Qu’en est-il tout le monde?

TAYLER REVIERE VERNINAS | ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR | THE USD VISTA

In the midst of reading articles on the most recent killings around the globe and scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, tears started to roll down my face as this inner frustration began to build up within me. Many unanswered questions ran through my brain as I cried about all of the cruelty I was witnessing through the media.

The hardest question being— why is there such evil in the world?

The initial issue I had when reading about the tragic events in Paris was that once again innocent lives were taken.

The second issue I came across was the Facebook profile picture change to the French flag. My eyes glazed through the colors of blue, white, and red with every  scroll.

It’s great that people are praying for the tragedy that just occurred in Paris. The changing of profile pictures implies that Facebook users are thinking about the lives affected , therefore displaying their sense of care.

But, hey friends! Did you also not realize that Beirut, Lebanon was attacked by twin suicide bombings the day before Paris was bombed? Why wasn’t the Lebanese flag, or any other country being terrorized for that matter, a profile picture option for users? The casualty numbers may not have been as high but that does not allow us to disregard the loss of innocent, civilian lives.

Many might argue that because France is a first world country and one of our allies who stood beside the U.S. during the catastrophes of 9/11, it would make more sense to show our loyalty for those suffering in that country. Well, if we are so inclined to recognize the suffering individuals around the globe, how do we fail to recognize those people suffering in countries that are not first world?

Is the world more cruel because we are constantly exposed to information everyday? It may seem as if the world is becoming more evil because every other news story is about death, oppression, or mass destruction.

Some might view this profile picture changing as a step toward promoting kindness for humanity and supporting others in times of tragedy. Others might question whether changing our profile pictures will make any more of a difference in empathizing with those around the world. Does anyone really care that much or do they just feel the pressure to care about something because everyone else seems to be?

Plot twist: Facebook should have a globe as the option for changing our profile picture. Then we can remember the universality of the world and how the struggles of all countries should be recognized.