When encountering catastrophe, the human race has the habit of resorting to passivity.

For example, remember when Paris was bombed by ISIS? #PrayforParis.

How about when the night club in Orlando was attacked by a shooter? #PrayforOrlando.

How about right now during hurricane Harvey? #SOSHouston.

Hurricane Irma? #PrayforFlorida.

In these cases, hashtags tend to trend more quickly than actual details related to each incident.

In world-wide catastrophic events such as terrorism or natural disaster, there is little that one person can do to make a visible difference, but the issue lies where one becomes complacent with doing the bare minimum.

Passive “action” from the comfort of one’s living room behind a computer screen is hardly conducive to significant change.

Yes, there comes a time when praying or hoping is all anyone can do.

The situation may seem too big for any one person to handle on her own, but don’t tweet a compassionate hashtag and then call it a day.

When hearing about a traumatic event in the world, one has the responsibility to take it upon herself to get educated about said event.

Learn the details; who was wounded, who was doing the wounding, and why?

Take a side.

Formulate an opinion.

Potentially share that opinion if the environment is not too hostile or sensitive.

Do not just follow the trend.

Add to it.

Passive “action” from the comfort of one’s living room behind a computer screen is hardly conducive to significant change.

When others see your initiative, it will encourage them to follow suit, which will spark a movement, possibly capable of inflicting real, visible change in the world.

Consider the butterfly effect, the concept that one seemingly insignificant occurrence might possess the ability to affect the path to the world’s future.

A one-minute event might have a big enough effect to change the course of society in a positive way.

One just has to be willing to put in that modicum of effort.

I do not intend to elevate hopes of global revolution, especially about a subject as high-risk as terrorism or natural catastrophe.

I simply intend to inspire people to take advantage of their freedom of thought, speech, and press.

If we speak out against misdeeds rather than letting them blow by, hoping to avoid getting swept away by the blast, there is a much greater chance of fixing them.

Just be aware of the fine line between taking advantage of an opportunity and abusing that opportunity.

Take Martin Luther King, Jr. (Some would call him a cliché example, but I prefer the term classic.) He was the king (no pun intended) of peaceful protests and speaking out against wrong-doings.

He exploited his freedom of speech in a way that provided insight to the civil cruelty being done to African-Americans in the nation, yet did not aim to harm any opposing parties.

His usage of passive-activism was something beautiful to behold.

When something traumatic happens in the life of someone you know, the most anyone knows to do is stay out of the way.

Even smaller scale disasters, like a death in one’s family or a recent job loss, solicit sympathy from others, but rarely action.

When something traumatic happens in the life of someone you know, the most anyone knows to do is stay out of the way.

Maybe one sends a casual text or direct message stating how sorry she is, or asking if there is anything she can do to help.

The recipient of said message knows that these are merely gestures and might reply cordially with an aloof thanks.

This may not be in all cases, however. For example, with close members of family.

In times of crisis, families tend to cling to each other for support, refuting my previous statement.

However, I have been to one too many family functions where the matriarch of the household appears overwhelmed, causing the rest of the party to retreat in fear of inducing any more pain to the one directly affected.

So, even in times of family crisis, people do their best to stay out of the way when the seas get rough after offering their resources and, in turn, clearing their consciences.

With events that don’t revolved around immediate family, occasionally there is the condolence casserole or pity pie, baked goods which are better displays of sorrow than mere virtual acknowledgment, but these acts are also a one-time, cover-all-your-bases move.

It is as if people feel it a chore to provide relief to victims of disaster, an exasperated groan emitting from their vocals when being made aware of the effort they will then need to exert to provide a modicum of solace for the ailing family.

When did it become normal to reject social interaction in times of distress?

How can we change society’s mindset regarding these times of crisis?

Get educated, then educate others.

Do not just follow the trend.

Add to it.

It does not have to be in the way everyone else is doing.

Each person has his or her strengths, and playing to those strengths will provide the best results.

Each person has his or her strengths, and playing to those strengths will provide the best results.

I am doing all I know how to do: writing about it.

Just because one is not out there in the field actively protesting or cleaning or providing physical relief does not mean they is not helping.

Passive activism is a real thing and can be very effective when executed properly.

The issue arises when people feel they are helping when they are merely doing the bare minimum.

A hashtag is passive, but it is not a form of activism.