Dear Egypt .....and, you, too Elina

Elina,

Times are-a-changin'. Our past posts highlight how the world has changed its inhabitants, and how we (the Millennial generation) will change the world. I'd like to explore these two ideas a little further, with emphasis on social media-- probably the most influential tool for Millennialists-- and how it's been used in one of the most decisive times in the Northern African history.  

Weather one of these millenalist or one of these social media is undoubtedly central to their identity. In the Middle East we've seen social media empower Tunisian peasants in overthrowing their autocratic government and inspire the Egyptian Revolution to oust Mubarak. Two autocratic leaders in power for more than a dozen years, brought down by tweets and youtube videos.

But what happens when social media and the environment it creates overpromises?

Earlier this June (latest Time magazine article was the shiz) the Egyptians were at it again, a year after their successful overthrow of Mubarak, the crowds called for a coup of their own first democratically elected president Muhammad Morsi. The liberals argued that he was becoming yet another autocratic president, emphasizing Islam too much and secularism too little. His allies, the Muslim Brotherhood, complained he was too soft on the liberals. The battlefield to overthrow Mubarak was all over the internet; that is until they moved to the street. The internet did what it does best-- sharing and recreating ideas, fast.

But did this go too far?

I'm not one to justify the misuse of power, nor have I read nearly enough to know all of Mubarak's shortcomings, but I still tend to air on the side of caution for another coup (or whatever you want to call it).

I understand the irritation of the same old business, and to a certain degree I admire quick response-- but there's a double-edge sword: democracy takes time. It takes time for a country that wasn't democratic for its 6000+ year history to transition. It takes time for a country that was flirting with secularism, at best, to take that leap. And as Millennialists we know that social media is not known for its patience or its well thought out plans.

So Egypt, take a cue from the Occupy Wall Street missteps and make a plan, find and support one candidate before you rise up. Even if they're not the perfect candidate, that's the beauty of democracy: it's a compromise.

I've be reading so much about the Zimmerman trail, can't wait to hear your take on it.

xoxo

D