On the need to be seen to be doing something
There's a fine line between doing something because you believe it to be a good thing to do and doing something because of the need to be seen to be doing something. It is easy to decide to do something because your friends are doing it and you do not to want to be left out. It is easy to be pressurised into a particular action because not to act in that way can make you seem weak, uncaring, naive or a traitor to the group. The propaganda used on both sides for recruitment into the military during the 1st World War relied heavily on the need of potential recruits to be seen to be doing their bit and avoid the stigma of being called cowardly or unpatriotic. I am wondering how the need to be seen to be doing something may influence decisions made today in 2 particular areas: Climate Change Syria 1. Climate Change There was an impressive turnout of world leaders at the opening of the Climate Change conference in Paris at the start of this week. Given the global import...
