For those that don't know or don't remember "Kony 2012" was a video created and marketed by the organization Invisible Children. Taken from their website verbatim this is what Invisible Children is all about.
From: invisiblechildren.com (Free feel to visit the website and learn more about the work they are doing)
STORY
Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army have been abducting, killing, and displacing civilians in East and central Africa since 1987. We first encountered these atrocities in northern Uganda in 2003 when we met a boy named Jacob who feared for his life and a woman named Jolly who had a vision for a better future. Together, we promised Jacob that we would do whatever we could to stop Joseph Kony and the LRA. Invisible Children was founded in 2004 to fulfill that promise.
MODEL
Invisible Children focuses exclusively on the LRA conflict through an integrated four-part model that addresses the problem in its entirety: immediate needs and long-term effects.
I heard about Invisible Children probably around 2006. I believe they are doing great work. I support their work.When Kony 2012 came out everyone I knew was talking about it. It was all over the news and people were pumped about this new campaign. I was happy that people were pumped by it but disappointed by what I saw.
Couch Potato Social Justice or as my Professor calls its, "trickle down social justice."
Its a way for people to think they are making a difference by clicking a button and buying a wrist bracelet. It is a way for young adults such as myself to feel important and necessary in the fight against social injustice by watching a five-minute video and check their "good deed" off for the year.
I remember what I said to my fiance when Kony 2012 went viral. I said to him, "In six months, no one will remember, no one will be talking about this and they won't catch Joseph Kony because this isn't the way to do it."
Now I don't know how to catch Joseph Kony but I know its not going to be through a video asking people to help join the cause by sharing this video on their choice of social media.
Its 2014. Have you caught him? Are people still talking about Kony 2012? No. Unfortunately no. But from this video maybe a few people joined in the actual effort, left their jobs and starting working for invisible children. From this video more children were rescued and maybe awareness was heighten for a brief second.
My problem with couch potato social justice is that it allows people to dabble in the fight against social injustice while continuing to indulge their lives in the very things that cause social injustice. We say we want to fight for better wages and yet you continue to eat/shop/spend in places where people aren't getting a fair wage. You say you want to help the poor and needy but you walk past the homeless man and you don't even dare to invite this man for a bite to eat to get to know him, hear his story and find out the best way to help him. You say you want to stop human trafficking yet you eat chocolate that was harvested by victims of human trafficking on the ivory coast.
What is your couch potato social justice doing other than making you look like a "good person." In the end its about you. Whats socially just about that?
I am far from the shining example of someone walking the path of social justice but I know this much....
The answer to social injustice: Love Jesus, love yourself, love your neighbor.
