Notice how in Kristof’s writing (and in Western advocacy campaigns writ large) “raising awareness” involves shaming citizens around knowledge rather than action: “Did you know this is going on?” one exclaims, while clutching her pearls. “Oh yes, I did read about that. Just terrible, isn’t it?” goes the appropriate response.
It is the knowing about (parts of) it, rather than doing something about it, that signifies the critical orientation toward the phenomenon. And as a result, Kristof’s attempts to shock the conscience serve, perversely, to merely push out the frontier of what no longer offends or alarms. As his tales of horror are continually processed and turned into the new normal of what to expect horror to be (rape of five year-olds? That’s old hat, only rape of four year-olds shocks anymore!), readers not only expect always greater horror, but they come to demand it weekly. Note also that one of the main actions one can take is to simply write on Kristof’s blog in support of, well, Awareness.
Keeping readers in a constant state of becoming-Aware creates an indefinite loop that would be laughable if it were not so productive. And while it produces awareness of abused bodies over there, it resolutely refuses to make readers aware of their complicity in those abuses.
(Source: thenewinquiry)
