How does that adage goes, “fake it until you make it”? And some of our social media idols have taken it way too seriously. History has always been written inclusive to the extremists who claimed to identify with either the conservative school of thoughts or the liberal. And rarely has it been an incident where they did not taint the philosophy and molded it at their own convenience, often leading to the majority’s aversion to the philosophy that was time and again birthed in a room full of leaders committed to their communities.
The recent call of Bharat Bandh by farmers across India was supported by many, opposed by many, and then few saw it as an opportunity to step into the world where the limelight follows wherever you go. Social media influencers took this as a chance to create new content and show their solidarity with the idea of patriotism, socialism, liberalism, and every other theory that can enable them to live in an illusion. Illusion? Yes, an illusion. The romanticization of martyrdom and war that is now fed through social media, isn’t a new concept. Since forever, a bunch of privileged are always seen capitalizing on crises and hijacking a movement to maintain that illusion, just to sleep like a baby at night.
It is one thing to extend your support through donations, social media, volunteerism, and another to pretend that you are one of them. While it is important to speak up for the distressed, raising awareness around the issue on digital media, but it is highly hypocritical to show up at a protest site to collect pictures for a musical they are producing to showcase their struggle through visa approval in the middle of a pandemic, remembering the zigzag roads of the country, and pretending protests are art on Instagram. Many influencers took this opportunity during distress in the national capital to promote themselves as an image of a socialist leader.
The work of young scholars, who have dedicated their lives to the protection of the sovereignty and democracy of this country, is being erased by the likes of these influencers who cannot maintain the integrity of a movement. Making the struggle of our leaders a laughing stock, the NRI status of these ‘revolutionaries’ maintains its privilege and conveniently chooses when to associate with which identity. The promotion of the interviews of people with no association with the subject or the movement where there should have been farmers voicing their concerns is just another feather in the hats of our media. While we are still waiting to hear from the faces of farmers, scholars, activists, policymakers, our digital space is filled with these armchair activists who are laying steps to reach their ‘fan-base’.
As a democratic nation, there is no restriction on maintaining any level of patriotism and love for community, but the problems arise when people sitting at comfortable homes start thinking armchair activism is a feasible model to survive the status quo. It is time we think twice before blindly following these role models who want an easy gateway into mainstream politics through their viral pictures and informative videos, to the end of the earth.