The online world of activism is vast, but gets the most attention, like most things, on social media. YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, even, they’re all full of politics. There are many terms thrown around to describe these spaces, but I will focus on three terms from what I know, that being the online world of left-leaning politics.
If you’re engaged in politics online, especially on TikTok, you’ve probably heard of a few young men named Dean and Parker, known for their TikTok lives where they debate Trump supporters. This is the modern take on “debate bros,” a subset of usually left-leaning, young men who livestream debates of a political nature. These videos tend to gain a lot of traction due to the emotionally-charged nature of a debate, but there is a lot of debate (see what I did there?) about the validity of these live-streams. The objective becomes to win over to educate, which should be the most important part of political dialogue, but that does not make for clippable moments to go viral. It might look like an “own,” but it’s not doing much in the grand scheme of things. Obviously, you can still like these videos and gain a lot from them, but debate should not be where your activism ends.
While this might be a bit outdated, “breadtube” was one of the most important parts of the early 2010s left-leaning media. An amalgamous group of YouTubers began posting videos of a political nature, sometimes as a part of criticism towards videogames or movies, which took off, originally gaining ire from wider audiences until their subscriber base eventually grew. Some of the most iconic members of “breadtube” include hbomberguy, Innuendo Studios, Lindsay Ellis, and more, each of whom is probably very important to the development of many young people online. “Breadtube” still exists today – sort of – but is rarely referred to as “breadtube,” now, it’s just a “vibe.”
“Online leftist” has developed a bit of a negative connotation as of late. It refers to a specific type of white, political content creator who is not as interested in tangible change as opposed to a type of superiority. It’s more about calling out fellow left-leaning creators for relatively small issues, which breeds infighting, the barrier to actual change. This criticism may come from a good place, but it can also be read as holding specifically left-leaning creators to a higher standard rooted in a feeling of moral superiority. This then leads to pretentiousness and competition, further driving a wedge in what should be a united front.Â
There are more than three types of online activism (obviously), but I see space to grow in each of them. There are fanbases who have grown alongside these creators, developing their own beliefs and finding new creators on a daily basis. The online political landscape can feel scary, but finding your niche or even a few comfort creators can make this trying team feel less stressful, and you a little less alone.