Dan Brown, Not the Author

If you have about seven minutes, watch these videos please.

 

 

 

So maybe you know Dan Brown, maybe you don't.  Basically, he just likes to make thought-provoking videos about interesting topics, often ones involving social media.

Dan spends these two videos talking about the KONY 2012 situation, and I have to say, I agree with much of what he is saying.  His mentions of ethos, pathos, and logos definitely reiterate the important aspects of a good argument, and I agree that much of the KONY 2012 video was based on manipulating emotion.  The one part of Dan's first video that I especially like is how he believes that the change must come from within the oppressed nation.  It is not the United State's or anyone else's responsibility to take command in this situation.  The US is not involved in anything in Uganda (that I am aware of) and there are more pressing matters closer to home.  Dan's second video shows a clip where the people of Uganda react to the KONY 2012 video with outrage.  The US cannot do anything for Uganda if they are not willing to be united themselves.  And as well, it is likely that the US is ignorant to the real situation and the Ugandan's outrage could be coming from a misrepresentation of their position.  In fact, I'm sure that the majority of the US is ignorant to the reality of the situation in Uganda... seems like Heart of Darkness all over again, doesn't it?

Comments

[Mal S.]

You make a good point by saying that a lot of Americans are ignorant about the geopolitical and cultural situation in Uganda. In fact I'm pretty sure not many Americans could find Uganda on a world map. But I don't know if I agree with you when you say that the U.S. shouldn't get involved in Uganda because we have no stake in the future of their country. When was the last time America got involved in a foreign conflict that didn't promise some kind of economic or political gains as a prize for the victors? While I think that it is important to be prudent when getting involved in other nations over humanitarian efforts, I think it can't be a bad sign if the American government is acting without economic incentive.