Saturday, March 5, 2011

Sang L What is the apparatus of revolution?

Revolutions have taken a huge part of human history around the globe over a long period of time. The basic reason for all of the revolutions has been the same: freedom. However different ways of revolutions have derided from new technologies in modern society. Since communications are one of the most important factors for people to unite together against the government, new technology has changed the “look” of the revolutions and has shortened the period. From using newspapers, letters, or even a mere use of runner messenger, an instant messages or emails take less time than one takes time to blink one’s eyes. A great example of effect of modern technology on revolution is a rebellion in Egypt. The president of Egypt, Mubarak held power for decades, and the people felt unfair and were treated unequally. Facebook, a famous social network website, has become really essential in maintaining and spreading the words of those in this rebellion that the Egyptian Government shut down the internet of the entire country. This example shows that unlike the old revolutions, today’s revolutions take less time and less violent, rather they are much more effective and united.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

revolution by jared dublin

Revolution always begins when a group of people have different view of what is going on throughout society, whether it is positive or negative. In violent or peaceful ways the group of people try to rebel against whatever it is they are going against. Whether it is in peaceful ways such as marches, or in Egypt's case using technology such as the internet and Facebook to get the message across and ban people with the same belief together. Or on the other hand there can negative and violent rebellions. In today’s world revolutions are much more technological and advanced then what revolutions were years ago.

The exchange on Facebook was part of a remarkable two-year collaboration that has given birth to a new force in the Arab world — a pan-Arab youth movement dedicated to spreading democracy in a region without it. Young Egyptian and Tunisian activists brainstormed on the use of technology to evade surveillance, commiserated about torture and traded practical tips on how to stand up to rubber bullets and organize barricades.

They fused their secular expertise in social networks with a discipline culled from religious movements and combined the energy of soccer fans with the sophistication of surgeons. Breaking free from older veterans of the Arab political opposition, they relied on tactics of nonviolent resistance channeled from an American scholar through a Serbian youth brigade — but also on marketing tactics borrowed from Silicon Valley.”

Monday, February 21, 2011

Revolutionaries in modern days by Won-sup S

If there is one difference to point out between the revolution of the past and of the present, it would be the use of internet. Without a doubt, internet has influenced our lives in many aspects. For example, people no more have to either meet or send letters that will take days or more to reach. People today can send e-mail to one another or chat in Twitter or Facebook; all of them only takes a short glance to let the message sent. This online source is becoming a common apparatus over the world. It became a method in Egypt too. Ahmed Maher, who first became engaged in a political movement known as Kefaya, organized their own brigade, Youth for Change with others. They, however, could not muster enough followers because most of the follower were arrested. What gave them a change is the use of blog, use of Facebook to protest. This was more peaceful than revolting by using physical force. This is how Facebook and Twitter recently gained power over the world, connecting and organizing people into one 'group'. Even though the utility of Facebook is not shown outside visibly, it cannot be disregarded because people from various regions share ideas very easily in one place. Although the place is online, it has a greater efficacy than that in outline.

Ubiquitous internet enabled people around the world to gather without actual movement. Scandals are disclosed by news reports and people from the opposite side of the biosphere can release a comment in a second. Events occurring in Egypt can be shown to Americans and therefore not only Egyptians but also justified cosmopolitans are protesting against the unjustified. This is one aspect of the present lives and thus we are getting closer to the ideal form of democracy.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Apparatus of Revolution by Tomasz Cichon

Social networking is definitely an apparatus revolution today. People use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to let others know what is going on in their area or country politically. Protesters and revolutionaries can have their voice heard through social networking. In Egypt, people contributed to the revolution against the president by news updates, media/politicians' reactions, and sending protest updates via social networks, SMS, and even e-mail. This expresses how far technology has come to provide other people in this world with crucial news of what is happening in their country. All of the messages and comments posted by the protesters on Facebook easily indicated what the demonstrators were planning to do: overthrow the 30-year dictatorship regime of Mubarak. They succeeded peacefully. Social Networking, therefore, helped participants in the revolution demonstrate their logistics and coordinate their ideas. Twitter and blogs were used to mobilize people all over Egypt. Social Networking was surely an apparatus for revolution in this case. In earlier times, people were often banned by the dictators in their country from using the Internet or from contact with outside forces. People had no way of getting their message across. By Social Networking, protesters successfully got their message and ideas across to others and made a huge difference in Egypt. The voices of the people in Egypt were able to be heard, and action took place against the government, which is great. Without social networking, this probably wouldn't have taken place. I feel that we truly witnessed a significant event in world history.
"There are very few moments in our lives where we have the privilege to witness history taking place. This is one of those moments. This is one of those times. The people of Egypt have spoken, their voices have been heard, and Egypt will never be the same." - President Obama.

Robert Murphy Revolution

Revolutionist’s today are using much more intricate and advanced methods of revolution. Aside from the typical violence and damages, revolutionists are using more technological methods of protest. Media and internet are now great ways of getting a message across. Facebook and Twitter have been used recently to gain support for a cause. The uprising against the president in Egypt is a prime example of how the people have used media and internet to gain support or get their message across. The government even decided to cut off the internet entirely in the country in fear that the protesters would become too powerful. This emphasizes how powerful social networking really is. It is extremely effective

The New York Times article also notes the power of social networking and also puts emphasis on bloggers. NYT’s article talks about how these social networks became a base for the uprising. The protest was a very large plan in the making, in which almost all of the planning took place over the internet with people voicing their opinions and their troubles with the government and president of Egypt.

Revolutions by Paul H

People have revolted from their all powerful leaders for hundreds of years. At its base, people fight back for the same reason: freedom. Even though they fight for the same thing, throughout the years communications and technology have literally "revolutionized" revolutions. Back at America's beginning, patriots tried to convey ideas of rebellion through newspapers and other old style forms of media. Being a smaller country at the time, spreading the word was more difficult that it is these days.
An example to a quickly uprising Revolution today is the rebellion in Egypt. The president of Egypt, Mubarak, has controlled power for decades. The people want change from this dictator type of leadership. One person in Egypt, Maher, set up a group on the most popular social networking site in the world, Facebook. Facebook is a very easily accessed website on the web; everybody has access to it. This group quickly gained members and eventually led to riots. Modern media spreads the word at the blink of an eye. There is no difference behind the meaning of the Egyptian Revolution and American Revolution, although modern media has made this current Revolutions become popular quickly.

Apparatus of a Revoliution by Harrison S.

Revolutions have been a part of history as a way for the people of a country to stand up to its government. The Thirteen colonies started a revolution as a way to break free from their mother country, Britain. The South instigated a revolution that would later become known as the American Civil War. It is inevitable to deny that revolutions change the way a country is run, or at least attempts to change the way it is run. Revolutions usually involve violence and that has not changed to this day. What has changed, however, is the way revolutions are started. In the American Revolution, the war started in the courts and legislative houses arguing over taxes. The situation escalated when the revolution went from the legislative houses to physical acts of harm in the Boston harbor. In those days, revolutions started with letter writing and continued with violence.

Currently, there is a revolution occurring in Egypt. The difference between this revolution and the American Revolution are the way they were started. The credit to the start of the Egypt revolution has gone to a group of protesters on Facebook. According to a New York Times article, a group on Facebook was set up in order to raise awareness for a wave of isolated labor strikes set off by government privatizations and runaway inflation. Rioters and protesters have taken to the streets of Egypt and have set buildings on fire, looted government buildings and attacked Riot Control Police. In this regard, revolutions are the same as they were in the 1700's. What has changed, however, is the way they were started. It has gone from letter writing in Congress to online posts on Facebook.