Social Movements

Deven Chaffee

CM390_01_SP_2022 (Independent Media and Society)

5/5/22
 Social movements are extremely important in forcing change. All social

movements come about due to unjust treatment and the refusal by big corporations

and governments to work with people. With mainstream media looking to appeal

to their funders, they are much more likely to not report on these social

movements. That is where alternative media comes in. Since these media groups

are much smaller and don’t have to answer to investors and big corporations, they

are able to report on subjects (including social movements) that mainstream media

does not want to touch.

Alternative media is independent, important, and run by real people. A

majority of independent media is defined as grassroots organizations as they do not

have a lot of funding. However, there are independent media groups that do have a

lot more funding and are able to execute the jobs of independent media much more

effectively because of that. Due to being funded through donations of people who

care about supporting an alternative media, they are able to cover a lot of what is

covered up by big corporations.

Social movements are formed through a need to bring awareness to a

problem, as well as forcing change that is severely needed. An example of a social

movement is the “Women Suffrage Movement”, in which there were several

demonstrations in order for women to gain the right to vote in the United States.

This was a decades-long fight but in the end the work that was done during this
social movement resulted in women gaining the right to vote as well as

demonstrating the power that social movements have in forcing change. Social

movements are necessary for tangible change, through being the catalyst that

creates a spark that forces change.

Next System is made up of many different organizations around the world.

Next System is not an organization itself, but rather an idea of a new world where

the systems of old are replaced with much more efficient, ethical, and green ways

of doing the same stuff that is done now. This includes things such as creating

affordable housing, solving world hunger, saving important areas of our ecosystem

and generally just creating a better Earth. For example, the organization

TreePeople is a good example of Next System. This organization represents Next

System because they aim to combat issues of climate change, wildfires and other

issues and approach them with a green resolution. Their dedication to make a

difference through education, volunteer work, planting and maintaining trees is a

prime example of the environmental aspect of Next System.

Media is important to social movements because it increases the influence of

them through more exposure. A prime example of this media in current day is

social media. Many of the current social movements would not get as big as they

are without the use of social media and people spreading information about

important issues. With how news spreads like wildfire on the internet in modern
day, social movements grow in size and trend extremely quickly while also getting

many people involved and talking about it. Although it is also important to

mention that these independent news media networks are also very important in

getting information known and out there. Most of the articles that are being shared

by people are articles that are published on these alternative media websites. Both

social media as well as independent media networks play an important role in the

spread and success of social movements.

Both social movements as well as alternative media are important to one

another. Alternative media is important because it is able to get information out

that other mainstream medias refuse to touch. On the other hand, social movements

are able to act as the catalyst to force change and signal boost the information and

articles that alternative independent media are putting out. Both form somewhat of

a symbiotic relationship as they both have something important to give one

another. This has been seen countless times throughout the years and it will

continue to change and evolve, becoming stronger each time, making the idea of

Next System closer and closer to becoming a reality.

References:

1. Treepeople. (2022, May 6). Retrieved May 9, 2022, from https://www.treepeople.org/

2. History.com Editors. (2009, October 29). Women's suffrage. History.com. Retrieved May
9, 2022, from https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/the-fight-for-womens-
suffrage
3. TheNextSystem.org. 2022. The Next System Project. [online] Available at:
<https://thenextsystem.org/> [Accessed 9 May 2022].