Cliven Bundy

A few weeks ago most residents of Southern Utah had never heard of Cliven Bundy. Even though the Bundy name is quite well known in the area to pick out a specific Bundy is basically impossible, they all seem to blend together after awhile. However, as of today most everyone has heard the name, they may not know exactly who he is, but the name has been heard. Have you not heard this name? Chances are you are not acquainted with a member of his family through a social media outlet.

Cliven Bundy is a rancher in Nevada. He has run cattle on about 1,200 acres of public lands in southern Nevada for 20 plus years, his family has run cattle on the same land for over one hundred years, that way of life is now being threatened by the federal government. They are wanting to restructure the land into a Desert Tortoise reserve.

Social media's impact on this particular story is that it is the only way people really hear about it. There have been the occasional stories on the news but nothing compared to what Facebook has done to further the story.

The Psychological impacts created by the use of Facebook is almost immeasurable. There are many people heard about the issue through a local news station but then seeing it come to a head over Facebook through messages from his kids and other family members have caused them to come together in a common cause. Speaking to one of the family members it is clear that even they understand the role that social media has played. While they called a few news stations the word about their situation spread too quickly for it to just be from their. The events that occur throughout the day are almost immediately posted on Facebook, instead of having to wait for a news cast or for the first hand retelling to come a few hours later. However, because the events can be posted so quickly those that may not be directly affected by the situation feel a part of it as if they are there and experiencing it.

Socially Facebook has brought two different groups together that are not always on the same side. The young and the old. Those who are in a younger generation have come together with those from an older generation. Because Facebook has become the main source of communication between young people, the spreading of the Cliven Bundy story was put on steroids because of the hysteria among the young people. The small amount of news organizations that picked up the story used a lot of information found on Facebook that had been posted by people close to the situation, thus bringing in the older generation.

This situation has not come about just in the last few weeks. Like stated before this fight has been going for over 20 years, and according to those closely connected to the fight it will continue. With the continued use of social media the polarization of the issue will continue to grow.

The physical location has much to do with why social media has made such an impact. This is in a remote area of the state of Nevada. Social media is one of their greatest assets. It works like the ripple effect. One person mentions it then three, then six, then twelve, then twenty-four, then forty-eight. Until the ripple of the effected area is massive. The effected area may be just in Nevada; however, there are people from all over the country who have caught wind of what many would have called a small country problem.

Culturally a case such as this in a predominantly agriculture based society causes massive upheaval. Upheaval among a certain culture group, farmers and ranchers. However, everyone is on the same side, with this particular case. More than just one group of people are being affected.

Facebook played such a huge role in launching the situation into the eyes of the public because it was immediate, things that happened were almost instantaneously posted. Facebook could easily be switched out for social media in general. Simply because YouTube and Twitter also played a significant role in the immediate reaction brought on by the posting of events. I think the reason that mainstream media didn't jump on this because they felt that it was just a bunch of "country bumkins" that would get bored or shout their peace and then leave.

Facebook was a way for the underdog to get their voices heard. Because the mainstream media was overlooking it, there were very few other options. It proved to be the most effective, more effective than I think people even realize right now. The extent won't be know for quite some time.

The voice of the "peasant" is heard through Social Media. It is a medium that doesn't have any prejudices. Anyone can hear, listen, and engage in social media. Making it one of the most powerful forms of communication that our generation has seen.