The revolution will not be televised....or should it?

Will the revolution be televised? Will the movements that cause a fundamental change in the things that shape our thoughts, words and actions receive widespread media coverage? Will the real forces behind the changes that we will see get the airtime their efforts deserve or will we have to wait and settle for the faces of the foot soldiers

A revolution, simply put, is a movement that causes fundamental change. History records many gallant men and women who have disregarded their lives in pursuit of a change that they believed will steer the ship of their people’s destiny in a better direction. But in this day and age where mainstream coverage is the offspring of a diluted version of whatever you believe, carefully trimmed down and remodelled to fit into the bigger picture of the big media corporation along with a huge dose of political correctness, does the mainstream coverage constitute too much of a sacrifice? Or is it a necessary evil for the sake of a greater good.

Careful consideration should also be given to the word mainstream. What exactly is mainstream and what is not? Is Youtube, with claims of over 30 million people worldwide viewing at least 60 seconds of video on its website everyday a mainstream outlet or still very much the opium of the underground revolutionary?

Also, when virtually every household has a tv set, the reach of the mainstream media can, in some cases, be the tonic some revolutions need to get them started or get enough “va va voom” for people to take it serious

Another thought we have to consider is whether a lack of mainstream appeal makes a revolution more valid and/or more radical? Does it mean the struggles of that revolution with the powers-that-be (the mainstream) in its quest for coverage is akin to the fight of good against evil?

I am fairly certain that when whoever coined the statement in question did he/she did not envisage the growth of the online world and its ability to connect people, thus creating a “power in numbers” situation. That a movement doesn’t get a great deal of mainstream coverage doesn’t mean it will not reach a good amount of people. The online world has afforded us the privilege of making things happen without having to solicit the backing of the mainstream. All you need is the right outlets and a good number of committed followers. In that, you have your underbelly and it will be a case of seizing opportunity after that. Mainstream or not, a good understanding of the web and the ability to communicate your views clearly to the ever curious world will be of great benefit to a revolution.

Revolutions in the past were few and far between. But in today’s world, with things changing at a pace that defies human logic, I believe the success or failure of a revolution should be based on the long term reaction/reception of the people and what difference it makes to their live. As long as the general public are the winners, and not a microscopic few, I believe the route to the public eye is of very little importance