Friday, March 9, 2012

Invisible Children

I'm not sorry for not having an opinion on . I don't know what the solution to the situation in Africa is. I don't even know if we should get involved. Probably not, given our track record.
However, I do have some insight into why it is such a prevalent issue right now.
Young, technologically savvy, and connected youth in this country and others have seen the effect that online protests have on the real world. From Arab Spring to stopping SOPA, groups of individuals, previously distant from other like-minded individuals, have found they can coordinate effective action through social networks and online services. It seems quite often that these protests are just a lot of noise and buzz around a galvanizing issue without offering solutions or any real work. Witness how many videos' and blog posts' comments sections are filled with cries of "Kony!"
Not that raising awareness of a situation by forcing the rallying cry to be hear is a bad thing, mind you. I just don't think it's as effective as it needs to be. This situation in Uganda is not new and it is not simple. And I haven't studied this topic, nor does it particularly interest me or even affect me. So you won't find the answer on this blog either.
Here's vlogger Hank Green with more: