The Syrian Crisis and the Memeing of America
I looked at the image of a drowned three old Syrian boy and it broke my heart. This could have been any one of my three grandsons. I'm grateful that it wasn't. I'm also aware that this was some other parent or grand parent's tragedy. So, how much relief could I reasonably feel and not be aware of my privileged position as a relatively affluent American. Not that I'm affluent by American standards. But, when compared to many people around the world, I certainly am. One thing a reasonably long life has taught me, though, is very little is what it appears to be. This seems to be increasingly true in world where you can choose your own world-view. You can even choose your own version of reality. And, with a global media at your fingertips, you can find a like-minded tribe and reinforce your shared belief system, unlike any other period in human history.
What does this have to do with a drowned Syrian boy and refugees fleeing war?
As Europe and America are asked to house potentially millions of migrants, the facts, whatever they may be, matter. Not powerful, emotionally moving images of the casualties of war. Not pleas to be merciful. But facts. Appeals like "What would Jesus do?" Or, "Greedy capitalist pigs need to share with those less fortunate." Or, "Muslims are evil." or "No they're not, Muslims are uniquely good. Or, Muslims are victims of colonial oppression." Each of these things competes for space in the minds of normally rational people, creating a kind of sensory overload—and, it doesn't stop. It goes on and on as people pick up the nearest slogan and run with it like a wide receiver carrying the ball for whatever ideology they've chosen. This is just one of the problems with the idea of diversity in an increasingly open and diverse world.
At no time in history, until now, did people with such widely disparate views on religion, culture and politics live side by side, agreeing on nothing, except that they disagree, vehemently at times. Maybe, most of the time. I'm not talking about various factions of people with the same core beliefs, like Democrats and Republicans or Protestants and Catholics. But, people who sometimes violently disagree about everything, including the solution, the problem, its origin, its meaning, making resolution of any kind damn near impossible.
So, how do we solve a refugee crisis if the primary tools in use are slogans and memes, both of which are an attempt to persuade, not educate? These things are merely a way of taking a complex problem and simplifying it. They are a starting point. Not an endgame. And, they offer no real solutions. When people begin to believe that the meme or the slogan that they've rallied around, is the solution, then, we have a much bigger problem.
What would Jesus really do? Would he accept people regardless of ideology? He certainly didn't according to the Gospels. He chastised his own followers and the powerful religious leaders, common working people, Jews, Gentiles, the rich and sometimes, even the poor. What should we do about this refugee crisis, then? To act with mercy, that would be a good starting point. Using reason as our guide, would be an even better endgame. Not emotion. Not slogans. Not ideology. Then, maybe, we can figure out what we should do. But not until. No matter how powerful the images or persuasive the slogan, might be.
Mark Magula
What does this have to do with a drowned Syrian boy and refugees fleeing war?
As Europe and America are asked to house potentially millions of migrants, the facts, whatever they may be, matter. Not powerful, emotionally moving images of the casualties of war. Not pleas to be merciful. But facts. Appeals like "What would Jesus do?" Or, "Greedy capitalist pigs need to share with those less fortunate." Or, "Muslims are evil." or "No they're not, Muslims are uniquely good. Or, Muslims are victims of colonial oppression." Each of these things competes for space in the minds of normally rational people, creating a kind of sensory overload—and, it doesn't stop. It goes on and on as people pick up the nearest slogan and run with it like a wide receiver carrying the ball for whatever ideology they've chosen. This is just one of the problems with the idea of diversity in an increasingly open and diverse world.
At no time in history, until now, did people with such widely disparate views on religion, culture and politics live side by side, agreeing on nothing, except that they disagree, vehemently at times. Maybe, most of the time. I'm not talking about various factions of people with the same core beliefs, like Democrats and Republicans or Protestants and Catholics. But, people who sometimes violently disagree about everything, including the solution, the problem, its origin, its meaning, making resolution of any kind damn near impossible.
So, how do we solve a refugee crisis if the primary tools in use are slogans and memes, both of which are an attempt to persuade, not educate? These things are merely a way of taking a complex problem and simplifying it. They are a starting point. Not an endgame. And, they offer no real solutions. When people begin to believe that the meme or the slogan that they've rallied around, is the solution, then, we have a much bigger problem.
What would Jesus really do? Would he accept people regardless of ideology? He certainly didn't according to the Gospels. He chastised his own followers and the powerful religious leaders, common working people, Jews, Gentiles, the rich and sometimes, even the poor. What should we do about this refugee crisis, then? To act with mercy, that would be a good starting point. Using reason as our guide, would be an even better endgame. Not emotion. Not slogans. Not ideology. Then, maybe, we can figure out what we should do. But not until. No matter how powerful the images or persuasive the slogan, might be.
Mark Magula