pproximately three levels of membership, starting inward and moving outward. First level would be the inner core, which sets the group’s goals, time tables, strategies and inspires other members. The individuals right along the outside of the inner core would be the committed group, these people are the main ones that show up for the demonstrations, and do the majority of the grunt work. At the third level is a wider circle of people who are less committed and less dependable. Their participation is primarily a matter of convenience. If an activity does not interfere with something else they want to do, they participate. Lying outside the membership is the public, a dispersed group of people who usually have an interest in the issue. The idea of forming a social movement, the process of coming up with a tactic or plan of attack would lead an individual to believe that these organized groups would see nothing but loads of success. Which leads to the question of why do social movements fail?By their nature, such broad problems are entrenched in society and not easy to solve.They require more than merely tinkering with some small part. Just as the problem touches many interrelated components of society, so the solutions require changes in those many parts. With no quick fix available, the social movement must stay around. But longevity brings its own danger of failure, for as noted, social movements tend to become bureaucratized, to turn inward and to focus their energies on running the organization.The media plays a major role in controlling people’s ideas or decision-making. To do this they use many different propaganda techniques or “tricks of the trade.” My personal favorite technique would have to be the “bandwagon” approach. The idea that everybody is doing it so therefore it must be right. By showing you a diverse group of individuals all doing or enjoying the same thing it gives you th...
