Strategically Communicating

In this week’s readings we see the way that social media has an impact on Political discourse from both ends of the spectrum. From the user standpoint of being able to facilitate change, via the immediacy and reach of social media, and from the political stand point of trying to bridge the cultural divide. Yet, now we have entered a realm of uncharted political and social media territory. Where rather than a tool to connect, it is being used as leadership as a policy delivery system, and in many cases, it is being used as a tool to divide. As we see the shift in our own political climate will that change the way that worldwide social media constructs and messaging take place. As stated in The Political Power of Social Media: Technology, the Public Sphere, and Political Change, we read reference to the downfall of Philippine President Joseph Estrada, and how he blamed the “text messaging generation” for his downfall (Shirky 2011). Which begs the question if technology can have such a great impact, what is to happen to a leader who conducts all business via social media, who scandalizes one’s self through the unfiltered and unsupervised commentary, as we see from our current president, and what does that mean for diplomatic relations with other countries?  Is it still considered engagement, or has it crossed line into something yet to be classified?

Works Cited:

Shirky, C. (2011). The Political Power of Social Media: Technology, the Public Sphere, and Political Change. Foreign Affairs, 90(1), 28-41.