--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Indeed, the best practical reason to…" description: "\"Indeed, the best practical reason to think that social media can help bring political change is that both dissidents and governments think they can. Al..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/clay-shirky-3364_activist_indeed-the-best-practical-reason-to-thin_984882.jpg" --- # Indeed, the best practical reason to think that social… ![“Indeed, the best practical reason to think that social media can help bring political change is that both dissidents and governments think they can. All over the world, activists believe in the utility of these tools and take steps to use them accordingly. And the governments they contend with…” quote by Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/clay-shirky-3364_activist_indeed-the-best-practical-reason-to-thin_984882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/clay-shirky-3364_activist_indeed-the-best-practical-reason-to-thin_984882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/clay-shirky-3364_activist_indeed-the-best-practical-reason-to-thin_984882.jpg) > “Indeed, the best practical reason to think that social media can help bring political change is that both dissidents and governments think they can. All over the world, activists believe in the utility of these tools and take steps to use them accordingly. And the governments they contend with think social media tools are powerful, too, and are willing to harass, arrest, exile, or kill users in response.” [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Social media is seen as a tool for change by both activists and regimes, prompting its use and repression. **In simple terms:** Both sides view social media as powerful for political impact. Key Takeaway Recognize the double‑edged nature of digital activism. Themes politics technology activism Mood cautious critical Type analytical warning When to use this quote - protests - government monitoring - online campaigns - human rights advocacy Key Concepts Power dynamics surveillance digital resistance Questions to Reflect On - How can activists protect themselves online? - What responsibilities do platforms have? A Different Perspective Governments may also use these tools for propaganda, not just repression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activist/) [Dissidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissidents/) [Exile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exile/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-change/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-media/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twitter/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [To me and to a number of other activists from the U.S., we believe that the human rights movement has to evolve and understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/to-me-and-to-a-number-of-other-activists-from-the-u-s-we-believe-that/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) > [To think of criticism as a conversation is to think of it as a social act, something that puts you in touch with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-croce/to-think-of-criticism-as-a-conversation-is-to-think-of-it-as-a-social/) [Arlene Croce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-croce/) > [I think social networking is absolutely here to stay. Now, whether or not the label will Facebook forever, depends in part, I think, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/i-think-social-networking-is-absolutely-here-to-stay-now-whether-or/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [Well, I think the social networking is really interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-mayer/well-i-think-the-social-networking-is-really-interesting/) [Marissa Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-mayer/) > [I always hope that young people will think for themselves and also most importantly, understand that they should judge themselves on their own merit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-always-hope-that-young-people-will-think-for-themselves-and-also/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [If you think that a social media platform is a proper location to argue your political beliefs you should probably just shut the hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-think-that-a-social-media-platform-is-a-proper-location-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think that social media is a really good way to stay in touch with the people who are following you, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-styrke/i-think-that-social-media-is-a-really-good-way-to-stay-in-touch-with/) [Tove Styrke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-styrke/) > [I think with social media and Instagram, people are able to see what's over the fence of everyone else, and it all seems within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-joseph/i-think-with-social-media-and-instagram-people-are-able-to-see-what-s/) [Max Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-joseph/) > [Everyone has different interests, but instead of constructive learning, people generally tend to lean towards the negative... and I think social media has somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawad-khan/everyone-has-different-interests-but-instead-of-constructive-learning/) [Fawad Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawad-khan/) > [I think at all social networks, be it Facebook or Twitter or whatever it is, there's an ecosystem that exist there. But there's also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-think-at-all-social-networks-be-it-facebook-or-twitter-or-whatever/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [“I don’t think my social media obsession is dangerous.” I joked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cambria-hebert/i-don-t-think-my-social-media-obsession-is-dangerous-i-joked/) [Cambria Hebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cambria-hebert/) > [I really believe that fact that I have such power in terms of numbers with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, et cetera, I think it helped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-really-believe-that-fact-that-i-have-such-power-in-terms-of-numbers/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think that the social media space is great because that's where my bread and butter is, but I want to jump into doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-mua/i-think-that-the-social-media-space-is-great-because-that-s-where-my/) [Manny MUA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-mua/) > [I think social networks are really working for the drivers, because we're able to talk directly to fans and they get first-hand information. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenson-button/i-think-social-networks-are-really-working-for-the-drivers-because-we/) [Jenson Button](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenson-button/) > [ I don't feel the need to brand myself in that way \[social media\]. But as a means to share information and raise awareness of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-johansson/i-don-t-feel-the-need-to-brand-myself-in-that-way-social-media-but-as/) [Scarlett Johansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-johansson/) ## More by Clay Shirky > [ “\[N\]ew technology enables new kinds of group-forming.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/n-ew-technology-enables-new-kinds-of-group-forming/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [To have a discussion about the plusses and minuses of various forms of group action, though, is going to require discussing the current tools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/to-have-a-discussion-about-the-plusses-and-minuses-of-various-forms/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [“Mass amateurization of publishing makes mass amateurization of filtering a forced move.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/mass-amateurization-of-publishing-makes-mass-amateurization-of/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [“Information sharing produces shared awareness among the participants, and collaborative production relies on shared creation, but collective action creates shared responsibility, by tying the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/information-sharing-produces-shared-awareness-among-the-participants/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [More interesting than thinking about what's possible in 10 years is thinking what's possible now but that no one has built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/more-interesting-than-thinking-about-what-s-possible-in-10-years-is/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [“Digital networks are increasing the fluidity of all media. 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Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Social media is not just another way to connect feminist and activist voices - it amplifies our messages as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/social-media-is-not-just-another-way-to-connect-feminist-and-activist/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [I have never been an activist for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/i-have-never-been-an-activist-for-anything/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-we-criticize-in-iran-the-actions-of-the-government-the/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Because my graduate academic training at law school was not one that included most of the intellectual traditions I find useful for understanding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-spade/because-my-graduate-academic-training-at-law-school-was-not-one-that/) [Dean Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-spade/) > [I've been an activist in the LGBT community for a long time. 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