Is Activism a Cult?

During one of my classes today we were discussing how we felt about our education so far, and how we were doing in general. One of my classmates went on to describe how she attended a rally in Columbus protesting Ohio's Issue One (the unenforceable and unenforced Ohio law against domestic partner benefits). She described how she considers herself an activist, but when she got together with this group of people she truly felt "connected" and that she was "accomplishing something." Throughout history as well as in our own lives we can all see the desire of people to be a part of a whole. We strive to meet people, establish friendships, and be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We may join fraternities, become involved in a business, or join up with a fanatical left wing organization to protest a law that has already gone into effect. What?

I have concern as I travel through my higher education program that many people, students and professionals alike, never take time to reflect on and understand what it means to be who they are. People are easily and quickly rapped up in others' concerns and obsessions to the point when their own voice is morphed into another's; they do this in order to become a "part of the group."

Please check out the blogger Zombie's reflection on a San Francisco anti-war rally that occurred recently. His "Anatomy of a Photograph" illustrates 1)how blatantly and shamelessly the media misrepresents facts not only in print but in photographs and 2)how quickly young people can be persuaded to become a "part of the group" to advance others' goals and intentions. It's scary.

Finally - learn what you believe and why. Do this so when you are challenged by those with a different opinion you can defend yourself. Not with the purpose to change that person's mind - only to reinforce your own understanding of your own opinion. The more you do this the more you will notice others who blindly follow the course others lay out for them. They will argue a point, and when challenged say, "uh, I don't know..." Don't be one of them.