Lizzyish has opinions: Cynicism in the Age of Social Media

The thing about cynicism is that it is ugly. And boring. 'Oh that is so mainstream' is about the most boring way anyone can react to anything. Just because something is popular doesn't make it bad, or unworthy of your time. Sure, it's brilliant to be an individual, and as someone who spent a large part of her late teens with purple hair, I should know. It's important not to go along with something just because it is popular. But that does not automatically work the other way; it is not necessarily important to not go along with something because it is popular. Reject things because you don't like them, reject things because you disagree with them, but blanket cynicism is about as unsexy as you can possibly be.

This applies to everything, from the music you listen to and the tv shows you watch, to the big important things like which charities you donate to and who you vote for on election day.

Obviously, I'm about to rant about Kony2012.

Anyone who has seen that video cannot possibly tell me they weren't moved in some way. Or you might be able to tell me, but I won't believe you. We all know atrocities occur every day around our world, and we often push this knowledge away or try to ignore it, because who can possibly care all the time? How can you take all the suffering and inhumanities in the world on board and not simply feel completely helpless? And so we ignore it, not because we aren't capable of compassion of because we are heartless, but because we simply can't think about it all the time. So when someone makes a video like that, a video that is powerful and heart wrenching, it is easy to take notice. It is easy to sit up in bed, laptop on knee and think, 'fuck. This isn't ok'. What's more important about the Kony2012 video is that it also suggested ways people could help. Simple things, achievable things, the kind of things you could do from your laptop in your bed.

And this is where the cynics come in. "Armchair activists" is something I've seen bandied around a bit, and also "fauxctivists". These people make me feel ill. This is the ugliest cynicism of all. "You don't protest the way I protest, therefore you are wrong" they say, "watching a video won't save children" they shout on Facebook.

Now I'm not talking about the criticisms that have been leveled at the invisible children group. I'm talking about people who are so desperate to be different and unique that they ignore the obvious merits of getting 15 million people to watch and share and form opinions about an atrocity they didn't know was occurring. This is hipsterism in the extreme, and it is unhelpful, ugly... and boring.

Let's talk now about the criticisms. Some of these are serious and some have been exaggerated. To suggest that the campaign is unworthy because Invisible Children  have 'simplified' the issue is like saying we shouldn't vote for politicians because they have campaign slogans. Obviously they've simplified it, it's a half hour video. To talk in depth about economic, political and social difficulties in ANY country, let alone a developing, war torn country would take some weeks and at least three university degrees. However, like many others, I am concerned to hear that the organisation has been criticised for the way it handles its money. Do I want to donate to a cause that spends more on videos than it does on aid? Not usually, no. However, what the Invisible Children people seem to understand more than any activist group I have ever seen is that in this world of social media and smart phones in every pocket, in some instances awareness IS everything. When human rights issues don't affect a major developed nation's economy, or petrol prices, it is easy for this stuff to be ignored. In the era of Get Up and online activism, people are starting to see that they can stand up and say, this is not ok with me, I am not going to allow this any longer, and I dont have to chain myself to anything to prove it. We can have reasoned discussions, we can have impassioned debate and we can petition the people who matter. We don't have to take to the streets screaming and waving placards no one will see. We don't have to look like crazy people when we protest, and that means people will look at us and listen to us, and maybe even join us.

Let's have critical debate, let's not blindly follow, but don't hate for hate's sake, don't reject an idea because it is popular, and never, never be boring.




This is my opinion, feel free to share yours below.