Blogs

A few days ago I logged onto my Facebook account to see if there had been any new notifications waiting for me, or as my girlfriend calls them, those little red things that make you feel special. Much to my chagrin I found that only one person had left me some virtual lovin’ and, even worse, it was nothing more than a 30 minute video post. At first I thought about saving it for later — I am after all a busy man — but then I was hit with a sudden guilt. This poor person obviously thought it was something worthwhile, so I might as well watch a few minutes of it. I’m sure by now you all know that this 30 minute video was of course KONY2012, otherwise known as the video sensation that’s sweeping the nation (and the world for the matter). Naturally, watching that video made me sad for all the children that have unfortunately suffered at the hands of Joseph Kony. It did however also make me wonder about the legitimacy of large-scale campaigns such as Kony2012, and whether they might somehow do more bad than good.

The first problem with these media-based attempts at humanitarian intervention, such as the aforementioned, is that they more often than not fail to fully convey the scale of the atrocities that are being committed. By utilizing social tools that are usually associated as little more than a way to communicate minor information to attempt to bring change to a highly complex social and political issue, the Kony problem is reduced to simple banter. The idea that one is helping simply by putting up a few posters and bulk forwarding a video not only is a fallacy in thinking, it also perpetuates the real tragedy by making it out to be a much smaller issue than it truly is. A media campaign can effectively topple the highest grossing summer blockbuster, but it only oversimplifies the rape, mutilation and abduction of an estimated 66,000 children in a faraway country.

The second problem that usually comes when groups like Invisible Children Inc. (the folks that put out the video) ask for donations to help raise awareness is the issue of organizational accountability. Sure, the video appeals to one’s sense of pathos, but it does little more to ensure the complete transparency in regards to the funding and allocation of resources. I’m pretty sure that guys who made this video were well aware of its tear-inducing, fund-generating qualities. The bad part isn’t that Invisible Children Inc. is asking for $40 contributions to help a good cause. The bad lies in that they ask for donations with very little presentation of any concrete idea as to how to resolve the problem.

The final issue comes with Invisible Children Inc.’s soliciting of corrupt African governments to help bring about the capture of Joseph Kony. While it is in fact imperative that Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army be caught, it is also important to note that by doing this, the world is forced to rely on other tyrannical governments to achieve this. Throughout history we’ve seen, time after time, situations in which good is forced to rely on the lesser of two evils to vanquish the greater threat. Just as America had to rely on the USSR in the name of the greater good in the 1940s, and just as we are now forced to rely on Pakistan to help achieve our aims in Afghanistan, so must all those who wish to see Joseph Kony brought to justice rely on other tyrants — those who have committed their fair share of atrocities, stripped from others certain rights that we in America hold so dear, and who have, despite cries for democracy, failed to relinquish their leadership after decades. To solicit help from said groups, and to choose to ignore and set aside their wrongdoings, is another potentially worse problem that comes with Kony2012.

Oh, youths of Berkeley. You more than anyone else enjoy social activism, standing up for what’s right and promoting change for a better world. So much so in fact that since I first saw this video post on my Facebook page a few days ago, it has now been posted to my wall at least a dozen times. Not to mention the obscene amount of Kony2012 fliers that have been handed to me on and around campus, and the oh-so-antiquated “forward this email or the ghosts of Kony’s victims will haunt you forever” chain messages. I, like most of you, would very much like to see this asshole caught. Unlike most of you, however, I feel that we should all know not only the good that can come of it, but also the unintended consequences that may come from this great cultural behemoth that goes by the name of Kony2012.

Comment Policy

Comments should remain on topic, concerning the article or blog post to which they are connected. Brevity is encouraged. Posting under a pseudonym is discouraged, but permitted. The Daily Cal encourages readers to voice their opinions respectfully in regard to the readers, writers and contributors of The Daily Californian. Comments are not pre-moderated, but may be removed if deemed to be in violation of this policy. Click here to read the full comment policy.

Comments

comments