How the #FuckYouWashington Twitter Movement Began: Interview With Jeff Jarvis

Professor and journalist Jeff Jarvis skyped into What's Trending Live to discuss the controversial hashtag he initiated over Twitter aimed at the powers that be over in Washington.

What first began as anger over the debt ceiling negotiations, became something much more as tens of thousands of tweets flooded the social stream filled with #FuckYouWashington and taking aim at the overall political process.

Although he was the first to point a virtual middle finger at Washington to his over 75,000 Twitter followers, Jarvis attributes the hashtag's popularity and resonance to a political climate that's simply an "effed up mess" and citizens that aren't going to sit back in silence anymore. He's posted some of his favorites on his own blog, BuzzMachine.com.

"Obviously it is what people think. The thing about the Internet is that you don't control a message," Jarvis said. "It's not like media or marketing or politics where people think they create and control messages. On the Internet you throw a message out and either it resonates or it doesn't."

Jarvis also sees a way for Washington to take the outrage as constructive criticism, a reminder that they are a representation of the everyday person and that those people will no longer be ignored. "The lesson for all politicians and all large institutions is that the people finally have a voice and they better damn well listen," Jarvis said.

Tune in and join the conversation every Tuesday at 10 A.M. PST / 1 P.M. EST for the latest episode of What's Trending.

 

Follow Shira Lazar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/shiralazar

Comments

[tmblwd717frn]

05:08 PM on 07/31/2011

We have a government who has gone completely amuck and has lost its focus and the purpose for which they were voted into office for. Both parties have done our country a big dis-service to the well being of its people. We have greed and corruption top priortiy and not dealing with fairness and equality to its people. America needs to hang its head in shame. But we still can be the great country we have always known it to be. We need to be open to better ideas be it reforming our social programs to make it better and for us all to share in the burden to clean up tax reform. We all must bite the bullet. Time to stop blaming each other and get down to serious business on cleaning up a very divided country and government. It can be done. Fran in MI

[GeoNorth]

02:38 PM on 07/31/2011

Only Bernie sanders is responsive to the needs of the American worker. The Republicans have, once again, hijacked the conversation. we should be talking about JOBS. But instead, the conversation is about spending cuts and tax cuts. The Democrats are more than willing to have that conversation. even when they know the conversation should be JOBS. Nothing being discussed in this budget will address JOBS. Nothing. And since there are no JOBS, there will be no new revenues. Since they won't demand a fair tax rate from the richest among us, we are being put on a rocket sled to hell.

F.U., Washington. You have abandoned America. F.U.

[innerpuppie]

02:01 AM on 08/01/2011

I ♥ Bernie.

[coreten]

01:25 PM on 07/31/2011

Thank you technology, for providing the opportunity for the people to finally tell Washington to where to get off and what to sit on.

[dodecahedron64]

05:29 PM on 07/29/2011

International Falls, MN 46 year old male. F.U. Washington! Start listening and pay attention to the middle class, those making under $100K.

[jsgaetano]

10:58 PM on 07/28/2011

If America defaults on it's debt, it will destroy conservative ideology. If Democrats save America from the Teabaggers, it will disgrace conservative ideology just as badly as the Bush Second Great Depression... and conservatives will eventually fade away into the dustbin of disgraced ideologies. So either way it's a win-win... but we all know conservatives would prefer to do as much damage to America as possible.

[DeanWormer]

01:28 PM on 07/28/2011

The Obama effect

[Andrew Wojtkowski]

05:10 PM on 07/28/2011

Congress has a much lower approval rating. Half of it, at best.

[GeoNorth]

02:39 PM on 07/31/2011

Thank you for identifying yourself as the problem.