Oh, writing i such sweet sorrow. I come to you fine readers today with the topic of originality in social writing and what it means to me and should mean to you. Mind you that originality is not based on how provocative or against the grain your writing is, but more on the innovation and creativity incorporated into it. The idea for this topic stems from the emergence of the Kony2012 movement and its rapid growth via social networking. If you didn't know, the Kony2012 video is an astonishing piece of emotional porn who's goal is to expose Joseph Kony, a warlord in Uganda who's crimes should'nt go unpunished. Now, at first glance one would watch the video and think to themselves "Good lord, this man must be stopped" and they'd be right to think that, but the real culprit for the topic of this essay are the skeptics and provocative agitators of facebook/twitter/youtube/tumblr who subconsciously try to flaunt what they take as their own originality by pointing out what they feel is the obvious, in this case the notion that all Kony2012 supporters are a bunch of bandwagon riding idiots who fall for emotional garbage like Kony's story. Who are these people to point out who's kindness and compassion is genuine when the very characters they arbitrarily portray (the agitators) are a dime a dozen? The have yet to realize that the kindness of human beings needs no background check and that maybe their 'originality' only comes from their own vanity in attempt to reach a degree of self assurance. I'm not saying that there should be no opposition or an opposing opinions should be snuffed out, i'm saying that those who feel the nee to oppose the movement shouldn't refer to the numbers of supporters as a means to justify their opposition which is a juvenile attempt at staying original and nothing more. These folk should express their disdain for the movement with physical/literary evidence that they can site and refer to as a means of strengthening their point of view. I'm tired of writing, good evening.
-Ferrrrnando
I've actually been kind of obsessed with this Kony2012 stuff. I've been feeling really torn, because like you point out, isn't it wonderful that people are so concerned with others and showing compassion for their fellow man? At the same time, these "awareness" campaigns always seems so self-serving to me. It feels like it allows people to pat themselves on the back just for knowing about something, but what have they actually done to help? The very name of the charity, "Invisible Children" is so problematic; invisible to whom?? If the West isn't aware of something that makes it invisible? Anyway, I think you make a good point that the urge to go against Kony2012 does run the risk of being equally bandwagon-y. Except for me of course; my thoughts are all completely original.
ReplyDelete