Alright, it’s been a while since I posted, so a lot of things have happened since then.
I’ve talked about this to a number of people now, posted about it on my Facebook, and I just thought it’d be a good idea to try and compile all my thoughts in one place. I’m using my research blog because it is somewhat relevant to my work as I am looking at the intersections of charity, activism and fandom. However, I still apologize for getting way off topic here.
First of all I want to start by saying that my awareness of Invisible Children goes beyond the now viral video about Joseph Kony. I know who Kony is, and have known about him and the LRA. I know about what’s going on about the exploitation of children. I’ve known about Invisible Children as an organization, for a number of years now, and I will stick by my initial impression.
They are genius marketers and are very good at raising awareness.
Let’s take that video that everyone’s talking about, it seems. It definitely raises awareness about who Joseph Kony is, because it is true that a lot of people probably didn’t even know who he was until this video. And that is a good thing. I am a big believer that the more aware you are, the more likely you are to do something about the issue. As someone who was part of a nonprofit organization, I know what it’s like to become aware of something and want to change things. I know what it’s like to see things be put into perspective, and put it in a way where you, tiny little you, can help out in your own way. So yeah, good on Invisible Children for raising awareness and making people care about who Joseph Kony is, because he definitely needs to be brought to justice.
HOWEVER,
Not everything in the world is black and white, and if you think it is, you need to get some much needed perspective. This video has a one-dimensional perspective where Kony is bad and Invisible Children is good. Invisible Children is coming in and saving the children of Africa from the big, bad Kony. Sounds simple, right? But it never is. Not once did the video say anything about the LRA other than the fact that Kony steals children from their beds and making them be part of an army. It appeals to the hearts of everyone who sympathize with children, and want to see these children safe and away from harm. You are meant to watch that video and be moved and want to help. It makes you aware, but that’s it.
In those thirty minutes, a lot of things were not said. Invisible Children is not perfect. They are far from perfect. If you are smart, you would do your own research and look at their financials. Look at their accountability rating. Also, Invisible Children did not start the conversation about Kony, but they definitely sensationalized it. This has been going on for more than twenty years. Kony is already on the run. They just marketed their campaign well and it went viral. And how did they do this? At the expense of not only the images of the children in Uganda that they’re using to garner sympathy from potential donors, but also at the expense of everyone who wants to support it and is now sporting a Kony 2012 profile picture on Facebook and wearing a bracelet.
Invisible Children may have raised awareness, but they did it in such a way that they are exploiting youth that probably actually want to do something in terms of this. They’re targeting youth, and their want and need to create change. In the wake of movements like the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street, this demographic is ripe for another campaign and Invisible Children took advantage of that. They’re taking advantage of it by presenting one point of view, and made it look like Kony is some sort of Voldemort figure. There is no other perspective other than what they presented in a thirty minute video and sadly, the one they do present is a distorted one.
My only hope is that in every handful of people that watched that video, at least one of them questioned it, and actually researched further. I hope that there are people out there who was affected by that video, but saw that there was more to the conversation. I hope they saw the problems with that video and that they are being taken advantage of. Joseph Kony goes beyond that video. The LRA goes beyond that video. And Invisible Children definitely goes beyond that video. So do yourself a favour and inform yourself. Hell, I’ll even google it for you.
In the words of Grant Oyston, “let’s keep it about Joseph Kony. Not Kony 2012.”
TRANSCRIBE ALL RECORDINGS!
CODE ALL THE TRANSCRIPTS!
UNWRAP ALL THE RAMBLINGS!
REVIEW ALL THE DRINKS!
DRINK ALL THE FREAKING COFFEE!
3 conferences.
One at the university.
Probably one in the Falls.
And one in Boston.
What am I thinking?
*sighs*
Oh, I also applied to two schools for a PhD.
And finished two of my interviews. I guess that’s good.
Interesting development. I’m sure to take notes down. I’ve been combing through my subjects and have made juxtapositions. I am thoroughly in love with this research, and I’m very lucky to get the opportunity to do it.
I gotta send out another envelope of documents today. Blargh. Then that’s just one more left. I hope the consent forms get back to me soon, so I can start doing the interviews.
It’ll be interesting to see what I find. Heh.
You know…before Boston. *shoot self*
Why is there never enough time in the world? This semester is going to be so ridiculously busy, I will be forever glued to my laptop and my station. And to basically anything that has coffee access. Jeez.
In terms of invitations, I got a 10/10 response!
Now let’s see about consent agreement. Right now I’m sitting at a 1.
*crosses fingers*
In other news, I’m doing my last revisions for my proposal. Hopefully be done by tonight to send it in to my supervisor ONE LAST TIME. *breathes*
So you know, my second reader can take a gander at it. This having your first reader/supervisor be the director thing can be both very good and very bad. Mostly good though.
Oh! One PhD application is in. Another one in the process, and hopefully will be out by next week. (It won’t be.)
What’s scary is, I’d probably get the results of if I get in or not when I’m in Boston. Or with my luck, probably a rejection letter just before Boston. Ugh.
My dad would kill me for talking like this, but I’m worried.
I really hope the consent forms work out for everyone. So I can start scheduling and have SOME SORT OF FINDING before April.
*crosses EVERYTHING*
Dear Consent Forms and other documents,
Please get to my participants sooner. I cannot wait to start interviews and talk to this wonderfully fascinating people who are the subjects of my research! I hope to grill them all in the most comfortable way possible.
Love forever,
A stressed out graduate researcher
I started this blog as a way of keeping myself sane. You know, have a place for me to rant about things, and to whine about things, and to write about the things I should actually be writing about. I started a new semester yesterday, and for my environmental and popular culture class, I’m required to keep a blog.
I now have TWO blogs. I don’t know if this is a good or a bad thing.
In other news, my meeting with my supervisor was fruitful. I’m applying to two schools, with fingers crossed, and I hope I won’t be completely devastated when I don’t get in.
*Insert obligatory freak out over the fact Boston is in three months here.*
EDIT ALL THE THINGS!
Bring on the semester. And the tremendous amount of work. And tears. And hopefully, actual accomplishments.
