We live in a culture where Charlie Sheen makes news before Charlie Hebdo. So why are we surprised when Paris makes news before Nigeria?
In the United States we care about ourselves. Which makes sense. Self preservation is important. But this can also lead to a very narrow band of issues that we take interest and action in. With the attacks in Paris, it was easy to take sides, and give our opinions because through our lens it was very clear cut. But Nigeria is a different story. It's equally, if not more horrible than what took place in Paris, but it is much, much messier. It's harder to get in, it's harder to get to the bottom of it, etc. The excuses are endless. But that shouldn't make it easier to not care. Because the fact of the matter is that people are people and in both places people are dying. Who are we to put the worth of one human life above that of another?
There are culture differences, there are intricacies that we will not understand. And that's ok. You don't have to be of a culture or similar culture to care about the lives and well beings of others. Perhaps someday we'll learn that.
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