OPINION:
Technology has democratized soft power, turning TikTok users into modern-day diplomats. Now, everyone from the Oval Office to the streets of Cairo can influence public policy and diplomacy.
We’re seeing this play out right now in Ukraine, which in many ways is the first truly global war. Early on, when the U.S. was still debating whether and how to send aid to Ukraine, Americans watched from their couches as homes and businesses were flattened and lives were destroyed. They didn’t wait for Congress to get its act together; instead, they booked Airbnbs in Ukraine to help financially support small-business owners and get money into the hands of the people who needed it.
Never have the people been able to circumvent the government to provide direct relief to another nation in need. This fundamentally changes the context in which foreign diplomacy is conducted; the average citizen can now shape the U.S. response to international crises from their phone.
The age of armchair diplomacy is here. Young people are particularly well positioned to take on this new responsibility. But absent barriers to entry, how do we ensure that these conversations are effective and informed?
How do we master the art of dialogue?
While powerful, I submit that digital platforms are insufficient for building bridges of cultural understanding. In the same way digital art is different from a painted canvas, online interactions, while valuable, have different traits and qualities that create a different lens through which to view the world.
That lens is often sound bites, video clips, news articles and viral social media posts. It is not a deep, long-form conversation that challenges our global perspective. Whether you blame algorithms, Generation Z, or the nature of technology itself, it is undeniable that parasocial relationships and 280-character posts cannot capture the depth and complexity of political strife and foreign relations.
In diplomacy, physical interaction is still king. Fortunately, young leaders still have a major role to play in the physical landscape.
The Shafik Gabr Foundation’s fellowship program, East-West: The Art of Dialogue, provides a powerful framework through which to view the role of young people in world affairs. Each year, this program brings together 10 Americans and 10 Egyptians, ages 24 to 35, who spend time in each other’s country, engage in rigorous discussion, and participate in robust cultural exchange.
As a 2022 Gabr fellow, I gained invaluable, firsthand experience by living with and learning from the Egyptian fellows in a way that I never could have through articles and videos. It’s one thing to read about the Arab Spring. It’s another thing entirely to be sitting in Cairo and hearing someone’s story about protesting in Tahrir Square.
We talked with, questioned, and learned from one another. Even on particularly divisive issues, such as free speech and democracy, we listened to each other. We grew to understand the cultural and political frameworks that shaped our respective worldviews.
We had political debates while enjoying a bowl of koshari and came out stronger for it. Then, we came back to our home countries with the knowledge and connections necessary to effect real change. Now, when issues of U.S.-Egyptian relations arise, we don’t have to wonder what the Egyptian people think; we can call them and ask.
Not everyone will have the opportunity for international travel, but we all have access to the global political landscape in the palm of our hands. It is up to us to wield this power responsibly by understanding the limitations of online platforms and pushing beyond our own cultural understanding by crossing, building and mending bridges of understanding.
As Thomas Friedman says, the world is flat, and globalization offers a new, decentralized method of interpersonal connection.
Use your armchair diplomacy wisely.
• Harley Adsit is a graduate of the University of Virginia and communications director in the House of Representatives. She is a 2022 Gabr fellow and a native of Norfolk, Virginia.
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