classmate who is being bullied, not laughing when a friend makes a hateful joke, realizing that words and ideas are our greatest weapon against the evils of the world.

It goes far beyond street protests, speeches at the UN, and Nobel Peace Prize winners. It is deciding to love the world and people at a time when hatred has become the norm. It is a little better every day.

It is believed that humanity can be good, even if the news tries to tell us otherwise. You don't have to be seen and heard by everyone to make a real difference. After all, we've all done a good deed without asking for anything in exchange, so why can't that be what saves us?