Slacktivism in the Atheist Community

You know those people - they post 15 different pictures a day that they've stolen from Working Class Atheists or Sexy Atheists, they upvote everything they see on Reddit r/Atheism, they are constantly posting articles about atheism in their (private) Atheist group, and they "like" every every apathetic post about Atheism that they see. 

They do not, however, volunteer to stand along side you while you're having an open display of Atheism. They don't volunteer for philanthropic events where your freethinker group is proudly wearing their group shirts. They don't write letters to the editor. They don't volunteer to organize or help out with any group activity that isn't firmly wedged into a closet. 

My friends, these people are slacktivists. Their whole existence in the Atheist community exists on the internet. If they're a really brave slacktivist, they might go out and join you for a beer (if and only if it is a closeted event where no one is wearing their bright red A pin). 

Wikipedia describes slacktivism like this:

Slacktivism (sometimes slactivism or slackervism) is a portmanteau of the words slacker and activism. The word is usually considered a pejorative term that describes "feel-good" measures, in support of an issue or social cause, that have little or no practical effect other than to make the person doing it feel some amount of satisfaction. The acts tend to require minimal personal effort from the slacktivist. The underlying assumption being promoted by the term is that these low cost efforts substitute for more substantive actions rather than supplementing them, although this assumption has not been borne out by research.

Here's my message to all you slacktivists out there: think about all the time you spend on the internet and on your phone doing your "work" for the atheist movement. Now take that time and cut it in half and devote half of it to getting out there and doing something. You can start small - write a letter to the editor, volunteer for some activities your Atheist group is putting on, go volunteer for a philanthropic event while flying your Atheist colors high. Get off your computer, go outside, and get involved. It's important, and it's bigger than you think. 

<3 M