Dr Matiur Rahman

Today, technology, culture, and our daily activities are so dynamically intertwined that their influence on how we think and live cannot be denied. Concepts such as new media, culture jamming, and the third wave are becoming more critical in this changing environment. By understanding how these all work together, we can better understand how people interact and influence each other in modern society.

The emergence of digital platforms, social networks and interactive technologies has fundamentally changed the character of mass media. Where previously the source and dissemination of information was controlled by a few, now everyone can create and disseminate information. In this new system, everyone is not just a receiver of information but also a creator of information. As a result, the scope of information has increased, and different opinions and perspectives have come to the fore. It also hears the marginalised sections of society and creates a more diverse and inclusive discussion environment where everyone's voice is valued and contributes to a larger community.

The way people communicate has completely changed with the Internet and mobile phones. People are now more connected than ever and can work together with people from all over the world. Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are essential in expressing people's opinions, empowering various movements, and creating events that catch the world's attention. These new means of communication are so accessible to everyone that anyone can easily express their views and collaborate.

Culture jamming is a form of creative rebellion that aims to disrupt the cultural norms and power structures around us. It is a concept born in the late 20th century, where irony, sarcasm, and other techniques are used to speak out against consumerism, big companies' power, and mass media's influence. By repurposing existing media elements, culture jammers seek to reveal hidden messages, make people think, and change society. This awareness of the power of culture jamming can empower individuals to challenge the status quo.

Simply put, culture jamming is a protest against the monotony and commercialism of the media. The advertisements and news we see every day sometimes distort reality. Culture jammers seek to shatter these distorted images and create something new. They want people to think for themselves and form their own opinions. They use humour, sarcasm, and art to do this. Thus, they make people believe and instil creativity in them.

According to futurist Alvin Toffler, we have entered a new era called the 'Third Wave'. In this third wave, we are transitioning from an industrial-based society through a service-based economy to an information-driven society. Technology, communication, and the flow of information play a vital role in this change. As a result, the very foundations of our society, economy, and culture are changing.

The whole picture of mass media has changed with the advent of third-wave communication. The monopolistic power of a few large organisations that used to be the source of all information is slowly eroding. With smartphones in everyone's hands, social media has become more robust, so anyone can now be a source of information. As a result of this change, the mass media is no longer monotonous; it has become more diverse and creative. Ordinary people can now generate new information and opinions and spread them quickly. This change is also serving as a powerful tool for social change.

The Third-wave framework noticeably connects new media and culture jamming. New digital platforms have become a massive stage for culture jammers. These platforms help them spread their message faster and more widely. As a result, they can quickly mobilise many people to form a movement. Where earlier such work required a lot of money and resources, now anyone can do it with a small device.

Due to social media's virality, culture-jamming campaigns spread rapidly and unite people worldwide. Funny memes, viral videos, and creative digital art make it easy to get important messages across to people. Criticisms are thus becoming part of popular culture, and voices of protest are becoming more assertive. Integrating social media into people's daily lives makes culture-jamming campaigns even more effective.

The interactive nature of new media allows for more direct communication with the audience. It will enable the audience to give feedback instantly; by analysing these reactions, creative people can improve their work. This two-way communication fosters an active and responsive community, critical to succeeding in today's complex information age.

The effectiveness of culture jamming has increased in the age of new media. For example, the Occupy Wall Street movement. In this movement, the protestors made their voices heard with heavy use of social media. They used social media to raise awareness against social inequality, unite people and spread the movement worldwide. Using tools like viral hashtags and live streaming, they were able to keep the movement going for a long time.

Memes are powerful tools in politics. They are very effective in criticising politicians or a particular policy. These short images are easily shareable and, with a touch of humour, can easily win over people. The memes created about various candidates or issues during the election reflect the public's attitude. These memes show what the general public thinks about a candidate or a problem.

Artist groups like The Yes Men expose social issues through culture jamming. They expose the wrongdoings of big companies or governments through various tricks and satirical techniques. Thus, they inform people of these problems and prompt governments and organisations to address them. They also use the media so that their work can reach more people and bring about social change.

In Bangladesh, concepts like new-generation media, culture jamming, and the third wave have dramatically changed the country's social and political landscape. In particular, various social and political movements are being conducted through digital platforms and social media, a strong example of culture jamming.

Recently, Bangladesh has seen a significant phenomenon in the Safe Road movement led by school and college students. This movement, which started in 2018, quickly spread nationwide due to social media. The agitators spread their demands nationwide through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Satirical memes, videos, and posts created on social media made a powerful campaign highlighting government failures and the plight of road safety. This incident proves how this new-age media can bring about social change and develop new thinking methods by challenging established ideas.

The student movement of 2024 and the subsequent fall of the government are milestones in Bangladesh's political history. This incident opened a new chapter in the country's political situation and taught us much about how its politics will develop.

This year, students joined the quota reform movement again to demand significant changes in Bangladesh's education system and government jobs. Although this movement was formed under students' leadership, it spread across the country through social media. Various banners, memes, and videos of the movement went viral on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, creating a massive response.

The students started the movement peacefully protesting against reforms in the education system, transparency in government jobs and corruption. However, the movement intensified as the government ignored their demands and started repression. Public support for this movement grew, and people began taking to the streets in different parts of the country. The movement that started against the quota system turned into demands for changes in education, government jobs and overall governance of the country.

Under the intense pressure of the long-standing agitation, the government was forced to take drastic measures to control the situation. However, these repressive measures strengthened the movement, and public support shifted towards the agitators. The situation became so volatile that, eventually, the government had to resign. To restore the country's stability during this crisis and re-establish democracy through an impartial election, Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus was appointed as the Chief Advisor to the Caretaker Government. An interim government was formed under his leadership.

The student movement of 2024 has added a revolutionary chapter in the political history of Bangladesh. This movement ousted a government and profoundly affected the country's political and social structure. It has given rise to a new generation of political consciousness. It has shown a new way of bringing about political change by harnessing the power of mass media and social media. As a result of this movement, the politics of Bangladesh took a new turn and indicated more sweeping changes in the future.

Due to the widespread use of social media in Bangladesh, social anomalies, corruption, and political issues are intensely criticised through satirical videos and sketches on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. This viral content is a powerful tool for creating critical thinking among viewers and bringing about change in society. By satirising political figures and decisions, these contents generate a sense of accountability towards government and institutions among the people.

The examples show that this third wave, created by the fusion of new technology and culture in Bangladesh, is a powerful social and political change engine. Digital platforms' accessibility and ability to bring people together are helping to challenge historical power structures and build a new, more democratic society.

The convergence of new media, culture jamming and the third wave has ushered in a new era of creativity, activism and cultural production. The rapid development of technology is creating new possibilities in this field. Young people are using this technology to express their opinions and try to bring about social change. However, the use of this technology also creates some new challenges. Therefore, it is important to do detailed research on how these technologies are being used and their long-term effects.

Advances in technology are changing the landscape of mass media. No one can directly control the source of news these days. Everyone can spread information in their way. This change has resulted in information overload, on the one hand, and on the other, it has become easier to spread misinformation. As a result, while we benefit from more information, it becomes difficult to understand which information is correct.

As culture jamming grows in popularity, the line between humour and criticism slowly blurs. Such creative works capture the audience's attention with engaging presentations on various events and daily life topics. However, it is essential to be careful when creating such content. If we resort to too much humour, the importance of serious matters can be diminished. Again, if we are too critical, people may misunderstand us. Hence, it is essential to clearly understand the purpose and impact of creating such content.

As technology becomes more powerful in the future, the way people and society interact will also change. The role of culture jamming will become more important in these changes. People will challenge established power structures and use new technologies to bring about social change. Culture Jamming will help bring people together to solve various global problems.

Ideas like new media, culture jamming, and the third wave are converging to reshape our society and culture. With this new technology, ordinary people's voices have become more muscular. They can now easily challenge established power structures and change society through new forms of creative work. Culture jamming reinforces this process. Through this practice, people challenge conventional ideas and beliefs and create new ways of thinking. As a result, there is more discussion and criticism in the society.

In this age of free information flow and participation of all, where third-wave influence is pervasive, a new type of society is emerging where power is not centralised but rather diffuse. This change presents us with both new opportunities and challenges. We must carefully assess the situation and adapt to change to succeed in today's complex communication system.

In the era of new technology, media and culture influence each other and take new forms. Social change, creativity, and new ways of thinking are born out of this mix. People are opening doors to new possibilities by going beyond conventional thinking. This change will help the current generation meet new challenges and help future generations build a better society with equal rights for all.

The writer is a researcher and development worker.