Bottoms Up

This makes for an interesting social experiment. The whole Kony2012 movement relies heavily on a bottom-up level of influence, meaning it isn’t dictated from people who already have a lot of influence from the top-down. The people at the bottom end have less power, but greater numbers, so theoretically a union of the bottom could rival the power levels of the top.

One of the main features of the campaign that I am curious about is the level of commitment of the people in this ‘army’ for peace. While it is true that the internet has bred a greater level of interconnectivity, the depth of the interaction is rather shallow most of the time. Viral videos spread ravenously, but only for a limited time. Once the movie, or tv show, or the latest cat sensation has died no one really remembers it anymore. They just get distracted by the next big bandwagon.

With something like social reform, the process is very gradual and requires longevity in focus. It is great that the creator of Kony2012 has worked hard for 8 years to push this movement. That shows a high level of commitment. It is a level that many people can’t carry on their own. It could be because they have their own commitments, their own family, their own career, but I believe one of the greatest obstacles to lasting social change is something inherent in our social culture: individuality. What you do for yourself is more important than the collective. The focus of the Western world has always been this way. That’s why we have a free market. The only reason for cooperation is for the ulterior motive of personal gain. The other reason is for popularity.

The people who contribute to Kony2012 and get a kit might feel like it’s the cool thing to do. Be cool like the other kids. It might seem skeptical, but I don’t believe many of the people putting up the posters would truly understand the message itself, or fully understand what they are fighting for. They are just following orders, which, ironically, validates their ‘army’ structure.

Nonetheless, it is an interesting experiment, and it may or may not be the turning point for social politics on a global scale. Though I have always imagined that the emergence of a global political structure is inevitable, this format might not be what I imagined. To be fair, it is always a surprise how the world develops, so I could be wrong.