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Never have the words “judged not by the colour of their skin but the content of their character” seem more poignant. But are black squares on Instagram and tagging friends with the BLM hashtag a step towards a solution? Or is it merely a ‘feel good’ trend? A somewhat polarising issue amongst global citizens – people across the spectrum quipped in with a range of opinions: helpful, insufficient, perhaps even somewhat opportunistic. 

Critics of BlackoutTuesday and Black Lives Matter (BLM) on social media put forth many arguments. Firstly, that non-minority individuals should not speak for those who are directly affected by BLM, lest the authentic stories get drowned out. This argument is flawed, predicated on the suggestion that non-minorities are unable to empathise and recognise the struggles of underprivileged minorities. This is a plain oversimplification. 

While non-minority races are privileged to not ‘live through’ the same difficulties, the participation in BlackoutTuesday and BLM is a recognition of that exact privilege. This is a step in the right direction towards a more equitable society. Furthermore, if non-minority races are dissuaded from posting BLM content on their social media, we would be alienating their stories. These may be stories of their experience with privilege, perhaps an apology for past behaviour or a resolution to change. Silence of any sort will result in an over biased perspective, and indeed, lead to an ‘us vs them’ mentality. Arguably, this is worse off than what we began with. 

Secondly, critics argue that black squares offering thoughts and prayers without concrete action such as donating, amounts to little. It is, by nature, a passive attempt to galvanise change without being personally accountable. 

This, however, is a reductive approach to change. It proposes that by not donating or protesting, that you are a passive individual who “cares less” about these issues than those participating monetarily. I disagree with this strongly.  

Consider the case of global warming. While Greenpeace, WWF, and other local initiatives are certainly not major beneficiaries of marches and massive donations, the Paris Agreement and the actions of green companies such as Tesla are indicative of the impact of information. Do not underestimate one of social media’s greatest abilities: the proliferation of  information. 

Without postings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor flooding our screens, would we know their names? The short answer is no. Without easily identifiable hashtags and rallying calls, information would be less available. Protests and demonstrations might be misconstrued by the media leading to misinformation, arguably decreasing the efficacy of such protests. Woe to the social media-less world that would lose these beacons of revolution. 

Therefore, BlackoutTuesday and BLM are not mere trends, but turning points. Previous era’s civil rights movements, or marches demanding independence from colonial rule, have been local affairs. However, under social media, BlackoutTuesday and BLM have allowed global solidarity in the face of adversity. It has allowed the world to stand together and address systemic faults. 

Change is afoot. It is easier to grow strong children than to heal a broken man. But a paradigm shift in thinking starts with information and awareness. By participation, small or large, we continue to combat problems faced by the Human race. Perhaps Martin Luther King Jr. might be disappointed in us, but we must not let the watchfires die under our tenure. Let us at least stoke the flame. Let us pass on the baton to younger generations so that they may continue the fight. That they may build a world where one day, people will indeed, be judged by the content of their character, rather than the colour of their skin.