It felt like I peered into a darker, alternate universe where conspiracy theories were truth, violence was revered, and fear was rampant. I had known these things existed, a vague knowledge that there were these dark corners of the internet that fake news and misinformation was surfacing from, but I didn't realize how deeply entrenched members of these communities got when it came to ignoring truths and bending reality to their will. The article I read for this week touched upon how these conspiracy theories become to feel like a game to people; a game that can end up consuming them with twisted ideologies. We also discussed in class how the failing education system can be a reason for why all of these extremists are becoming more and more prevalent. This, combined with the Feels Good Man documentary, left a bitter taste in my mouth as I wondered how we would overcome this growing issue.
Just this Tuesday, there were eight murders in Atlanta, Georgia that is thought to be connected to the increased violence and racism against Asian Americans. I feel like this horrific incident is spurred from the misinformation surrounding the pandemic, and how it has been referred to as the "Chinese Virus" by Trump. As someone who is of Asian decent, it's deeply disheartening to hear of these terrible attrocities and know that there are people who are trying to fuel these flames. From the Feels Good Man documentary, I saw how hatred was born from irony and anonymity.
But despite all of this, we have to remember that there are so many people who are trying to fight for justice, equality, truth, and peace. While this darkness may be part of the world, it is not the entire world and we should refuse to let people believe it is. For some reason, I keep thinking back to this line from Frozen, where the troll tells Elsa that, "Fear will be your enemy." Personally, I refuse to live my life in fear because of racists and extremists. Fear is how this started--fear of surveillance, of the government, of judgement, of the pandemic, and so many other things. It is fear that brings out the worst in people. Instead of acting on fear, we should be acting out of compassion, empathy, and courage.