An overly common misconception appears to be floating about the pages of Facebook: Facebook evidence of support has any correlation to actual effort when it comes to causes.
Let's play pretend.
I am concerned about the environment; therefore I will install the (Lil) Green Patch application on my Facebook and become the 250,000th person to join the fight to stop global warming by joining the Join The Fight To Stop Global Warming! group.
Then I will sit back and soak in my 'green' glory as my roommate recycles my empty juice boxes for me.
I am concerned about the war in Gaza; therefore I will install the Try To Help Gaza application, pop on a matching piece of Facebook flair and message my friends with various cause invitations.
But because hearing about Gaza gets a bit humdrum when you consider the mind-boggling medical misadventures Gregory House is running into at the moment, I'll click over to FOX next time Gaza hits the news.
I am a major politico; therefore, I RSVP'd 'attending' to the Facebook-CNN live inauguration-showing event, I joined four groups discussing my discontent with the other party and paste argumentative comments on the walls of friends who disagree with my candidate.
However, I was never sure how one could watch the inauguration through Facebook. Nor did I actually watch it. And I didn't vote last November. I didn't forget to vote; I just didn't think it'd make a difference and I didn't feel like getting up two hours before class started that day.
And, finally:
I just donated my status to AIDS, rape, PETA, abortion and the group for people who hate people who abuse the Bromley elevator. A status, and not a penny more.
So let's swing back to real life.
I just broke close to every journalistic rule I have been taught thus far to make this point: Just because you say so on Facebook, it doesn't mean you're actually helping anything.
I've fallen into the trap before, too: join a cause, become a fan, donate a status, etc. It's an easy way to show you care. But I soon realized it was too easy.
It's not hard to find people who actually pursue what they support: protest, donate, volunteer, etc. The posted photos and videos of them taking part in modern movements are inspiring.
But if people don't go out and protest, give out donations, do any legitimate marketing (targeting those who can actually afford to help - not just friends), write letters or take any other measures to help their causes in real life, then why should they advertise their support - or lack thereof?
This isn't as much a push for people to do something as it is a push for people who do nothing to stop claiming to be doing something.
Too many people appear to buy into the idea that one can save the world by playing games on FreeRice.com, planting pixilated little pictures or getting a certain number of members in a Facebook group. Sure, it's a fun way to feel like you helped, but you could actually send a couple dollars through PayPal, save yourself a nice week of procrastination and probably help much more than just demonstrating you care.
Networking tools can be invaluable for promoting a cause, but it's a sad day when we use the causes to promote ourselves minus the actual effort.
Whoever said this is the era of egoism was right. If Facebook is any indication, then a cause doesn't appear to be worth your time unless it lets you tell everyone you're a good person.
I just became a fan of Cheez-Its on Facebook; and I just stuck to my word by eating some. It's almost a step forward, if nothing else.
Olga Kharitonova is a junior studying journalism and a Post reporter. Send her an e-mail at ok137308@ohiou.edu.
4 Opinion
Olga Kharitonova
