What is an Activist?Posted by Sherwood Thomas on May 27th, 2021 "What is an Activist?" is a question that I hear asked quite often from friends and family. Many people have a hard time defining what is an activist. To them, being an activist means standing up for your beliefs and values in the face of politically motivated opponents and in the face of blatant injustice. Being an activist is one thing, but what is an Activist to you? In order to answer this question, you need to define what an Activist is not. An Activist is not someone who protests, petitions, or makes statements or declarations with the hopes of changing someone else's mind. agency is someone who believes that they can make a difference in the world by changing their own mind and taking responsibility for that change. agency are not out there to win popularity or to get media attention. They are not someone who wants to build the next best website or the next best PR firm. They are simply someone who believes deeply in a cause and feels strongly about it, and does what they can to make that belief a reality. There are many definitions of an Activist but what they all have in common is that they are committed to some kind of cause that is just and right. It could be a social justice issue, or they could be working towards making the world a better place in which to live. It could even be a political issue, such as voting rights for women, ending animal abuse, etc. No matter what the cause is, an Activist will be working towards making that change happen. There are a lot of different reasons why a person might become an Activist. Some people get into politics because they feel strongly about a topic, and they see no solution to it other than direct action. For example, if an African-American person was unsatisfied with the racial inequality in America, they would likely join a civil rights group, or a lobby group, and try to make change happen. An Activist could also be doing this same thing, but for a different reason. For example, a person may become upset at something he/she notices happening around them, and wish to bring about change. Now, we know that not every single person can become an Activist, or even someone who believes strongly in what they are doing. There are certain things a person must do before they can become involved in that movement. A good place to start is by knowing what is an Activist in the first place. If you know what an Activist is, then you can answer the question before asking. agency believes something very strongly. Whether that belief is right or wrong is not really the question, but rather the question of whether they can bring about change in a way that will benefit that belief or hurt that belief. In a way, an Activist's beliefs dictate what they do, and how they do it. An Activist might begin to do certain things because of their beliefs, and then later on rationalize their actions based upon what they have learned. Some beliefs that would make a person an Activist would be; I can change my life for the better if I just change my beliefs. I believe I can make a difference in the world if I just get out there and do my part. I am a better person because I have taken charge of my own life. I do not need to be motivated by anything but my own beliefs. I have my own personal reasons for becoming an Activist. We see many people on television and in magazines that claim to be an Activist. It is almost as though these people just say what is an Activist without having ever done anything. They are not Activists, they are show-offs. If someone wants to know what is an Activist, it is simply a matter of having the beliefs to start with.Like it? Share it! More by this author |