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Movements

The biggest difference between a moment and movement is the overall outcome. A

movement brings about a change that is eventually incorporated into society, while a moment is

simply that, a moment in history that called attention to an issue. In a New York Times article

written by Beverly Gage, she mentions this quote from sociologist, Zeynep Tufekci, “a moment

of ‘bursting onto the scene, but only the first stage in a potentially long journey.’” A moment is

the beginning of a movement, but like Gage says in the article, a movement is the continuation of

the passion ignited in a moment, a continuation that ends with a lasting change in our society

and/or government.

When our consciousness is awakened and we begin to engage the public sphere, it results

in a moment. A moment of passion and outrage that can transmit the message to a widespread

audience. As stated earlier, it is only when this passion continues to be ignited and spread that a

movement is created. While a moment plants the seeds of change, it is a movement and the

determination of the people who are passionate about the issue that can make this seed grow into

a beautiful flower of change, a flower with strong roots and unable to be yanked out of the

ground.
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As is written in “What It Means to Be a Citizen”, Reading 12 of the Social Justice

Movements book, to be a citizen is to “be accountable for and committed to the well-being of the

whole … A citizen is one who produces the future, someone who does not wait, beg, or dream

for the future.” A citizen in a civil society is someone who is not afraid to ignite change for the

issues that concerns them, as well as the society as a whole. It is someone who will fight for what

they believe in, and will fight for those who can’t.

Our responsibility to humanity in ensuring equality and justice for all is to make sure

these liberties of ours aren’t taken away. It is to fight for these liberties, and to never let anyone

control them. Our responsibility to humanity is to be a citizen as described above. To create

movements that fight for the liberties that have been stripped away from us. As humans, we

should be free to be who we are without discrimination or judgement. However, in the world we

currently live in, this idea is an ideal, when it should be a reality. Our responsibility to humanity

is to take back our liberties and to fight for the rights of all humans.
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Works Cited

Gage, Beverly. “When Does a Moment Turn Into a 'Movement'?” The New York Times, The New

York Times, 15 May 2018,

www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/magazine/when-does-a-moment-turn-into-a-movement.htm

l.

Levy, La Della L. Social Justice Movements. Cognella/Academic Publishing, 2018.