A citizen without Empowerment to lead their Nation is a toy tied up to a rusty political structure that moves through corruption and private interests. As the Lego toy exposure, the potential of citizens´ action is enormous and is built from little assembled pieces of will, education, information and knowledge.

Social media and communications are just tools, even if it looks as a truly power for changing. If it is not used by an educated citizenship it doesn’t work. We cannot expect effective results if it is not under a in-depth debate in which information, knowledge and ethics are combine.

There relies the power of the citizenship, not in the tool in itself; indeed, social media is a tool and not a goal. Even if were are getting used to “move” through social media in personal and professional relations, is not useful and definitely not helpful to boost a world based on an “influential citizenship”.

The direct participation of citizens in politics shouldn’t be anything new under the standards of a democratic system, however it has become and exceptional fact in which most of the time the citizens are only participating through social media networks. Relying on their leaders and their biased messages. Social media is not enough, and it supposes an important manipulation from political elites that truly undermine democratic principles.

We are not educated for advocating for our rights – a substantial difference from Activism– but for relying on institutions represented by leaders.

This “trend” of indiscriminate use of social media means also being less influence within the political decision-making process and more a matter of activism work. The potential of social media to boost activism is paramount, although it should not suppose a substitute of an influential citizenship able to participate and “be one with” the system. If not, we are fighting “against” not “with” the system. For truly democratic processes citizens must see politics through the lenses of a steady advocacy. Activism its an important part of social media but its important not to rely on it as the only way to approach the political structure.

A balance relationship citizens-government supposes the capacity of claiming for changes but also be part of the change by demanding accountable, transparent and reliable decisions.

Transparency doesn’t necessary come from a strong legal framework but from an active work from the own political parties, in the search of a careful selection of leaders and members. It doesn’t make sense to establish strong legal framework of accountability if there is not a follow up on ethics from the very beginning of the political leaders´ career and interests. Is it there when it starts the failure on accountability and transparency, the citizenship relies on people without a proper supervision of their activities and reasons for becoming a “political leader”.

Let´s open the power of influence through a committed and convinced citizenship!

Moving beyond social media: citizen´s will, education, information and knowledge…..