In light of recent events, Her Campus UVic thought it would be beneficial to discuss how we think we can make a difference. We believe it is important to keep an open conversation about these issues to spread awareness and share how we can help one another on both small and global scales. Here is what our team had to say:
“The other day, someone on my timeline shared a short video which basically described the difference between sympathy and empathy. I think in light of recent events, being empathetic to all who have been affected by acts of violence (Syrians, Parisians, the people of Baghdad, etc.) is important. It is really the only way that we can step towards the greater goal of achieving world peace. By placing ourselves in the lives of others we are able to gain a deeper understanding of what it is the people of the world are going through – religious views, personal opinions and politics aside. In my eyes, being sympathetic is feeling bad about events that have happened but accepting them as they are. Empathy is going one step further; it’s placing yourself in the situation in order to really understand the viewpoints of all affected and what needs to change in world system in order for more parties to feel loved and safe. I would encourage anyone who has been reading articles about the recent events worldwide to take a moment to pause and think about exactly people are affected in all situations because at the end of the day it’s not about the how the world REACTS to a situation but about how it ACTS going forward.”
Femi, Class of 2017
“I think what we can take from these tragic events is our ability as a people to come together and stand united. Take, for example, the social media trend “porte ouverte” Instead of people locking their doors out of fear, they let people know that their house is a safe place to stay.”
Kate, Class of 2019
“These recent events have only brought to the forefront how important it is to withhold from judgment, prejudice, and discrimination. It goes without saying that the evil those groups committed is both heart wrenching and terrifying. It has the power to separate us, to divide us. But we too have a power to unite and stand with those under attack. Instead of living in fear, we have a grand opportunity to show compassion and support to nations often forgotten. All of the comments I’ve seen have only shown me how capable we are of uniting and showing love to one another.”
Emily, Class of 2019
“It is absolutely heart breaking hear about events like this, but unfortunately, it can be all too easy to feel distanced from them when you haven’t been personally affected. Now more than ever we all need to take a moment to place ourselves in the shoes of those affected and express our empathy in the form of action and support.”
Jessica, Class of 2019
“I think it’s difficult to watch these things unfold and all we can do, as a nation, is help. Help victims, and [do] our part to make the world a better place.”
Jasmine, Class of 2017
“I feel that adding a filter to your Facebook profile picture as supposed support of the people affected by this tragedy is not a particularly helpful or poignant trend. Many major websites altered their logos to show their respect, but they only had eyes for France when many violent tragedies occurred that day in other parts of the world, like Nigeria and Afghanistan. The fact that the world decided to pay attention to France shows how normalized violence is in these other parts of the world, and shows how focused the media is on the West.”
Arianna, Class of 2019
“With response to these tragic events, I hope that people are sincerely praying for the world, and not merely “hashtaging” these words in their social media posts.”
Henrika, Class of 2019
“In light of recent events, I’ve walked around with a heavy heart. It’s upsetting that chaos and crisis was the reality for many nations last week, and many more before, but Paris has given the world a reason to act in solidarity. Rather than [causing us to retreat] from issues, fear has now sparked action among individuals and countries. It’s time for nations to empathize rather than criticize in order to comprehend how to compose a united response.”
Samantha, Class of 2019
“World peace is the absence of war, but it is more than that. It is accepting that we should all have equal rights and freedoms, and actively working towards that. It is telling our governments, over and over, to do better in every way, whether with regards to foreign, domestic, or environmental policy. In almost any belief system we can turn to, we find that love, generosity, and understanding are paramount. When we react to recent events impulsively, with hatred, fear, or racism, we give in. We also have to extend our empathy beyond what we are used to, what we already relate to, and realize that attacks close to home are not the only attacks. We do not have world peace yet, and when what we do have is threatened, all we can do is work harder towards a peaceful world – and the only way to do that is together. Anne Frank’s father tried to get the family into the United States as refugees; we all feel crushed when we read her story, but if we don’t try and change something, her story will repeat itself over and over. “Those who don’t [learn from] history are doomed to repeat it.”
Sophie, Class of 2019
“After reading the poem Home by Warsan Shire, I was struck by the strong and vivid emotions that captured the voice of a refugee. [This] opened my eyes – [I went] from being sympathetic to being empathetic to a situation I can barely fathom, as [if it were] my reality. [I had to] look at my life: I am blessed [to live] in Canada and to be able to attend University,because of where I was born. [Now I look] at [others’] homes and see their situations, [which] they cannot control, [in] a life that they did not choose. [It forces me] to put [myself] in their shoes, live their life, and say “if that [were] me…I would want someone to help, too.” We stand together, because if you had to switch lives with them, the answer to what you would do [would become] crystal clear.”
Leah, Class of 2019.