What is an empathy gap? Let me explain.
In the recent attacks in Brussels, the world flocked on social media to offer their love, prayers, and support to Belgium. The same thing happened when Charlie Hebdo was attached by Muslim extremists, spurring the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie to take the Internet by storm.
Une #photo montage qui commence à circuler et qui pourrait devenir l’équivalent du #JesuisCharlie de #Bruxelles pic.twitter.com/UXH8B3fpaZ
— Nadi Mobarak (@NadiMobarak) March 22, 2016
However, a number of netizens also noticed a seeming great lack of concern for terrorist attacks in other places: Beirut. Lebanon. Baghdad. Yemen.
The pattern for this has become all too predictable. An act of violence happening in one part of the world overshadows that of another attack. Both are no less traumatic, but it seems the horrors of an attack in either an American or European city captures the sympathy of people the world over in ways that an similar atrocity that is no less traumatic and distressing doesn’t seem to do. The bombings in Lebanon or Kenya are no less agonizing than those in Paris or Madrid, but where is “#IAmLebanon”?
Social media has also gotten flack for this imbalance of empathy. Facebook has earned much criticism over the use of their crisis-ready features. If there were safety-checks for Parisian residents, why weren’t there any for Libya nor Tunisia? Where was that feature that allowed users to stripe their profile pictures in Turkey’s or Beirut’s colors?
Many Twitter users held a similar sentiment that this man summed up so well in two tweets:
We are all France. We are all Belgium. We are never Nigeria. Never Palestine or Lebanon. Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso.
— zellie (@zellieimani) March 22, 2016
Other people chose to use this statement as a soapbox to discuss racial issues, whether they were relevant or not.
@GrantDOtown I don’t see any mentions of race in this tweet. I see a juxtaposition between first and third world countries.
— Robert Klemko (@RobertKlemko) March 23, 2016
Others used this as a opportunity to lay blame.
@RobertKlemko @GrantDOtown The West gave them the chance to flee war and they in turn BROUGHT WAR TO THE WEST, that’s the outrage.
— Le Freak (@lefreak2014) March 23, 2016
@RobertKlemko @GrantDOtown They expect the West to do everything for them. And the juxtaposition should b CIVILIAN ZONES AND WAR ZONES.
— Le Freak (@lefreak2014) March 23, 2016
Others focused on the contrast between issues abroad and issues in their own backyard.
@bijancbayne @zellieimani ^ that to me is more interesting. much more solidarity shown for cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo than Charleston AME
— Nathaniel C. Tensen (@NathanCTensen) March 23, 2016
And issues between Israel and Palestine were further stoked.
@Jrandallb @zellieimani Israel ???? Lol you have got to be kidding me
— leyla (@zaynmyweeknd) March 22, 2016
@zaynmyweeknd I feel bad for every innocent Palestinian who is killed. Dehumanizing of the other only leads to more killing.
— Randy Barnes (@Jrandallb) March 23, 2016
And there are some who just want everyone to remember that what the world needs the most right now is empathy.
@zellieimani @Bea4Palestine We’re all in this together, whether everyone admits it or not
— di is in los angeles (@tovangar2) March 23, 2016
In the face of all the conflict, chaos, and hate-slinging online there are still some things that are raw, beautiful, and true. Like this Palestinian ballerina in Italy.
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