Social Media Empowering

Web 2.0 makes it possible that everyone has a chance to make themselves heard and remembered. With a click of mouse or type from keyboard, one can be empowered to change the way the world changes. TIME's article Power To The People introduces many ordinary individuals doing extraordinary things made powerful by social media, I realize all around the world there are huge more than the sixteen persons who have changed or are dominating the trend in certain small portions of the world development by the help of social media. 

These people can be talented in any area, like Harriet Klausner who has posted the most book reviews on Amazon.com than any others, or can be normal person like Megan Gill living normal life who gets attention simply by the use of Facebook. Like Ali Khurshid who makes people see Pakistan's real beauty through his eyes, many people who earn popularity through social media play a role as a representative, introducing  people to what they want to see, what they want to hear and what they want to do. Therefore they build up an expectation among their audiences, as well as a model image. People get empowered by chance, by endeavor or by wisdom -- in strategically use of social media which has the power to change the world in current times. 

The TIME article mentioned Wang Xiaofeng, who is named "Bart Simpson In Beijing." "Serious critiques of social problems or political leaders can still be dangerous in China, but serious isn't Wang's style." Indeed, he has his own humorous and non-mainstream way of satire, in art, culture, politics and life. In China, there is a figure, who has been an idol for more than ten years, not good at English, but good at using every word criticizing straightly, sharply and humorously. His name is Han Han, a professional race-car driver, best-selling author, singer, creator of Party and China's most popular blogger. His writing, is often rapier thrust with caustic remarks about the government, often lead to censorship of this books. However it doesn't impact his influence among people. Five years ago, he started his blog, right now he possibly has been one of the world's most popular bloggers. Though he puts much of his time doing what he loves -- rally racing, he's been active revealing social problems, corruptions, or inhumane activities by blogging. 

Social Media provides a platform that people  feel anchored, get connected, and communicate, from which a power stemmed that may lead to a change of the world. Despite the popularity and power an individual gets from social media, more meaning lies in that social media is a technique that may have overwhelming power over the world.  

Resources:

About Han Han, The New Yorker, http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/07/04/110704fa_fact_osnos
English translations of selected writings by Han Han, http://www.hanhandigest.com/
Power to the People, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1570816-1,00.html