Building Virtual Support for a Big Cause

    Since I don’t have a personal Facbeook account that I use, I asked my mother if I could use her account to cerate a page promoting a cause to the online community.  Since she agreed, I decided to create a Facebook page on a cause that was equally important to her as it was to me.  My cause regards promoting reading for pleasure within society.  With people constantly functioning in such a fast-paced environment, when the weekend rolls around, or any other free time becomes available, society is much more ready to turn on the TV or surf the Internet than pick up a book.  “The Book Club Initiative” seeks to break these habits and increasing reading for pleasure as a leisurely activity, rather than habitually turning to modern forms of entertainment.

     I presume that among the few bookworms left in society, supporters of my cause would include concerned parents, scholars, and older generation book lovers who have more free time than most working people, and who grew up with an educational focus on books.  I would plan to respond to positive comments from these parties by providing information on ways they can encourage and promote reading within local communities, as well as to thank them and encourage their continuous efforts and interests in the cause.  I have found from past readings and resources that in regards to both positive and negative comments, it is best to maintain consistent, fluid conversation and responses in order to address all parties with importance. 

      I believe some of the opposing members of my cause would include those who are large supporters of new media and find reading books to be an activity with an expiration date.  I anticipate some of the negative comments to include:

   "I don’t have time to read books after working all day.”

   "Why should I invest time in an activity that will one day be obsolete?” And,

   “Books are a waste of my time and energy, when chances are the best written books will be made into movies eventually anyway.”

  (I had actually done some research regarding what comments I should anticipate regarding this subject matter and these were some actual responses I received from friends.)  To respond to these negative comments, I would focus on the benefits reading provides society (i.e. diminishing stress levels, life lessons, expanding knowledge) as well as how the advancements of new media would not be possible without the vast amounts of published literature.

     When addressing the media, I would encourage those interested in more information to write to my personal email provided on the Facebook page, or to leave a comment and provide their email so that I could contact them personally with more information.  I also would make an effort to provide links to websites with similar missions regarding the importance of books, such as the organization, Reading is Fundamental.

      My pitch for reporters interested in The Book Club Initiative would go as follows:“The Book Club Initiative is an effort to refocus society’s attention to the importance of reading books for pleasure.  The continuous advancement of new media has caused society to rely on TV and the Internet for entertainment as opposed to traditional reading.  Through promotional events, tips to encourage reading within local communities, and online community engagement, we hope to reestablish the art of reading.  For more information, visit The Book Club Initiative at www.facebook.com/TheBookClubInitiative, email Lydia Pavach at pavachly@msu.edu.”