The days when children would whine, throw temper tantrums,
cry and plead incessantly to get something they wanted are becoming few and far
between. Instead, children old enough to
work a computer mouse have discovered a new means of getting their way. Their approach doesn't involve tears, kicking
or screaming. They only need a Facebook
account and an admirable cause.
What seemed like an insurmountable goal set forth by an unsuspecting
father quickly escalated into a viral campaign created by a couple of preteen
sisters and their younger brothers in attempts to get a puppy. The siblings posted a picture requesting 1
million likes in order for their dad to grant their request. A mere 13 hours later, the picture had over
1.7 million likes, 140,000 shares and 40,000 comments wishing them well.
Social media tactics, such as this, are rapidly growing in
popularity. “XYZ organization will
donate 10 cents for every Like on this post.” “If you want to stop animal cruelty, Like and
Share this picture.” The causes behind
these Facebook epidemics vary widely, but they all have a key characteristic in
common.
People want to know that others care. That we’re all tied by human instinct to want
the best for people. Whether it’s an
individual, community, or business. Whether
it’s something trivial or monumental in importance. Whether you’re one of the first people to
Like a post or you’re the Like that pushes it over the milestone. A gesture as simple and immediate as liking a
post connects us instantly to others. It
can prove that we’re not alone, that our hopes are shared- even by strangers. They are strangers that we will most likely
never get to thank individually or even lay eyes on in person.
Confirmation that others are behind our initiative,
providing their support through the click of a mouse or a few strokes on the
keyboard, amplifies sense of purpose.
While it takes an army of people to rack up a million+ Likes on Facebook,
it starts with the individual decision to click. And long after you've forgotten you clicked
Like on a post, you’re social footprint of support will remain.
