Sporting different color magnetic ribbons or bumper stickers that say "Free Tibet" on your car. It may be a "support our troops" yellow ribbon, a pink breast cancer ribbon, or any number of preposterous incarnations meant to capitalize on this trend. When you put stickers and magnets on your car, you aren't doing anything to support the cause. Thus, inactivism.
Julie has a "Free Tibet" sticker on her Subaru. But she hasn't done anything to actually help free Tibet. She also has an orange-spotted green ribbon that supports narcoleptic dogs. This doesn't do anything for narcoleptic dogs. This is inactivism.
by Jamie Perkins May 12, 2008
Nico Karadimitriadis' alternative definition of the word de-activated, normally used in a technology context.
Nico: Sheee-yit, I installed that Windoze security update, and now my web browser is inactivated!
User: The word's deactivated, dummy
Nico: Kiss my ass I get paid triple what you do
User: The word's deactivated, dummy
Nico: Kiss my ass I get paid triple what you do
by Engelbert Humperdinck February 11, 2008
The use of direct, often confrontational action meant to instigate social and political change, through Facebook and Twitter posts. Inactivists will often point to the root or cause of a social issue without directing the audience toward a course of action or even a coherent alternative viewpoint.
Steven got caught up in Political Inactivism today when he protested Obamacare on Facebook for 4 hours straight and then ate a ham sandwich and forgot.
by thesozoguy September 28, 2013