The Anonymous Revolution

Revolution is generally thought of as a vehicle for violent change. The term is applied correctly most of the time; especially when there is an actual revolution going on. The kind where despots are un-seated, regimes are replaced and a new group takes the reigns. There have been plenty of examples of this type of revolution for us to look at.

There are a handful of groups that wish this on America. I am not the biggest fan of the way our government works -or doesn't- and I don't appreciate how tiny each of our voices are. Money, and a convoluted system of capitalism have obviously rendered them useless, and us subserviant. I have a feeling that we will be invaded by a foreign enemy before we experience a homegrown revolution. If you move past the anger of how ridiculous it all is, you might see that we are in no place to tell our government what to do. Though we posess the right to bear arms, we are disallowed equal arms. I can't afford an Apache, much less a fleet of them. I will never own a nuclear sub, an F-18, a tank, a missile defense system, or even a missile for their's to shoot down. The odds of a successful revolution in this country are near zero. America had a revolution recently, and it is simply not time for a second.

There is another type of revolution. It is a sort of curcuit. It turns in a circular motion, and ends where it bagan; perpetually. This is the reality of American revolution. The cycle repeats. This cycle is made up of the same people, the same government, the same trends, and the same means to keep it spinning. The only change in this revolution over time are the increasing options we have to propagate these things. It all comes down to oil, plastic, and silicon. Quantity makes no difference; the population grows along with the government. This is an anonymous revolution.

Now there are outlets like facebook for angst filled hackers, and oblivious computer chair potatoes. They can achieve their fifteen minutes in a matter of minutes by simply typing certain words. These words are like pop songs; they are favorites for fifteen minutes. When these groups and individuals stick around past their alotted time, they become revolutionary. They repeat themselves incessantly. Sadly, there are many who keep listening. It has become the equivalent of television, only you can add your signature to it and feel like you are part of something revolutionary. Yes, they are part of a repetitious cycle. The very essence of political revolution becomes another part of our daily routine. It is like the diet of a domesticated animal; the same thing every day.

There is one group in particular that has surprised me with their longevity in the fickle world of social media. I don't know exactly what they do outside of social media, but they have earned millions of high fives for their video productions and edgy phraseology. They have, at the very least made some Chinese mask manufacturers rich. If this group was truly a revolutionary force, organized and focused, they could be the cyber equivalent of al-queida. They would be pulling off miracle jobs that would benefit the masses. So far, the stolen documents, social security numbers, and military buildings haven't really helped anyone. They are hardly starting a world wide revolution. Again, they have produced a television program that you can "like". Hopefully some of the members, of which no one knows, will earn a good living instead of a life sentence. I hope they will not make their living by hacking my tiny bank account, or anyone else's. Despite the evil corporations, I hope they are not disrupted; I have kids to feed and get back and forth to school. I can't do that without certain stores being operable.

The next time you see a flashy group on facebook, inciting revolutionary feelings inside, remember that those people will never start a true revolution. The people who start true revolution are standing in front of you. They are on the ground, not in a wire. They are planning. They are waiting. They are actually the ones who are anonymous, simply because no one is aware that there is even a plan. The real revolutionaries might need some hackers at some point, but they will surely not be advertising on facebook. There will be no ploys to make the news. These revolutionaries will remain anonymous until the revolution ceases and the curcuit is broken.

If you are interested in learning more about revolution, the library is a great place to start. You will get to breathe fresh air on your way, and you will become more intelligent on the way home just from looking at the pile of books sitting next to you. If you read them, you might be able to agree that Americans' hands are tied for the moment. There are not enough of us willing to face the alternative to the current revolution.