Everyone is an Activist

Reflecting upon The Ethics of Dissent and Resistance and what it means to participate in activsm

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Each year in January, Elon University offers a winter semester, informally referred to as “J-Term.” Participating in J-Term entails taking 1 class lasting 3 hours per day, 5 days per week, for a rigorous and fast-paced 3-4 weeks total. It sounds wildly unappealing, but you’d be surprised at how many students consistently register for the term each year. Why? Well, for starters, you can knock out a 4-semester-hour credit in less than a month, and potentially give your GPA a small boost. Many freshmen dedicate J-Term to completing a Gen Ed, eager to finish core curriculum requirements and begin coursework for their major. Some students are simply desperate to return to college after being at home for the nearly month-long holiday break. But perhaps the biggest motivation behind registering for J-Term is the list of uniquely enriching and unconventional/experimental classes exclusive to Elon and its winter term. Some previous classics include Cinema and the City, Beyonce: Literature and Lemonade, and What the Healthcare?

This winter for my sophomore J-Term, one of my roommates convinced me to take The Ethics of Dissent and Resistance with her, joking that we were going to learn how to overthrow the government. Maybe that would be our final project, to successfully plan and execute a national rebellion? (Jokes aside, the class really did pique my interest as a potentially useful resource for my desired career in public communications and campaign management).  

Spoiler: we did not learn how to overthrow the government (nor did we make any attempts to). But we did explore the nature of such acts of political resistance, reflecting on questions such as:

• What are our civic duties and moral obligations?
• Is it okay to disobey a law if the law is unjust or oppressive to others?
• Can violence and uncivil disobedience be justified when resisting a corrupt state?
• (And my personal favorite): If everyone has a different life situation and set of costs/risks, degree of courage, interpretation of good versus evil, etc…then what even is morality? Can there truly be a universal discernment between right and wrong?

My class finished a couple of days ago, and after 3 weeks of personally reflecting on such questions and listening to the perspectives of my professor and classmates, I am left with several key insights and takeaways from the class…

Our nation was designed and structured with the intent of us being sovereign citizens, not voiceless subjects to authority. The will of the people should be the leading influence over our country–not the desires of the politically/financially affluent. We are meant to be the “bosses” of those that we have elected to represent us. Our suggestions and visions for our country ought to be of priority to those in government. 

Questioning authority and the legitimacy of the state is healthy and responsible. Though the disobedience of oppressive/injustice laws and authoritative figures is debatable, the act of simply reflecting upon our country’s authority and transparency is, in itself, valid; it demonstrates civic engagement and responsiveness. As sovereign citizens, we were not intended to be blind followers of or subjects to autocratic authority. However…

…The desire to politically resist corruption in the state is not a justification for disobeying the governmentally enforced laws/mandates that are fair and just. In a comment made on one of my homework assignments, my professor left a particularly insightful perspective on why the breach of a perfectly fair, reasonable, or just law cannot be justified by the claim that it was intended to be an act of government defiance. To directly quote this comment: “Culture has [given] me a vast trove of treasures. I got it for free, just for being born. Nothing that I can do in my life will contribute as much value back to culture [as] I have received…I am a net gainer…Think of the value of literature, the English language, all prior scientific discoveries…[There is] a lot to be grateful for.” What I make of this is: essentially, we owe it to our existence and culturally-defined identities to uphold the structures that are functioning as fair/just, as this is a matter of respecting the country whose history, traditions, and citizens have shaped who you are. Where oppression exists, we should meet it with resistance. But where justice exists, even if this is within a largely corrupt institution, it should be honored and preserved. 

There is no one right way to participate in activism. Each of us possesses a unique personality, skillset, and aptitude for specific roles in life, and all of these roles have the capacity to function as valuable and influential forces of justice within society. Consider: if activist efforts are defined as intentional, direct, and/or organized efforts pushing for political/social change, can it not be argued that volunteering at a soup kitchen is a form of activism? To me, recognizing the diversity and strength in activism–even through more “behind the scenes” kinds of efforts–is to liberate those servants of morality and  justice who fear that activism can only exist through assertive, bold, or overt protests/campaigns, making anything else perhaps reflective of strong values, but insignificant to the world of direct action for change. I would argue that anything done with the intent of exemplifying just and empathetic behavior towards our fellow members of society can be defended as an activist effort. Think about it. If much of the world is influenced by corruption, could the conscious decision to react with empathy and goodness not be argued as resistance? 

All of these points tie together to ultimately show that each one of us, as individual citizens and as the collective people of our nation, are vital resources for the present and future wellbeing of our communities. I used to see myself as incapable; too average and insignificant to ever be on the frontlines of a protest, or even on the end of a telephone call requesting support from my representatives. But as I’ve continued to grow as a young adult and gain exposure to the “real world” and the darkness that infiltrates much of it, I’ve realized that there is no time to waste by sitting idly, hoping that someone brave will eventually come along and catapult our society into a more just, stable state. Additionally, considering how much of the world is unjust, we are in desperate need of people who will not only advocate for the furtherance of justice but also recognize and celebrate the justice that does exist. We need activists. And as I previously stated, we are all capable of participating in activist efforts. So may we not sell ourselves short of this great responsibility, for activism is for everyone. 

Special thanks to Dr. Nim Batchelor, the instructor of our class. I deeply enjoyed and appreciated “The Ethics of Dissent and Resistance” and am grateful for your instruction as a catalyst to the development of my personal philosophies, specifically those used to navigate the political and social world. ~ Ali