Opinion writer Ed Lecorgne discusses the impact of cultural parallels on what is and isnÔÇÖt discussed on social media and geographical proximity as a gatekeeper of news
Its 00.37am on Tuesday morning, and IÔÇÖm sitting in bed refreshing my Twitter page. Approximately 4 hours ago, two bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon. At this time, two people have been killed, and over a hundred injured. A horrific tragedy.
I found out the news on Twitter, which quickly became flooded with messages of sympathy, of love, of prayer and hope, reaching out to the runners and crowds.
The hashtag #prayforboston is the top trend at the moment. People from every city on Earth, from every background, denomination, religious or secular organization, is tweeting their thoughts, beliefs, and emotions about the disaster.
The wave of grief and the outpouring of compassion is thankfully the overriding message, yet it doesnÔÇÖt stop there – there is a lot of shock and anger coming from the hundreds of tweeters. Scrolling through my personal newsfeed, I can see people I know mentioning it, friends in Cardiff echoing the anger and grief of so many others. Others havenÔÇÖt mentioned it.
Iraq is also trending on twitter, currently the 5th in the UK. Today, 37 people were killed, and 140 injured. So far in 2013, there have been 893 civilian deaths in Iraq from violence. Nearly 900 people, in only 3 and half months.
I am not constantly glued to a news screen, or reading online blogs at every opportunity, but I consider myself fairly up to date with most important stories – following political and international news as well as UK based reports. Yet, I cannot tell you anything about the events that lead to so many Iraqi deaths.
A few hours ago, I was transfixed watching the BBC breaking news bulletin of the Boston bombings, and my housemate turned to me and said ÔÇÿDo you think this will be one of those times where you remember where you heard the news?ÔÇÖ I remember where I was when I heard about 9/11, even at my fairly young age, my mum rushing to ring my uncle in America.
I can remember the news of the 7/7 bombings in London. But I couldnÔÇÖt tell you a single fact about the 893 people that died over the last three months in violent attacks in Iraq. What are the reasons for this?
Well, itÔÇÖs far more shocking ÔÇô especially when described as an official ÔÇÿact of terrorÔÇÖ. The USA is ÔÇÿsaferÔÇÖ than Iraq, and therefore it is far more distressing and alarming when it does come under attack. However, saying this, regardless of its truth, gives me an uneasy sense of amorality. Do I only care about the loss of human life because of its shock factor? Will I remember where I was mainly because of its unexpected nature, rather than solely on the lives lost? The same can be said for it being ÔÇÿcloser to homeÔÇÖ ÔÇô ÔÇÿcloser to being something that could happen to usÔÇÖ ÔÇô Do I only care about tragedy when itÔÇÖs on my personal horizon? Am I morally bankrupt, or is that just human nature? I donÔÇÖt know.
The reason that Iraq is the fifth most trending thing in the UK seems to be people reminding other that Iraq has also had a bombing tragedy today. One tweeter uses the words ÔÇÿBefore everyone jumps on the Boston bandwagonÔǪÔÇÖ
The tweeters moaning that Iraq is not being mentioned seem desperate to make it clear that the death toll was higher here than in Boston, rather than speaking with the compassion and sympathy given to the marathon runners. Here I feel torn. Publicity for tragedy, wherever it is, is surely good, but how much of an effect will it have?
If I tweet about the Boston tragedy, after doing nothing, not even knowing, about hundreds of other deaths, does that make me a hypocrite, or just morally self-centered (or ÔÇÿWestern-centeredÔÇÖ if you will)? If so, is everyone I follow, my friends of Facebook, the people I have talked to about it just as lacking in compassion for humanity? If I tweet about Iraq, am I jumping on the same ÔÇÿbandwagonÔÇÖ as everyone else?
Or is this all just be my cynicism talking? While it is being treated as more and more important as social media gains power, twitter is only 140 words of someoneÔÇÖs views. On a not completely unrelated side note, the 8 th top trend as I type is ÔÇÿ#madeinchelseaÔÇÖ
Please donÔÇÖt take this article as an attempt to take anything away from the tragedy that has happened. The most retweeted comment from the #prayforboston hashtag was from the NBC Sports Network (@NBCSN). It said:
ÔÇ£Reports of Marathon Runners that crossed finish line and continued to run to Mass General Hospital to give blood to victims #prayforbostonÔÇØ
I cannot even begin to imagine the horror that is an exploding bomb. To come through that after running 26 miles and to continue running, towards the hospital in order to give blood, is a reminder that we are capable of unbelievable feats of humanity, and in the face of tragic loss, this is what we must hold on to.
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