The Revolution Will Be Tweeted

This image, although simple, has been a work in progress for the past few months. I was inspired by the Gill Scott song, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. When this song was written in the 60’s it was meant to inspire people to get up, turn off the T.V. and get out and join the revolution rather than just sitting at home consuming the news and information about it.

What is so interesting about this message is that today you can sit at home and be a part of the revolution. Through technology, like smart phones, computers, Twitter, and Facebook, the individual is not only able view and consume information on world events, but we are also able to take part in spreading the message of “The Revolution” from the comforts of our own home. Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook allow the individual to broadcast live, real time information in free open forums giving the individual a new power of authorship within the media. Not only does the average person now have the power to be a source of information but social media has also given the people the ability to verify the source and validity of information via likes and commenting. We still need people to get up, take to the streets, and fight for what they believe in, but the average person doesn’t have to. The masses have been given a new power to spread “The Revolution,” news, and information through social media.

Below is my rendition of the of this old song, made appropriate for Twitter and modern social media.

The Revolution Will Be Tweeted
By: Rachel Hurvitz

You will be able to stay home, brother.
You will be able to plug in, log on and turn out.
You will be able to lose yourself on flikr and tumblr,
Skip out for a beer while the page loads,
Because the revolution will be tweeted.

The revolution will be tweeted.
The revolution will be brought to you by Twitter
In 140 word characters without commercial interruptions.
The revolution will show you pictures of Gaddafi dead,
bloodied and carried through the streets.
Videos of Occupy Wall Streets protesters
from New York City to Japan.

The revolution will be tweeted.
The revolution will be brought to you by
Twitter and will star the average man
and his neighbor fighting for justice.
The revolution will stimulate your mind.
The revolution will feed your hunger for true democracy.
The revolution will bring this world equality and
freedom, because the revolution will be tweeted, Brother.

There will be pictures of people
carrying placards down the block on the dead run,
and hooligans trying to slide that color television into a stolen ambulance.
NBC will be able show the winner at exactly 8:32
and report from all 29 districts.
The revolution will be tweeted.

There will be pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers on Twitter.
There will be pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers on Twitter.
There will be pictures of veteran Scott Olsen being
struck in the head by a projectile thrown by Oakland police.
There will be slow motion or still life of Jesse
Jackson strolling through Watts in a Red, Black and
Green liberation jumpsuit that he had been saving
For just the proper occasion.

American Idol, Family Guy, and New York Housewives
will no longer be so damned relevant, and
women will not care if Chuck finally gets down with
Blair on Gossip Girl because the people
will be in the street looking for a brighter day.
The revolution will be tweeted.

There will be 100’s of blogs
with news and pictures of hairy armed women
liberationists and Michelle Obama blowing her nose.
The theme song will not be written by Justin Timberlake,
Kanye West, nor sung by Jay-Z, Rhinna,
Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, or Maroon 5.
The revolution will be tweeted.

The revolution will not be right back
after a message about a white tornado, white lightning, or white people.
You will not have to worry about a dove in your
bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl.
The revolution will not go better with Coke.
The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath.
The revolution will put you in the driver’s seat.

The revolution will be tweeted, will be tweeted,
will be tweeted, will be tweeted.
The revolution will be no re-run brothers;
The revolution will be live.