We dance because we’re too apathetic for real activism
Friday night, hundreds of sweaty Northwestern students will gyrate in and around Norris to raise money for kids with pediatric cancers. Unlike them, I’ll try to stay away.
There’s something about Dance Marathon I find strange and monolithic. One of Northwestern’s most unifying traditions, DM has been a presence on campus for 33 years. Founded by the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and ASG, it has since grown insanely in scope and size. The first DM raised $9,100, and this year’s incarnation is expected to generate over $700,000. Supporting charities is always a worthwhile endeavor, but it is curious that DM is the most popular and prominent student group on campus.
Considering our campus is notoriously devoid of serious social and political activism, it follows that the most popular group is also the most morally unambiguous. Who doesn’t support helping kids with cancer? DM is a great reputation booster for frats, sororities, residential colleges and religious groups. I lived in Willard last year, and there wasn’t one day between October and March that I wasn’t bombarded by e-mails, fliers or dance marathon maniacs entering my room unannounced to convert me to their benevolent cause.
DM dancers face no real downside for their participation, besides potential exhaustion or traumatizing their peers with garish dance moves. If I were protesting against the Iraq War or supporting Jena 6 on this campus, I would generate some stares and ridicule from other students. Activism is the exception, not the norm. I remember an anecdote from The Daily Northwestern last fall about a group of black students, protesting the violent rape of a black woman in West Virginia, who were miffed by sororities handing out candygrams and blasting rap music at the Rock during their protest.
In a way, DM is a way of assuaging our collective guilt for being so distant from pressing social and political issues. We may not give a shit about racial dilemmas on our predominately white campus, or feel troubled by our endemic political apathy come election time, but it’s all good in the end because we help out some dying children along the way. DM is the perfect philanthropic outlet for our community because it is easy to get involved with and even easier to participate. But even better, it offends no one in our basically conservative community. Dancers keep on dancing, but their moves aren’t exactly bold.
Well there was that one protest way back in the day.... Or you can return home.
“We may not give a shit about racial dilemmas on our predominately white campus, or feel troubled by our endemic political apathy come election time, but it’s all good in the end because we help out some dying children along the way.”
Extremely well written. You have my support.
Ricky Pai
March 6, 2008 at 9:40 pm
I’m glad somebody finally came out and said it.
Molly L
March 6, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Ron Paul 2008
Scott
March 7, 2008 at 12:16 am
The Jena 6 cases were/are a farce, and the Megan Williams case was adequately handled by the prosecutor. If you want to be an activist, pick issues that have some iota of meaning.
dsf
March 7, 2008 at 12:38 am
Okay, I agree that it’s sad that the majority of people only like to help others when it’s convenient. But if we can mobilize and encourage these people, who otherwise would do nothing at all, to collectively contribute over $700,000 to a great cause, what’s wrong with that? DM isn’t taking away from or substituting “real” activism–it’s only adding to it.
No one’s saying that dancing in DM is a “bold move.” But you can’t say that raising $800 in a few months is an easy feat. You’ve never done it, have you? Not everyone just relies on sending letters.
And, also: “If I were protesting against the Iraq War or supporting Jena 6 on this campus, I would generate some stares and ridicule from other students.” I think I remember Jena 6 supporters around the Rock not too long ago. I don’t think anyone ridiculed them.
Yeah, so?
March 7, 2008 at 12:48 am
i understand what this is trying to say - but it’s a little harsh in saying that all the dancers don’t do anything else outside of DM - i’ve protested the war and have gotten shit thrown at me, i’ve been heckled at by crazy intense christians telling me that i am going to go to hell because i support gay marriage, and i’ve walked through chicago fighting for immigration reform - AND I DO DM! i’m sure that a good amount of the people doing DM don’t just do DM - they go out an help charities and protest as well. but have you ever danced and raised the money? cuz that shit is NOT easy - and people are not nice when you are trying to raise money. as for whoever said that the Jena 6 was a farce … that is some shit, damn
i will enjoy my 30 hours and still feel good that i have helped out - no matter what you say
El Luchador
March 7, 2008 at 9:23 am
Ah come on. Northwestern could definitely use more activism on campus, but is DM really the culprit?
This is pretty curmudgeon.
Nick
March 7, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Doing good for one thing is better than doing nothing — you can complain about lack of activism all you want, but it’s stupid to rank the importance of causes. Yes, the Iraq War is important, but that doesn’t mean cancer isn’t. And anyway, a protest is less likely to create change than actually raising those dollars for cancer, so don’t insult DM just because students here are lazy. No, doing DM doesn’t make you a saint, but NOT doing it certainly doesn’t make you one either.
E
March 8, 2008 at 9:40 am
Damn andrew you sure had a lot of courage to write this, holy smokes! This is some journalism here! who knew that DM was not just a harmless fundraiser, but a “way of assuaging our collective guilt?”
Guilt is not the motivating factor for DM, people participate in DM because it’s 1) fun (for some at least) and 2) supporting charity. Your inability to separate philanthropy from politically motivated activism is the central flaw of your argument. The lazy journalist looking for controversy will always resort to ill-thought out contrarian bitching instead of a good story. DM does not come at the expense of social and political protest, and those involved should be praised for such a noble effort.
stick
March 9, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Andrew, I understand your point and opinion and I fully support your right to have that opinion. That said, I disagree with you. People do sign up for something like DM just cause it’s the thing to do - it happens. But when you say you support a cause enough, and spend enough time dancing and working towards a cause, you may find that without knowing it, you start to truly believe in that cause. As anyone who’s ever danced before will tell you, somewhere in the middle you get sick of saying “we luv da keez” and really just want to leave. But you keep saying it, and you keep dancing, and you keep listening to speakers, and by at the end, when the money total is unveiled, you find yourself becoming emotional because you’ve really connected with that cause. I know this is what I’ve experienced during the two DM’s ive danced in and other people have reported experiencing the same thing.
My point is this: try it - try participating in DM and you may find that it’s as real as any other kind of activism. It forces you to confront serious issues and overcome enormous challenges, personal or otherwise. You will find some meaning in it, however, and you may be surprised by how much you begin to actually care.
In all seriousness, I’d like to ask of all the people who feel this way about DM, how many of you have actually participated? This is in no way meant to be an attack, I’m just curious because if you haven’t you may consider it before making these claims because it may change your mind. Or it may not, but you should still do it so that your opinion can be better supported by experience.
One final question, bit of food-for-thought: if people don’t really care (which I believe they do) but still manage to raise almost a million dollars for a great cause, does it matter that they didn’t really care? Do the ends justify the means? I don’t know the answer, I’m just throwing it out there.
This site is great and I applaud you for prompting such good discussion.
Matt McKenna
March 9, 2008 at 3:17 pm
It’s absolutely reasonable to say our campus lacks a certain degree of political/social activism. But to say that “DM dancers face no real downside for their participation, besides potential exhaustion or traumatizing their peers with garish dance moves” is very naive. Not only is it challenging to raise $800 but the pain from standing for 30 hours is incredible and the exhaustion is certain, not “potential.” You’re right that the causes are purposely unambiguous and generate no controversy–but does that make them undeserving? Don’t they need attention and support too? The virtual absence of political activism and the enormous presence of DM are two separate issues and one is not to blame for the other.
Amy
March 9, 2008 at 11:38 pm
You raise some good points Sheivachman, but two thoughts: 1) NU is not “basically conservative” in any sense, and to generalize like that to make a point is a little far-fetched and 2) What alternative are you proposing? Because yeah, I think everyone and their grandmother knows that today’s generation is largely unmotivated and apathetic…but is the solution to just keep on doing nothing? You’re not suggesting anything else, since there isn’t an advocation for activism in this piece, just the sentiment that it ain’t happening. Much love.
Jeremy
March 10, 2008 at 8:06 am
Andrew, kudos for making a sincere political point and trying to foster debate on this issue. But, in the spirit of that debate, I have to disagree. In your second-to-last paragraph, you imply (perhaps unintentionally) that true activism is defined by the amount of opposition it creates, rather than the measurable good it achieves. But I think we can all agree that the opposite is true. Absurd example: I would create quite a bit of opposition if I marched down Sheridan under a banner saying “Iran: Bombs Away!” but just because I’m being politically controversial doesn’t mean I’m contributing anything. On the other hand, DM actually saves or at least changes lives on a truly inspriational scale. That is very bold, indeed. But DM’s genius is to make bold change seem, not only non-controversial, but fun. Isn’t that something to praise?
Derek T
March 10, 2008 at 11:21 am
Yeah, DM is a cop-out, but writing an article about how cool you are for being some sort of charity maverick is somehow meaningful?
It raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity, but by golly, they sure are annoying when they try and get me involved!
Please. DM isn’t the problem and your hipster-esque “I’m too elite for just any sort of activism” whining is certainly not the answer.
Daniel
March 11, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I hear you and I’m with you, but there is a presence of activism on this campus. We’re hard to find because we’re busy and often moving in several directions at once, but this Friday we’ll be getting a petition signed outside of Burger King for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (if you are wondering what the hell I’m talking about, go here: http://www.ciw-online.org). Come by and say hi if you want to get involved!
Ruth
April 9, 2008 at 9:27 pm