KONY 2012

  Joseph Kony. Uganda. 2012.  

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I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t know much about Joseph Kony before this video, but I do now. And now is what matters. I have two choices: to sit with what I’ve learnt, or to do something about it. There’s a reason Ghandi says “be the change you want to see in the world”, CHANGE NEEDS TO START SOMEWHERE. And somewhere is YOU.

In a globalized and connected world, action is so easy, awareness is SO easy. This is our chance to take action. Not everything has to be a on a global, life-changing scale. The little things we do matter too. Donate that spare change, share that link. This is my first step; I want you all to please take out half an hour of your day and watch this movie. I guarantee you will get something out of it. I'm not selling you Invisible Children as an organization - I haven't done enough research to make that verdict- BUT I am recommending this video simply for the opportunity to be better informed.

 

On a bit of different note, I’m going to analyze this video from the standpoint of the Dragonfly Effect. This is a book I had to read a few weeks back for a course; it pretty much outlined how a few small steps can make big change. The reason I bring it up now is because the video was a perfect illustration of everything the authors said a successful social movement needed.

The Dragonfly Effect, written by Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith, teaches readers how to harness social media in order to drive social change… that is, how to translate good intentions into meaningful action. A dragonfly is a metaphor for the endless possibilities that one can achieve, namely because it is “the only insect that can move in any direction when its four wings are working in concert”.

Aaker and Smith provided four “wings” to create social change:

Focus, Grab Attention, Engage, and Take Action.

They essentially believe that implementing all four wings together can bring about unprecedented change. So did it work? Did Russell and his movie succeed with all four wings? 

Verdict:
Needless to say, the video was absolutely genius. It was well produced, informative, and moving. There were several points during the movie where I had goosebumps, and I have come out of it better educated and more driven.

Focus: There are so many goals that could have been set through the video, but the makers kept it simple: Find Kony by December 2012. They set several tactical micro goals that help achieve the longer term macro goal of removing Kony from power and bringing about justice.

Grab attention: Jason Russell didn’t just tell us, he showed us. He provided a personal backstory and made Jacob the face of the cause. In doing so, he managed to reduce the social distance between the viewers and the victims. The video was eye-opening and it re-framed the familiar.

Engage: There was an authentic message, the story was personal, and the viewer was HOOKED. Russell’s passion made it so easy to connect.

Take Action: I cannot emphasize how well the video achieved this step! It was a perfect call to action. It was so clearly and simply outlined how others could act.

End point, Russell succeeded. Their call to action got through to me- this issue is under my skin and I’m ready to do something about it. More importantly, this video went viral on facebook so there are 50,000 (and counting) people who feel just how I do. The four wings were all present, and I think the possibilities are endless.

What’s the message?   You can do it too. 

**Please note that I am not vouching for Invisible Children to be a perfect organization (I'm not even arguing that their initiatives are fit), this post was focused on the quick success of the "Kony 2012" campaign.