The Real (Spiritual) Message of Kony 2012

Anyone paying attention to social media lately has probably watched the video "Kony 2012" made popular on YouTube. It's a short video about the ruthless African war criminal Joseph Kony. For the past 25 years Koney and his forces have been abducting children, using them as solders, slaves and killing and maiming thousands of Ugandans. The video in just a short time has gone viral and garnered more than 80 million views. People have since sprung into action, donated money, spread the word and are planning future large scale events of activism with the hope of having Kony arrested and brought to justice.

Meeting the widespread success of this viral video has been a backlash of criticism by academics, officials of the Ugandan government and media scrutiny into "Invisible Children," the organization behind the film. Critics claim that the situation on the ground in the past years has recently changed and Kony does not currently wield nearly as much influence as the video portrays him to have. The PM of Uganda spoke in a YouTube video of his own stating that Uganda is a safe place and urged people to come visit.

The accuracy of the video I'll leave to the experts to judge. The criticism of course doesn't minimize the evils of this barbaric war criminal and his fighters who need to be stopped immediately. What I would like to focus on is what I see as perhaps the real message of the YouTube hit "Kony 2012."

Social media continues to change the landscape of the way we interact, go about our lives and connect us in ways that we never imagined. One such example is the unprecedented ability for people to unite for the common good, and to promote truth and justice.

I have spent countless hours researching the internal make up of the human psyche, particularly from the prism of Chabad Hassidut (the deepest layer of Torah and Kabbalah wisdom). We all possess an inner soul power called Chesed, which is an innate desire to affect positive change in our lives and the world.

The message that I took away from "Kony 2012'' is how easy it is to stir people's desire to do good and make this world a better place. Not just inspiring positive change in a few people, but on a grand 80 million-person scale.

Jewish tradition promulgates a universal creed that consists of seven spiritual principles for all of mankind, known as the "Seven Laws of Noah." These universal values were given to the first humans so man can flourish together in harmony and avoid strife. Incidentally, one of the universal principles is the sanctity of human life and its preservation at all costs, a theme which the film powerfully conveys.

The world today is in dire need of a universal code that can bring humanity together and bridge the gaps that divide us. What we need is something we can all agree on. I believe the universal principles offer just that.

In the future I look forward to a time when a well-communicated narrative of these universal principles goes viral and reaches people in the hundreds of millions, thus beginning an evolutionary process of global change for the good. The overnight hit of "Kony 2012" leads us to believe that humanity is ready to be inspired and with a well communicated, stirring message, one day this may actually happen.

 

Follow Rabbi Berel Lerman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/berellerman

Comments

[fleur-de-lys]

05:01 PM on 03/22/2012

i was thinking along the same lines. at least this video shows us how people, especially the young, are sirred to move for a good cause. if it is truthful, and genuine, it could be such a good thing. The people in the ugandan region , having seen this, may be very uplifted and glad at the fact so many worldwide care about them and their condition. that in itself is a big possible benefit of the video. Now perhaps a lot more people will give them assistance that they indicate they want or need, instead of ignoring them. Even if the messages of the video aren't all 100 percent accurate, or even if it is a big money making ploy, or an oil ploy: still, it may be that many of the ugandan people can derive a certain amount of benefit from all the attention. If evil has prevailed for a time there, maybe a lot of good cn come to them instead due to the caring of numbers of people. Everyone needs a little or a lot of help from time to time.

[jasoncolonial]

03:44 AM on 03/22/2012

Very nice message Rabbi Lerman. Thank you.

[escholar]

02:12 AM on 03/22/2012

Not Just Kony -
Everyone agrees that the infamous Kony must be stopped, but the situation in Uganda and the Central Africa region is not just about Kony. As westerners, we also have to know about the environment that gave rise to Kony.

- http://www.prisonplanet.com/kony-2012-invisible-childrens-pro-africom-and-museveni-propaganda.html

- http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29798

- http://www.infowars.com/kony-2012-hoax-exposed/

[ThinkCreeps]

05:26 PM on 03/21/2012

If there was such a strong desire to do good, it would be nice next time, if it manifested itself while the problem was at its height, and not 15 years later, when it's almost all over.

[CMB1969]

10:47 AM on 03/21/2012

I am quite sure that the Kony 2012 episode will be studied in marketing classes for years to come as an example of how to create a viral video and influence social media on behalf of a cause.

[fleur-de-lys]

05:05 PM on 03/22/2012

exactly. but what can also be hoped and hopefully asserted, is that such actions will only be for a good cause, and that the main identified beneficiaries actually do get the main benefits. even of another set of people gain something monetarily, if it's truly of great benefit to the needy population, then, still, as Jesus said, the workman is worthy of his wages.

[Chaviva P New]

11:04 PM on 03/20/2012

Wow Berel, You are so inspiring!
M&C

[Stoopid American]

10:25 PM on 03/20/2012

Whether or not Kony is still in Uganda, whether nor not he still commands a serious force, whether or not the Kony 2012 people have the right intentions, Kony is a vile person who needs to face justice for his crimes. There is no changing that fact.

[fleur-de-lys]

05:13 PM on 03/22/2012

or so we have been told, and until all the evidence is really in, and tried by a competent court , then we don't know for sure except what we have heard or read. there is danger in repeating allegations so far unproven. let them be proven first. It is also possible that some other forces did harm to the people and gave all the credit to kony on purpose. so until things are factually and truthfully proven, we need to stop repeating a popular accusation based on very second or third hand information. after all it's just gossip or propaganda for most of us, not having any real knowledge of the situation. uganda propaganda hmmm.

[Brocha B Lerman]

08:29 PM on 03/20/2012

very interesting perspective!

[jamescarney]

07:12 PM on 03/20/2012

The bottom line is, the campaign drummed up support from those with good intentions who would not normally have become involved, but almost 100 million views on youtube later and still nothing has changed.

http://carneyjames.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/kony-2012-and-activism-20.html

[Stoopid American]

10:22 PM on 03/20/2012

The more we talk about it, the more pressure builds on those who have the power to do something about it. Will silence capture Kony?

[fleur-de-lys]

05:09 PM on 03/22/2012

if a lot of monay has been made,then i think it might be prudent for the producers to benefit survivors of the ugandan conflict who are suffering, in order to escape the image of being a scam. Or maybe it should be treated as a scam by the authorities and people, maybe file fraud charges if they don't do something of benefit to the actual victims. just a thought. like maybe a manipulative thought! haha like them.