No one could have missed the eruption of Kony 2012 this month, and definitely no one could have missed the controversy it created, resulting in many heated arguments and debates.
Viewed more than 100 million times online, the 30-minute film created by Invisible Children is an outreach to stop Kony, a Ugandan war criminal.
I'm not going to get into the Kony 2012 debate. I'm simply going to tell you what happened since that video came out.
On March 15, Jason Russell, co-founder of Invisible Children and the face of the Kony 2012 viral video, was seen acting irrationally, running around naked and screaming in San Diego, Calif. Well, wasn't this the perfect timing for critics to congratulate themselves on spotting the "crazy".
When I read this report, I was shocked - and then not so much. We live in a dark and aggressive world where every part of a person is picked apart and analyzed, critiqued and degraded. How many celebrities have the media driven to the edge? How many politicians? Humanitarians? Now, with social networking and the Internet we're keeping everyone connected with everyone's personal business 100 percent of the time.
People should question things. People should investigate, remodel and recreate to find the best solution to every problem - that is our duty as citizens of the modern world. When the critics came out to have their say about Kony 2012, they did not focus on creating a better solution; they focused on tearing apart what existed, heartlessly beating down the people involved. I blame them for Russell's alleged mental breakdown.
We know so much about everyone and everything that we should feel more connected to one another, but I would argue the opposite effect has taken place. We understand the facts and trivia about a person, but lack the empathy and compassion to see the real human being underneath.
What we have seen with the backlash and bickering that followed from the Kony 2012 video is a sad depiction of humanity. Unfortunately it is not the first example, and it won't be the last. If you are a regular naysayer, I want to ask you what you are doing with all your pessimism? Who have you helped today and who are you going to help tomorrow?
To the go-getters out there, I ask you the same questions. Whatever your disposition is in life, you must do more than just attack those who hold different views from your own. You must question new ideas and potential solutions, but I hope that you will be inspired to do this proactively rather than angrily and help our generation create a better legacy than the one we are currently leaving behind.
Leaving you to ponder,
stELtrain
Author's Note: Sources: The National Post http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/03/21/kony-2012-filmmaker-jason-russell-diagnosed-with-brief-reactive-psychosis/
'Kony 2012' www.Youtube.com
ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/03/21/kony-2012-director-treated-for-psychosis/
