Kony 2012: How Much do You Know?

First off I'd like to comment on how truly amazing I think it is how fast the Kony 2012 video spread.  The day after I watched it I heard Kony's name all over the high school.  Many students seemed to be talking about the issue passionately, telling all of their friends to go watch the video.  I'll admit that I was definitely swayed by the pathos of the video when I watched it, however, as of right now I'm not exactly sure where I stand on the issue.  There is no doubt that Joseph Kony is a bad man because of the things that he has done in Africa.  There is also no doubt that millions of people who previously had never heard of Kony now know his name.  And while I think that it’s definitely good that more people throughout the world are aware of him, what do we really know about the situation?  Is a thirty-minute video with limited facts really sufficient enough to provide us with all the necessary information?  Sure, if the video had been two hours maybe such a mass of people would not have watched it, but I doubt that many people actually did thorough outside research after watching the video.  Thus, the only information that many "fans" of Kony 2012 actually know about Kony was provided by one source. Is that really reliable? I don't know. 

Where do you stand on the issue?

Comments

[Megan T.]

I don't think that one thirty-minute video is enough information to be called reliable. I think the video only gave basic facts and ignored the true complexity of the issue. The Kony organization did this because it makes it easier for a mass movement to begin. I don't think the Kony organization should have done this and I also don't believe that their source can truly be labeled reliable.

[Maddy H.]

I agree with you Catie. I, for instance, would not be able to blog about this issue at all. Before I embarrass myself in front of Mr. Heidkamp, let me say that I did read those articlees he posted on the blog... It's also hard for me to take a stance as well.I do like how you talked about the video's pathos, though (shout out to Ms. Lee junior English documentary projects). Pathos is probably the most effective agent in gett ing folks all shaken up about Kony. Good observation.

[Michael M]

I think that America has its own issues that it needs to deal with. Like the gangs that make their own child soldiers. I haven't heard about any viral videos about those kids. I think at this point, America needs to take a "me first" attitude and figure out what to do with its own issues. Sure, Kony is bad. I agree. But he is not a threat to America at the moment, so we should leave it alone.

[Katie H.]

I agree with you as well. I was swayed by the video initially, but what the media says can never be trusted whole-heartedly. Since the issue is so far removed from our country, it's hard to know the exact details since we aren't over there physically experiencing it. I don't think that one source is truly reliable, and if people are true "fans" of KONY, they should look into the situation more and not just rely on a 30 minute clip.

[Arlo S.]

When first watching the video I felt a cascade of mixed emotions running through me. Anger, sadness, empathy and hope. Even though after a while, constantly hearing about Kony irritated me, i still realized that the whole goal of the movement is to make him famous. The main point isn't whether we support the movement or not, it is to inform us of what is happening in Uganda. In this sense, I think that the video was very successful in accomplishing its purpose, and how we feel towards the issue comes second.