World War 3 jokes, a new phase of compassion fatigue?

While scanning through social media, it is quite normal to run across a World War Three "meme" or joke, many of us find it simpler to turn a situation like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is incredibly depressing and distressing, into something more lighthearted and humorous.

They serve as a form of escapism from the horror that we witness, allowing us to avoid confronting the trauma head on and instead take a more "scenic route" with a funny picture or video, something that is easier on the eyes. In some ways, memes provide us with somewhat similar details that a news article might provide, but without the disheartening images, facts, and numbers.

They also serve as a gentler introduction to complex issues for younger audiences.

It was only a few days ago that I heard my younger sister, who is ten years old, speak about Putin and his invasion of Ukraine in such detail, something I would not have been able to do when I was her age.

Although these 30 second clips might make you smile or chuckle, it can also be noted that as a society, we have created our own "safe haven" in which we do not have to face the realities of catastrophes in other nations while also not being mocked for not understanding what is happening. The fact that we don't have to look into the eyes of those who are actually suffering might be a clue that the media in general has flooded news papers, articles, and other venues with so much frightening imagery that we have to rely on tiktok instead? I can say with certainty that my younger sister has not been monitoring the BBC or the Times for updates on Putin's invasion; what she has learned has come mostly from Tiktok.

I'm curious on how the victims would react, knowing that instead of portraying their hometown in ruins and destruction, showing the vivid and honest truth of what war actually looks like and how it is effecting real people. More people will see and share an amusing cartoon.

And this very pattern of distorting the image of what a real conflict looks like is so incredibly damaging.  People will not understand that a conflict produces so much misery and difficulty, but if everyone pays attention to this trend, the public won't actually face the truth of what war really means; deaths, loss, murder, and destruction.

Although trying to lighten up a sad and sombre circumstance is not a terrible thing, we must remember that people are suffering behind these hollow jokes. we should consider that these jokes may be utilised to educate others about the present situation, but they should not outshine those who are now suffering, their stories should always come first.

Noor Munawar