The two explosions on March 22 in Brussels that injured more than 230 people and killed at least 30 felt all too similar to memories of the Paris attacks that happened at the end of last year.
There is a major crisis occurring—not only in the continuous course of terrorist attacks, but in how jaded we have become in our responses. The familiar ritual whereby we tweet and Instagram our sympathy and support is both harmful and ineffective in situations such as these.
As I scrolled through social media the morning of the attack, it was not surprising to notice a flooding of posts offering support to Brussels. In the wake of the explosions people took to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share cartoons in solidarity and hashtags such as #JeSuisBruxelles and #PrayForBrussels. And yet, many studies have shown social media trends in these events—such as changing Facebook pictures to the Belgium national flag colours—can have a negative impact on more substantial forms of support.
According to a study conducted at the University of British Columbia, posting support online allows people to feel connected to causes, but makes them less inclined to donate to or volunteer for them.
Using social media as an outlet for showing our support to the victims and their families caught in such horrific attacks is part of the “slacktivist” response. Slacktivism is supporting a political or social cause online without any further involvement or time commitment. It’s a passive, essentially useless response.
Not only does social media create passive supporters out of us, it makes us numb to their effects. It’s a ritual. Posting and tweeting have become such a habit that there really is no effective difference to a photo from our childhood with the hashtag #ThrowbackThursday, or a photo of the Belgium colours with the hashtag #PrayForBrussels. They require the same amount of effort, the same amount of consideration, and they’ll probably garner the same number of likes. The only difference is one is meant to be the emblem of our support and the other a nostalgic memory. Followers like them and comment on them, but they don’t reach beyond that.
I took part in the Facebook ritual of adding the nation’s colours to my profile picture after the Paris attacks in November. But then what? A week or so later, each of us who partook in this act of solidarity returned our profile pictures to something else. Does that mean we gave up supporting them? No—the victims of the Paris attacks were in our hearts regardless of whether we made it public on social media. The same can be said about Brussels. We don’t need filters and hashtags to feel sympathetic or supportive of these nations. We only use them to make how we feel public.
I will admit in times like these, social media is effective at creating global unity between tweeters and Instagrammers from all over the world. It also provides an outlet for those of us who have no other means to support the victims. However, there is no real effort and no real impact.
Almost five months ago, social media was plastered with red, white, and blue to show solidarity for Paris. Almost two weeks ago, these colours turned to red, yellow, and black. It’s unfortunate to consider what nation’s colours will be displayed next, but I hope that when it does, more of us will consider responding in a more substantive way.
Give money, educate yourself on the conditions that have given root to these attacks, or volunteer in some way that could help these, or future victims—and then maybe update your status.
