Kony2012 has been blogged about, reported and analysed countless times since the video first aired last week.There have been supporters and critics in probably equal measure. But there are a few things we can notice from the Kony 2012 campaign and it's commentaries that we should take notice of.
1/ It's easy to criticize. Making fun of something is easy if we don't do the proper research. In other words. Journalists can be lazy. We must not.
2/ Sometimes when we criticise an organisation or person, we actually find we have more in common than we think. So if those that accused IC of presenting false or at least misleading facts looked closer they would see that IC also encourage the practice of conducting proper research into a situation. Or in other words. Bloggers can be lazy.
3/ This blog won't tell you everything you need to know about KONY 2012. So why do we assume one video will tell us everything we need to know about Joseph Kony and the LRA. Of course it won't. But it should get you asking more questions. But sometimes we won't. In other words. We can all be lazy.
4/ It's OK for a non profit to spend money on media. If your plan is to make billions of people all around the world aware for the first time, of an atrocity being carried on children, somewhere in the world, then a cleverly marketed and inspiring video is money well spent.
5/ It's not enough for a non profit to just spend money on media. Which IC don't. But regardless, a movie won't change the world. But millions of young people calling, emailing and talking to their Government can. A community committed to educating themselves fully and then making sure that those that can do something about it hear them, can.
6/ We can get carried away. We can be moved by a video beyond the point of actually caring and just wanting to be involved in something 'cool'. Which is great. Until being involved becomes the complete opposite of what we are trying to be involved in. Because executing Kony is different from capturing him.
7/ It's easy to attack back against our detractors. But it's difficult to respond graciously to them and give them the answers they want. One is more noble and productive than the other.
8/ Did you read the the criticism of the Kony 2012 campaign from Resolution:Possible, Resolve or the Enough Project? You didn't because there wasn't any. These organisations realise that they need each other and this is not about beating each other to the punch. Work with people. Share your expertise. Share your stories, inspiration. You don't know everything.
9/ Read, watch, learn, question, educate, dare, create, ACT.
10/ Never give up. This could happen.
