The Shock of Kony 2012

"Only a crisis, real or perceived, produces real change." Milton Freedman



I remember reading Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Home. The book tells of how a normal 12 year old , gentle caring boy can become a unfeeling killing machine. Shock and emotional tourmoil were used by the rebel army to create child soldiers.

If we want to prevent this from happening, can we do this by using shock and emotional turmoil? Can we change what happen if we don't change how it happens? Can we liberate ourselves from monsters by using the same tools and tactics they do?

I for one, react to shock and get emotional easily. It's something I am always working on, to calm down, and respect but control my emotions to see clearly. Understanding the situation, not reacting or judging, tend to lead me to better conclusions and solutions to the situation. Do I practice this all the time? No. I'm only human. We all are. Right?

"Shock wears off, it is by definition a temporary state. And the best way to stay oriented, to resist shock, is to know what is happening to you, and why. " - Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine

KONY 2012.

Anyone want to go late night postering on April 20th? I'm down.

Uganda is easily one of the most beautiful places I've been in my life, and while every project / NGO / relief effort has its issues (often many) in regards to motivation or execution - i think that effort, or in this case wide spread knowledge is pure power. Especially in an attempt to influence / pressure governments, including ours.

And while so many of us are ready to speak out against stuff like removing bike lanes, or hypothetcial LRTs - so few have the energy to fight the things that don't directly affect us (myself included).

It's embarrassing that this has gone on for so long, without more political intervention. Joseph Kony is a complete monster. And really so is apathy.