What You Can Do In Times Of World Disasters | The Odyssey Online
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Politics and Activism

What You Can Do In Times Of World Disasters

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What You Can Do In Times Of World Disasters
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With bombings in Beruit, Paris, Lebanon and Baghdad, and earthquakes in Japan and Mexico, it is a depressing time for these countries and the entire world.

Approximately115,000 lives were lost in just 24 hours. Some of these deaths were from natural disasters, but a majority of them were from cruel beings.

Unfortunately, there is only so much we can do towards helping these countries, and supporting everyone the best we can.

Use social media differently.

It is sad that it took multiple crises across the globe for mostly everyone to realize that the Starbucks red cup never really mattered. Our use of social media should be reconsidered, especially in times like these. The majority of younger generations most likely discovered the news of Paris via social media, sadly. They also began recognizing the other worldwide tragedies after the Paris incident in this space, starting the #Prayfortheworld trend.

Social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are a blockade and giant distraction from reality. Thankfully, some reality finds its way into social media, but not enough, and often times without quality information. When tragic events like the Paris bombings occur, everyone seems to change their behavior online, and then it all fades as we go back to knowing more about the Kardashians than the horrible events that are occurring around the world that should be receiving attention instead.

Bad things are happening all the time, and the fact that something needs to be done should be the main use of social media. While people are acknowledging it on social networks, they barely know how to address it. Our world is falling apart in terms of peace and the wrong things are being done about it. Economically developed countries continue to believe that posting pictures on social media will somehow do something. Changing your profile picture and posting pictures of Paris does absolutely nothing to help the victims. It's like going to a hospital and telling a sick patient that needs medicine, "I hope you get medicine." Working towards helping them get the medicine is what should be done.

Focus less on memes and hashtags, and more on charities.

Despite us being halfway across the world, there are thankfully many charities to donate to that help support the recent victims of the bombings and natural disasters. If you are posting hashtags or pictures in support of Paris, you should instead invest in them.

The Secours Catholique-Caritas is an organization in France that seeks to help those in need within the nation, and you can donate here.

The Friends of Foundation De France is another France-based organization that is currently focusing solely on the France terrorist attacks,and offering its support.

The victims of Mexico are receiving a wide range of help from charities like the Mexican Red Cross, which is dedicating most of its current profits to the damage from the hurricane. Save the Children strives to respond immediately to family and children in need when disasters occur.

The Japanese Earthquake Relief Fund raises money for all the damages of earthquakes. One hundred percent of donor contributions go toward helping victims during the multitude of earthquakes Japan endures.

As for victims of ISIS in the Middle East, The Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East aims to help those in the Middle East that are trying to escape the violent actions, and has set up a school for refugees so that their education can continue, even during times of disaster. Another charity at youcaring.com helps stranded refugees.

Be grateful.


While recognizing that others are not so grateful, be grateful. In times like this, it is always important to remember how lucky you are that no one you know or yourself is injured. Out of the hundreds of thousands of lives that were lost, it could have been you or someone you knew. It’s always hard to get such a reality check, but with our generation’s blindness to third-world countries and countries that face daily danger, it at least wakes up some people with the realization that there are more important reasons to disregard social media and the misinforming or meaningless articles on it, as well as to focus on the rest of the world, not just ours. Finally, it wakes us up and makes us remember how lucky we are to not face such danger, and be aware that horrible things can happen in this world that make us lose everything. I always feel it is hard being in America and having the latest technology and gadgets, therefore not being able to relate to anything less economically developed countries experience. It makes it slightly harder to acknowledge that material things do not matter since our society is so wound up about technology and material things. In the end, it’s the little things that matter: family, education, and the choices we make.

Pray and solve the issue.

The Dalai Lama said, “Don’t pray for Paris, it won’t help!” and he is absolutely right. While it is great that people are keeping Paris and other worldwide victims in their mind, people should be thinking outside the box and doing more than just praying. The Dalai Lama says we should work for peace, and not just work for it; we need to make serious attempts, or we will continue to experience similar tragic events in the future.

If praying is helping you gain hope about the disastrous occurrences happening now or makes you feel more comforted in times of terror, then pray away! But keep in mind that ultimately, we should all be working together. The government will not help much at this point, nor will creating memes and pictures in support of the victims in Paris. An extreme and systematic approach is required for such a large and continuous issue. ISIS is comparable to locusts; it will never stop spreading and destroying unless they are stopped. We cannot sit here and expect a miracle to happen and worldwide peace to occur. It takes great work to get achieve success and great risk to get there, but this does not mean it’s impossible.

Take this time to recognize or reconsider your love and judgment.

It seems every country thinks every other country is against them in some way or another, especially Americans. The same goes for the average person in school, who thinks at least someone or everyone is out to get them. The world is like one giant family; everyone thinks everyone else annoys them when really all members love each other deep down. When Paris fell down along with too many other countries and a scary number of lives were lost, the entire world acknowledged and sought to support those that experienced these horrible events. As strange as it is that it takes events as such for the world to realize we are all there for each other, even if it doesn’t seem like it, everyone should take this as a strong opportunity to remember to love everyone the best you can.

Finally, everyone needs to try to offer the most they can to reconstructing the world. Henry Ford once said, "The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” Tragic events like the Paris incident seem to be only temporary on social media, and only serve to provide the same pictures and hashtags believed to somehow help the incident. We all need to wake up and make changes, because too many lives are at stake right now with not enough being done.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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