Information and Revolution in Egypt Article Review

Revolution in Egypt_

Modern citizens hardly make decisions in a social vacuum. This underscore the role social media plays in determining decisions that people make. Social media influences what modern citizens know and how they feel about it. It therefore plays an integral role in influencing the masses. Trends in groups start after one person has taken a stand. This person's stand then influences others creating a cascade effect (Krebs, 2006). Cascades and numbers are integral in unconventional warfare like the revolution that was experienced in Egypt. In today's world users of social networks readily use information received from search network. A person will most likely be drawn into a stand that has been taken by his family members, neighbors, and casual acquaintances. Groups in social networks are easily influenced by the behavior of their members, key opinion leaders, as well as those with connections with them. These groups, opinion leaders, and connections also have power to persuade. This underscores the importance of prior social ties in encouraging entrance into a movement. The revolution in Egypt exploited the popularity of social networks but was not necessarily caused by the social media. Process of individual recruitment exploited the occurrence of a specific recruitment attempt, successful linkage of the movement and the recruit's sense of identity, and absence of strong opposition from others on whom the recruit's other salient identities depended (Gladwell, 2002). Information disseminated through social media however, simple it was, was manipulated by skilled operators to have important and contingent elements. Once a social movement recruit has made a commitment his identity is closely tied to those he knows.Support for his new identity works because he wants his identity to reflect the identity of those he socializes with. Because he wants approval and support and approval from his social network if his social network joins a social movement like that which was realized in Egypt, he will definitely join to maintain consistency with the group. In unconventional war like that which was witnessed Egypt, there was strong opposition from security forces that tried to break the protests. Interactive conversations that take place through the social media that create shared meanings and identities legitimize emergent collective action. Groups will definitely mobilize for action when it is newly threatened or when there is an opportunity for gain (McAdam, 2003). In this respect Egyptians took to the streets to protest Hosni Mubarak 30 years of political, social, and economic repression. Social revolution in Egypt flourished because of so many factors. One of the factors was what was seen as inheritance of power when Gamal Mubarak was seen as being groomed to take over after his father Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. Many Egyptians who were irked by this possibility cited the Syrian case where Bashar al-Assad took over the reigns of power after his father Hafez al-Assad death in the year 2000 (Aziz & Hussein, 2002). Egyptians also reviled against the Emergency Law which was enacted after the 1967 Six Day War. The law gave the police extensive powers, suspended individuals' constitutional rights, legalized censorship, and mandated the government to imprison individuals indefinitely without reason (Aziz & Hussein, 2002). It limited non-governmental political activity like.....