I don't know why I let these memes bother me as much as I do.
Perhaps it is the sheeple nature of it all. Perhaps it is my general distaste for this lack of questioning of anything that appears online. It ranks right up there with me with the urban legends and hoaxes that fill my mailboxes. Well, not so much now as I have most people on my email list trained. Except my mom, but really how do you tell your mother to stop sending email hoaxes to you. I'm just happy she's comfortable with a computer and other technology.
Right now it is the "Post a cartoon character to your profile to end child violence thingy" that is driving me bonkers. Okay interesting experiment on social networking I suppose. See just how far you can take it. But unfortunately people actually believe they are "taking a stand" or "raising awareness" against child violence.
So my question is: How exactly? Really. How exactly is this taking a stand? Raising awareness? Is it raising awareness that the problem exists? Does it educate us as to the scope of the problem? That there is a problem? Does it help us find resources to help? Show us how to volunteer as foster parents? To report abusers to the police or social workers? What exactly does it do? Exactly.
Does it make people who are violent towards children suddenly realize the error of their ways? "Don't hit me mommy. Don't you remember you posted Wile. E. Coyote on your facebook profile a month ago?"
I'll submit that it does none of that. I'll submit that this, like the colour of your bra meme and others before it, does one thing. And that is give us some amorphous feel good feeling about ourselves. Look at me, I'm helping end child abuse.
And cartoons? In an anti-violence campaign? Look, I don't believe that watching cartoons will lead to violence, but they are (especially the ones from my childhood and earlier) probably about the most violent genre there is. The intent, as I gather, is to remind us of the happier time of our childhood. Now I can't say for sure, because I had a childhood that was violence free. But through my work I met a lot of kids who couldn't say the same. I'm guessing that the last thing some of them want to remember is that childhood.
So if you are out to make a stand and raise awareness in this cause, or any other cause, do just that. Post resources that will actually raise awareness. Volunteer your time with social services or another organization that works in the field. Perhaps one that tries to help victims of violence and sexual violence. If you abuse children, stop. Go get help. It might take a lot of help, but it'll take a damn lot more than posting a photo of Bullwinkle and Rocky on your profile picture.
Comments
14 responses
Thank you, Clare.
I couldn’t agree more, I HATE these Facebook memes. Last year I ranted when the whole ‘tell the color of your bra to raise breast cancer awareness, people got REALLY pissy with me. Honestly, how does saying “BLUE!” raise breast cancer awareness?! Ugh, don’t even get me started on this cartoon thing.
I did wonder how in the heck posting a cartoon profile picture would help end abuse….I figured oh well, it’s a harmless little thing, but your post speaks to my unease eloquently. Especially on an issue as serious as child abuse, we need to not trivialize it with these silly things.
BTW, Robin and Roger sent me here – and to your Quark contest. I happily voted for you.
Kia ora Clare,
Well stated. The sound byte world of Face Book lets us push a button, or change a profile photo and feel like for that moment we have given ummphh to the issue of Child Abuse, the Environment, or whatever the cause of the hour may be. Then we can carry on with the rest of our day guilt free.
Cheers,
Robb
upon further inspection of FB page for this campaign, here are some links to organizations that you may support:
http://www.childhelp.org/
http://www.stopitnow.org/
http://www.violencestudy.org/
http://www.childwelfare.gov/
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/
http://www.bantaybata163.com/
http://www.preventchildabuse.org/
http://www.ceop.police.uk/
I’ll add my thank you also. Very well said.
Well, I’m guilty of participating in this little meme. Personally, I never believed this was doing anything to curtail child abuse, or making any kind of difference to any child; but what it does do is make people remember what it was like to be a vulnerable little kid. And, in that process, be reminded that so many children aren’t experiencing the joy we had as kids.
If anyone is expecting anything, um, significant to happen on-line, maybe Facebook isn’t the venue.
Thank you all for your thoughtful comments. I have to say I was unprepared for some of the, how to put this… passionate responses that this little rant produced, much of which was reserved for private emails and messages.
I think what I was trying to convey the most, was that this lack of questioning of things on line is dangerous, and not just online but elsewhere in our lives. This is but one example of it. And a tool like facebook and viral emails could do so much good if real and useful information spread as fast as these memes did.
I recall a viral email that was sent to me about rhythmic coughing that “could save your life in a heart attack”. Well, while technically true, the skill level required and practice is beyond most people, never mind those in the crisis mode of a heart attack. Real helpful information, such as taking aspirin in a heart event, or learning CPR to help others, doesn’t get passed along into everyone’s email address.
Thanks for the votes as well, and all the excellent resources Tara.
For another perspective on some the drawbacks of another awareness campaign. Here is a link to an article that makes for an interesting read. H/T to Dave Bonta of Via Negativa
http://www.well-quest.org/2010/10/not-so-rosy-side-of-breast-cancer-pink.html
Thank you for this, Clare: I share your feeling about these memes, and frustration with the general confusion between “raising awareness” as a *first step leading toward real action* vs. posting something online and feeling righteous (and done) after that.
I do understand that the impulse is generally a kind-hearted and well-intentioned one, so I don’t usually jump on people about it. But there are useful, practical, real-word things people can do, and blogging or posting a comic-book character on Facebook or whatever does not – by itself – effect change.
And to those of us who are dealing with the realities of cancer, or child abuse, or whatever other injustice or pain or crime, these memes can feel mighty minimizing and mighty frustrating.
I’ve seen more than a few people responding to the child abuse meme by posting links like Tara’s above (yay!) or noting in their status that they’re donating time to a shelter or money to a violence prevention program – that’s something, anyway.
I agree with you for the most part. I never participate in those things but I liked the idea of the cartoon character one so I did it. I took it as something fun to do not as a way to raise awareness. I enjoyed seeing the cartoons people posted too… blasts from the past and all that. Having said that, I heard today that the meme was started by a group of Pedophiles that think kids will accept their friend requst if they have a cartoon as their photo. If that’s true, I’m disappointed that I participated at all. I don’t want to contribute to something so sick.
Thanks Jessamyn. It is a cool exercise in its own right and there is no need to cloak it under the guise of “action” when there isn’t any. I feel bad because some people took exception to my post on Facebook, and it is done with good intentions (what is the road to hell paved with again?) But some of them did respond with real action, and that is a good thing.
Again, nothing wrong with the fun part of it, unfortunately you just illustrated what frustrates me most about this. And please I don’t want to look like I’m picking on you, Morena, I’m already feeling bad that some people are feeling hurt by this rant. The new meme making the rounds is what you said here, about the pedophile link. And it is being passed around without question. It is of course false. If you think about it for a moment what gain would a pedophile have from starting the cartoon meme. The stated one I’ve seen is that a cartoon would make it easier for them to be accepted as a friend by children on Facebook. If that is indeed true (and I’ll submit that it isn’t in itself) then why would they need a meme to do it? They can post cartoons as their profile pic anytime they want.
Often in hoax memes like this you’ll see “it was on TV last night” or some other way of legitimating it, so it gets accepted and passed on (in the same way as tying it to a cause or “raising awareness” will). That in itself should raise a flag (as should any shocking revelation in itself). Usually a quick search on Snopes.com will reveal that it is a hoax even a new one like this pedophile meme. Even before that some critical questioning will show that it isn’t.
Snopes is indeed a great service and I have referred to it often and debunked myths that were circulating — sometimes pissing off the instigators, but oh well.
Indeed it is Tara. Although I find searching them a little unwieldy. There are other excellent debunking sites out there as well.