Lately I've noticed that the fever to raise all forms of awareness has spread like a wildfire through a pine forest. At first, these movements seemed fairly benign; being simple, honest attempts by a few individuals to help someone or something they knew or cared for. They were harmless and could easily be bought into or ignored. It made you feel good to contribute to them, but you felt a little guilty to walk by that family and their friends in front of your local 7-11 without donating, especially when all they were doing was raising awareness for cancer, asking you to buy a ribbon to help fund the medical bills for their dear afflicted family member.
And you know what? You probably should have been a little guilty (no value judgments here if you weren't), because these were people honestly vying to help someone they knew. These movements to raise awareness were designed to sincerely pull at your heart strings without being obnoxious about it. These people more than likely had a legitimate reason to stand there and plead for your help and open-mindedness and they probably had a real plan of action to put your aid to good use.
But oh, how things have changed! Take a look around you, these awareness movements are no longer simple, honest or easily avoidable. They're virulent, obnoxious, and they've become as prominent and intrusive as social media - being a direct consequence of its rapid development. If the movements, as I described them before, were like your local Mom and Pop stores, then awareness campaigns today have become Wall Mart: ridiculously large, grotesque, shady in its dealings, and cheap; as to appeal to people who cannot afford anything better.
The concept of raising awareness has expanded far beyond it's usefulness, growing from honest cries for legitimate aid to grandiose quests for the Holy Grail, entrenched firmly on inappropriate social, political and humanitarian soapboxes. Making matters worse is the fact that social media (facebook, twitter, the blogosphere, etc.) has brought these half-baked pseudo grass roots movements to the attention of young people who are susceptible to buying fully into these campaigns without bothering to understand their histories or implications any further than the topical (and often irresponsible) presentations offered to them in the form of easily chewable gummy tablets. You know, the ones in the shapes of Flinstone characters.
And when you think about it for a second, doesn't the idea of raising awareness itself seem a smidgen ridiculous? What is "raising awareness" supposed to accomplish anyway? You can tell me all you want about AIDS (or human trafficking, oppressive dictatorship regimes, or whatever else people are spreading the word about these days) in order to raise my awareness. Okay, I'm now aware that there is AIDS in the world! And I will wear this little plastic bracelet to let everybody know that I, too, am aware of AIDS (or whatever else)! Personally, I find the whole concept to be somewhat laughable.
Perhaps I'm being unfair, but what, really, did I do by raising awareness? I learned what I already know about some injustice in the world, and I have a fancy new bracelet to prove it. But what have I done? I haven't cured any disease, or toppled any dictator. I haven't stopped any serious oppressor of human rights, who thanks to you, I probably have the wrong picture about.
What I should have done instead is my homework. When something like KONY 2012 comes around, I don't take their world view as Truth and blindly follow their cause by spreading their grossly oversimplified and irrelevant message. Rather, I'll listen to what they have to say and then go educate myself on the matter. People who did would learn that Joseph Kony and his dismembered motley crew are about as powerful and relevant as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in the global community (and even in Iran) these days. The tendency to buy fully into these movements is becoming alarmingly common.
It may be a tired point, but look back to the Occupy Wall Street movement from a few months ago (people are still out there protesting - le sigh), thousands upon thousands of people flocked to Zuccotti Park, most with literally no idea what they were protesting or even what they wanted Wall Street to be made aware of. Now, there were a few highly educated individuals and groups who had concrete ideas and arguments, and they honestly represented the all-encompassing injustices dealt to the so-called 99%. But one has to realize that most people stood for little more than venting middle and lower class frustrations.
The unfortunate reality of Kony 2012, Occupy Wall Street and the plethora of other awareness movements plaguing the nation is simply that people were made aware that there was injustice in the world, and the vast majority grabbed pitchforks and torches, and then stood around rabble-rousing. And that's it. They griped about problems and injustices, when they didn't understand what the problem inherently was. They clamored for crucifiction, when they couldn't identify the proper villain. They demanded absolute, no-compromise solutions without first having formed any suggestions of their own.
Such action tends to be more harmful than good. How can you ever hope to fix what you care not to understand? With all the technology we have today, it's almost sinful, to the point where it is irresponsible that people fail to educate themselves on what are truly important matters (like Occupy Wall Street, some people had legitimate issues with the "1%"). Honestly, it's like I said at the beginning; that it feels good to be a part of one of these movements. Whether it's buying a ribbon to help fund a struggling family's medical expenses in your neighborhood, or watching and sharing a video about a war criminal who has been on the United Nations radar for over 20 years, it feels good to be a part of something good.
Rather, it feels good to take part in something you think is doing something good. And lately, these movements are becoming so big in this globalized world, the feeling becomes inflated as the number of people involved rises. Consequently, taking part in raising awareness has become less about actually understanding and trying to solve contemporary issues as it is about the feeling you get from being a part of something big. Awareness has devolved into a drug -a drug which is shamelessly getting the world high. Awareness has become the new opiate of the masses.
Hey, I agree with some of your main points, like those about the Kony 2012 campaign and especially the argument that people jump on board with any organization that is success in playing with peoples emotions. But, on the other hand, I disagree that 'raising awareness' is blind. It is not the act of "raising awareness" that capsizes the movement, it is, for one, the lack of knowledge of those people effected, which seems to be the point you where making. I also believe that blame lies with any organization that does not provide resources for an individual that goes in depth with the issue at hand.
ReplyDeleteRaising awareness is an essential tool for any cause. For one, you cannot expand your organization without reaching out, especially when people could potentially have resources vital to your cause, and could be recruited if your successful in marketing. A good example of that would be George Clooney and his ongoing commitment to end the extreme violence and ethnic cleansing in Sudan caused by dictator Omar Al-Bashir, because George Clooney has his fame as a resource, he was able to gain Media coverage on March 16 by getting arrested during a protest against the Sudanese government. (Something I am very positive was not unplanned)
The final big argument I would make for the "raising awareness" movement is that anything that requires the government to act requires a large body behind the cause. The government will only act when there is high public interest. So, for example, say an organization is trying to get food and water to refugees in a third world country, but the government in that country put a no fly zone over the refugee camp, plus that government has shut down the roads that have access to the camp, blocking any humanitarian aid from entering or the refugees from leaving. Well, then pressure from other nations is absolutely required and quick action through campaigns to raise awareness are really the only way to gain that movement large enough to cause a ripple in the water. And even as you broaden the scope of causes, that same need to have a good campaign is essential for success.
I believe that the reason this "call to action" thing is so big now is simply because it is so easy for these organization to reach out. Gone are the days of setting up billboards, spaming the shit out of the FEW who actually signed up for email updates on your organization, and begging for pennies. As little as 10 years (or even less) ago, these organizations had to rely on word of mouth and adds. While many did make videos and uploaded them to youtube (think..those old Peta propaganda videos about KFC, and the Cat/Dog fur trade) that people forwarded in e-mails (that friends would never actually open and read) now multiply it by the ridiculously easy process of Status updates, tweeting, pinning, blogging, and texting, and you have an emotional roller coaster. Dozens of different causes being shoved in peoples faces. The more competition these organizations are having to get their cause out there, the more the facts are being watered down and easier to process. You have to put likeable people talking about relatable situations that are somehow construed to relate to whatever this cause is actually about; which makes way for young organizations putting a young hipster infront of a camera with his young kid talking about other kids who are being forced into horrible situations and then giving them a wristband to feel like their 30 dollars actually got them something. Meanwhile that organization simply used the neive person, who doesn't actually fully understand the situation, for a signature on a digital petition that will buy a Senator's time to listen to a lobbyist that is working for the organization.
Anywho.... thats how I see it. Sorry for the very long comment, I just kept writing.... meeeep -__-