It’s easy to admit we live in the digital age, where communication is easier than ever and the ability to share your message is as fast as a click of a button. I can share news-worthy stories within an instant, add my 2 cents to discussions and be tagged in those embarrassing childhood pictures my mom boasts about, easily. But this privilege also comes with a lot of side effects: hate is more easily spread-able and let’s not forget good ol’ moral outrage is more present than ever. As of late, there’s been quite a lot of moral outrage, especially surrounding Cecil the Lion and the European Migrant Crisis and I’m all for continual recognition of these issues, but I’ve never been a fan of moral outrage. Sure, it’s a great way to cause awareness, but does it really aid the cause besides generate awareness? More often than not: no.
Don’t get me wrong, awareness is fantastic! Without it, the ALS society wouldn’t have received nearly as many donations through the awareness the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge made, but there’s a point in time where the hype deteriorates and it disappears from the news for a bit. Weeks back, the killing of Cecil the Lion created quite a big stir, making waves across the world and with it, came a wave of moral outrage. You couldn’t go on social media without seeing news of it somewhere but the dentist who killed Cecil, Walter Palmer, returned to work and there weren’t 6000 protesters, nor 600 or 60, but a seldom 6 protesters. It makes you wonder if issues like these are less important than the daily lives of the Jenner/Kardashian clan, because the amount of times I see them on my news feed compared to other serious issues makes me seem like we’re in a Hollywood obsessed society where Kylie Jenner’s 18th birthday is way more important than what happens across the world, and maybe we are and I just refuse to accept it?
From observation, I notice some individuals are quick to share a message, but refuse to act on it. As an example, our earth is quickly changing from the effects of global warming and some will acknowledge it, but some will also choose to ignore it and leave it to the next generation to deal with, consequently creating a unhealthy cycle that could leave devastating impacts on our environment. My Social Studies teacher told me if you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly heat it up, the frog will die before it notices the change. If you throw it straight into a pot of boiling water, it’ll jump out, which is exactly what most humans are doing. Our society ignores what is happening around us until it’s too late. We don’t act on stuff until it gets to a certain level of “bad”, which is also what happened with the European migrant crisis. It was definitely in the news, but I believe it wasn’t as mainstream until the image of the young Syrian boy washed up on the shore of Turkey surfaced. It poses the age old question of “How many people have to die before there is action?”. The Syrian boy wasn’t the first, and he won’t be the last, but the awareness that has been circulating will not fade out in vain.
In conclusion, I must reiterate that moral outrage is not a solution, but the awareness made through it is a start. Let us not forget that the most effective way to make a change is through action. Talking about issues that you feel passionately about is great, but sitting waiting for a change won’t help. If you feel this strong sensation to make a change, volunteering around your community, signing petitions or sending letters to the government is a great start. Change starts with a spark, so don’t be afraid of the flame; embrace it.