Kony 2012 (It’s ok, wear the bracelet)
Alright, so here’s the story: This afternoon, I received this post on my Facebook wall:
“Hi Erin,
As an american, and as the person I remember you are, take a look at this video. If you’ll disagree I’d like to listen and learn. If not, good thing we’ve spread it.”
Especially intrigued by the invitation and having no clue what #stopkony was, I watched the viral video “KONY 2012”. The video aims to make Joseph Kony, head of the LRA, a household name; to “make him famous” and protect the existing efforts in Uganda which will hopefully bring him to justice in front of the ICC this year.
It was not long into the video that I got it: I understood the message. As I listened to the descriptions of Kony’s crimes against humanity and learned about the efforts of Invisible Children, I waited for the call to action. What did this video need me to do?
Brilliantly produced and marketed to the new media mouth – and to the colorful all-consuming generation that loves purpose – this video was compelling in every aspect.
I found myself curious why Shiri, the friend who shared the link, thought I might disagree. In researching online and following several twitter feeds, I quickly found the comments and critiques about the #stopkony campaign.
As I read the claims against Invisible Children, I was disturbed that the compassion I felt for 27 minutes of viewing started to become a skeptic too. Fortunately, the Invisible Children’s site hosts a list of responses to their critiques and, after reading all the remarks, I thankfully landed back on the bandwagon, on the inspired square one. Their mission is clear, their means identifiable.
I am an active proponent for dialogue and debate – but there is no siding here, there is only one direction. I understand the desire to know how a non profit is spending, but I just could not understand what online voices like Jezebel.com were trying to accomplish with their “think twice” posts or the intention behind people mocking viewers who bought in to the movement.
We are talking about human rights: child abduction – sex slavery – facial mutilation. Why scrutinize the efforts of Invisible Children? Is this a toxic result of the new media instant publisher? A handle who just can’t be mainstream, whose opinion has to be unique? – I find it to be an on the pulse, sick gratification of the sharp web based opinion; posting instantly to their followers to conjure up a conversation. To be different.
I urge people to simply respect this video’s – this effort’s – intelligibility. I understand resisting mass marketing; I too may question the marketing masterminds clever enough to capture your soul for 27 minutes, but, really? Let’s have a problem with Mars spending millions of dollars making videos about chocolate. The folks behind Invisible Children spent time and money in Uganda (which, not sure about you, is not on my vacation list) to make a video educating us on something we previously knew very little about. Have a little faith that these people aren’t perverse.
In trying to pinpoint exactly how I felt, I found a quote from French novelist George Sand. He wrote,
“Faith is an excitement and an enthusiasm: it is a condition of intellectual magnificence to which we must cling as to a treasure, and not squander on our way through life in the small coin of empty words, or in exact and priggish argument.”
To criticize Invisible Children for spending money on video production is like criticizing a restaurant for spending money on plates. Their goal is to get the message out. It seems as though when someone delivers on a good intention – when they see success – this success is challenged. But there is a reason success happens on top of good, clear motives with strategically appealing means. This is an example of when being mainstream is ok. This is an example of when faith feels better (wear the bracelet) if only you would just let go the need to joke and doubt.
The odds of Invisible Children doing worse with your $5 than you will do with it are low – I know none of my lattes combine espresso & steamed milk with a world mission to end a pointless evil. It’s okay to have opinions, but it is also okay to have faith. And though it is true I should just rest easy knowing throwing comments and stirring the conversation may increase the awareness, I also think there is a transparency present which proves it is obvious people are resisting simply to resist – to enjoy the fury of doubt – and this, I simply find, to be unnecessary.
