Fast social media communication precludes the time political reflection requires

Evidence

Second, the immediacy of social media closes down the time needed for “political elaboration.” Because the content that activists share online has to be “catchy,” “activists do not have the space and time to articulate their political reflections.” Barassi’s interviewees repeatedly expressed that “social media were not a space for political discussion and elaboration, because the communication was too fast, too quick, and too short.” One activist complains specifically that there’s no time to “contextualize [ideas] for people” since “we need time and space to do that.” Barassi writes that the needed context often shows up in less instantaneous channels, such as activist magazines or in-person group discussion. — Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing, 556

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Communication speedups can empower regressive, manipulative politics, not just progress — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration: A New Theory of…, 17