The article that seemed the most immediately intriguing to me sported the title, “WTF was Kony 2012? Considerations for Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies (CCCS)”, published in September 2013 in the aforementioned CCCS Journal. I knew immediately that I would enjoy reading this analysis of what I remember to be an incredibly strange media event and public relations explosion, a strange movement in which I did unfortunately partake. Jayson Harsin, the author of this article, carries with him years of experience from multiple universities, with a PhD in Communication from Northwestern University being his most recent degree. He currently sits as vice chair for the division on Philosophy, Theory, and Critique of the International Communication …show more content…
Accumulating nearly 100 million views in its first week of release, this documentary shook American audiences into a whirlwind of an emotionally appealing narrative illustrating atrocities occurring halfway across the globe - and encouraged the financial, social, and political involvement of the audience. The video was published on YouTube on March 5, 2012 by director and screenwriter Jason Russell, surpassing most viral videos at a length of thirty minutes. Kony 2012 presents the audience with Joseph Kony, Ugandan war criminal who kidnaps and murders children in his rebel militia - along with painting Jason Russell as a legitimate pariah bringing the resources of the United States to a cause he seemed passionate about. He convinced the viewer that he, with the audience’s help, stop Kony through garnering enough political interest to effectively locate and eradicate the man, ending his bloodstained tirade. This “help” would include putting up posters sporting the documentary’s logo, donating various amounts of money to the documentary’s producer, the NGO known as Invisible Children, and writing to government officials to refocus their attention on Kony so he could be