Sad Google Chart Says Kanye’s More Important Than Kids Being Burned Alive
Horrifying reports are coming out of Aleppo as pro-government forces close in on the last rebel-held pockets of the city. But all anyone seems to be talking about today is Kanye West's bizarre meeting with President-elect Donald Trump.
To put it another way, women and children are reportedly being burned alive in a major city located in a country where America's military is actively involved. But a rapper's meeting with a former reality TV star turned politician is the top story of the day.
The world, especially the US, has very warped priorities.
According to the United Nations, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have been shooting civilians in their homes as they attempt to flee the city. At least 82 were killed on Monday, including 11 women and 13 children.
The city has been completely decimated by relentless fighting and airstrikes, and civilians have too often been caught in the crossfire.
Due to the carnage, a ceasefire agreement was reportedly reached on Tuesday, in order to allow civilians and fighters trapped in the city to evacuate, NBC News reports.
But this will likely only provide short-lived relief to Aleppo and its people.
Meanwhile, much of the world looks on with complete indifference.
Google Trends and Twitter show more people are paying attention to Kanye's meeting with Trump than the utter devastation in Aleppo.
Aleppo is apparently not at the forefront of people's minds on Tuesday, despite the nightmarish conditions its people are being subjected to.
Kanye and Trump were trending above Aleppo on both Google and Twitter.
Sadly, this is a testament of the world's failure to come to Aleppo's aid.
Many are upset about the lack of attention being given to Aleppo.
A lot of people – quite understandably – seemed to express a lack of faith in humanity over the amount of focus granted to Kanye and Trump versus Aleppo.
There's also the fact that Trump has just nominated Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson for secretary of state.
Tillerson is a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who happens to be responsible for much of the chaos and destruction in Aleppo.
This should not be ignored.
But here's something to think about: Perhaps the mainstream media would offer more attention to Aleppo if people actually cared.
Instead, media outlets gave the people what they truly wanted: coverage of an empty meeting between two hyper-narcissistic figures who frequently throw tantrums on Twitter.
Media coverage is dictated by what produces viewership. At the end of the day, media outlets have to make money.
Sadly, the suffering of other human beings does not seem to make the cut in this regard.
Yes, it would be nice to live in a world where the media only focused on what's important, instead of what gets ratings. But we won't ever come close to achieving this unless more people are willing to shift their attention to the most imminent issues of the day.
The public and media have a dual responsibility when it comes to focusing on what truly matters.
With that being said, it's long past time for the world to take a stand for Aleppo. The international community has stood idly by for far too long.
