Russia vs Ukraine?: Is Your Social Media Activism Doing More Harm Than Good?
One of the most unhelpful things we can do in a situation such as this, is blindly cite platitudes, jump on hashtag trends and pretend to know what is happening in a country we can’t point out on a map.
It’s easy to say “We stand with (insert current place of focus in the media)” change the colour of our profile pictures and stay glued to the TV for the next instalment of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) without taking even 30 minutes to do some research outside what is fed to us on what’s currently taking place.
Social media activism is perfect for spreading awareness but equally an fantastic tool for spreading mass misinformation.
Social media activism is a great way of allowing us to feel we are doing “something”.
It’s also a great way of undertaking performative ‘action’ that achieves nothing.
I don’t ever presume to know who the good and bad guys are in a situation based solely on what is shown on TV, nor do I presume that I am getting the full story.
I’ll never forget 2018 coming back from a family holiday in Turkey, looking to my right and seeing burning skies and explosions taking place over what (due to my limited geographical understanding) appeared to be Syria.
Not a peep in the UK news either before or after that holiday and why would there be?
There was no social or political benefit to us knowing about the decimation of the area at that time.
I’ve read up on several conflicts in my time and whilst this far from makes me an expert in geopolitics, it has taught me that that most political disputes are rarely black and white, especially, where the UK and US choose to get involved.
The truth is, if we don’t take the time to educate ourselves on a situation, our idea of ‘help’ may do more damage than anything else.
It’s rumoured that much of the money raised for BLM was funnelled into political campaigning.
Not necessarily the intended outcome for those who wanted to help.
Just as with racism, sexism or any other “ism”— The onus of educating us, does no lie with the media or the people going through it.
It lies with us.
As does improving the global landscape for those coming after us.
Instead of paying attention to the news, pay attention to the government bills being pushed through your parliaments.
Are they reflective of the support they say they want to offer to those who require aid?
Did you vote for policies that will make it more difficult for asylum seekers to enter your country in a situation such as this?
How can you undo that?
Have you traditionally held unconscious biases against people you’re now desperate to show solidarity with?
How can you work on that going forward?
How can you get more involved in politics?
How can you get to a place where you have a greater say in what happens on your watch?
More often than not, the answer to a global problem starts with local solutions.
As Michal Jackson famously sang, I’m starting with the (wo)man in the mirror.
