opinions // 16 theotherpress.ca War of the Words: Spreading the word, or Just a buzzword? » Awareness Campaigns are crucial to society i Aidan Mouellic Staff Writer y fellow staff writer, Cazzy Lewchuk, is a formidable person who would do a lot of help for people in need—or at least that’s what I thought. For some reason, Lewchuk thinks that awareness campaigns are ineffective; I completely disagree. When I asked Lewchuk what he meant, he told me that he thought that campaigns, such as ongoing breast cancer awareness campaigns, are not doing any good because he “[doesn’t] see girls going around checking themselves for cancer.” Aside from the failed logic presented to me, Lewchuk is just plain wrong. Awareness campaigns do a lot to bring issues that people aren't com- fortable talking about into the open. Unlike fundraising cam- paigns that hope to raise money for the ill, awareness campaigns : : old-fashioned is okay; but not : wanting to improve the lives : of marginalized members of aim to inform and educate. Information is one of the most powerful forces in the world. Without awareness campaigns, we are unaware. : When we are unaware, we end : up witha testicle the size of : Lance Armstrong's bruised : ego. Poignant campaigns often : spread the lifesaving infor- : mation that is so desperately : needed in society. Should : we know the signs of heart : attacks and strokes? Thanks : to effective awareness cam- : paigns, we do. What to doin : case of earthquakes? We know : because of information spread : by awareness campaigns. If it weren't for effective and timely awareness cam- : paigns, we would be living : ina horrible society where : women wouldn't be able to vote, : segregation would be the norm, : : and smoking tobacco would : be prescribed for asthma. So : Lewchuk may as well be against : : modern development ifhe is : against awareness campaigns; : which is to say he’s maybe con- : servative and wants things to be how they were in the 1800s. Wanting things to be : society and not wanting to shed : light on important causes is : wrong. Awareness campaigns : only occur for causes that need : attention. There is no campaign ; to spread the gospel of LeBron : James or to end discrimination : against attractive Caucasians : because these are causes that : have no virtue. Awareness : campaigns happen because : there is an issue that needs : attention—otherwise people : will continue to smoke ciga- : rettes and die, while the world : is shocked and confused. Perhaps Lewchuk thinks that awareness campaigns are : no good because a lot of them : fail. It’s true that not all cam- : paigns are successful; many still smoke and many still enjoy : crystal meth. But it’s also true : that if you don’t try to change the world, you never will. Istrive to bean aware individual, and I often am : because of the valuable : awareness campaigns that : have changed the world. Next : time an important message is : being spread, take the time to : listen—you might learn some- : thing that could save a life. By Joel McCarthy War of the Words: Spreading the word, or Just a buzzword? » Awareness campaigns have minimal impact Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer A weeks ago, people cross the country participated in Pink Shirt Day, wearing pink shirts to raise awareness about bullying. This day involved many companies weighing in to show just how much they care by mass printing and selling pink T-shirts to raise awareness. It was a success in terms of its participation and awareness raised. No doubt, the message that “bullying is bad and anti-bullying is good” was on everyone’s mind for at least one day. But what further good did this day do? Did it even explain itself? Awareness has no physical form or even a universal definition. I saw no mentions of steps we can take to reduce bullying during : this campaign, nor did I see : a clear-cut definition of what bullying actually is. : awareness may include selling : T-shirts and merchandise, : advertising on the Internet, : voicing opinion publicly, : donating for some kind of : vague charity relating to the issue, and berating others if : one is unaware of the issue. : campaigns tackle serious problems that are often on a global scale. These issues : benefit from increased public ; engagement. There’s global ; warming, cancer, mental : health, physical health, oil Bullying was essentially a Typically, spreading Many awareness : drilling, starvation, poverty, : war, obesity, and hundreds : of other issues someone : : somewhere decided it would : buzzword to make us feel good : : and wear our fabulous pink : shirts. The focus was not to : stop bullying, but to wear your : : pink shirt and be pro-anti- : bullying. For some reason, this : : is one of the biggest awareness : : campaigns in Canada—and it doesn’t even have a clear goal. be good to do something people who take up two seats : on the bus are destroying society. Undoubtedly, many of These days, awareness : isan attention-getter. It’s a money-maker and publicity : drummer-upper. Nothing gets : people talking, interested, : promoting, and taking out : their wallets faster than ; mentioning that youre : seeking to raise awareness of: : something vague. Is the power : : of the awareness used wisely? It seems the bigger the : awareness campaign, the less : about. Personally, I'd like more : : awareness spread about how preventative measures are : actually taken. It’s said that an : : ounce of prevention is worth : : a pound of cure. I see a lot of : effort dished out to “finda : cure” and “make an issue-free : these serious problems should : : be discussed in greater detail : and be in the public spotlight : more. But my question is, do : major awareness campaigns : actively seek to make the : impact, or has awareness : become more of a buzzword to give folks false hope and, : in many cases, promotea ; company or person’s image? future,” but rarely do I see : the campaigns focussed on : eliminating the issues. How can we reduce the amount of bullying taking : place in society? By wearing pink shirts, obviously. Charities that provide legitimate support for those : affected by the issue do : wonderful work, and everyone : should fully support them : whenever possible. I suggest : that instead of designated ; awareness days, we should all : : be aware of issues all the time. : : The trick is to be informed. : Make educated decisions : about your views on matters. Bullying was essentially a buzzword to make us feel good and wear our fabulous pink shirts. : Know the facts about major : platforms. Remember your : privileges and take time to : do something for those in : trouble. Actually listen to and : support a friend who's having : life problems. Make healthy choices for your body and : mind. Perhaps Jerry Springer of all people summed it up best, : closing every show by telling us to “take care of yourself, : and each other.” If everyone : did this, there would be no : need for awareness campaigns.