Documentaries can be quite depressing in that they put us in direct contact, in the safety and comfort of our own homes, with some of the worse aspect of humanity. However, they also help remind us why we should continue to help, as much as we can, to “carry forward an ever-advancing civilization”. Many people around me are shunning them, suffering from what I fondly call the “digital ostrich effect”: they bury themselves in so many other, often innate digital things that they have no time for these depressing documentaries.

And, having watched far too many of them, I can totally understand why they do that. And I must admit that, every once in awhile, I have an acute episode of the “digital ostrich effect”. When I see documentaries such as the one posted below, I’m sometimes overtaken by grief and helplessness. How can any single one of us ever hope to make a difference?

Then I remember that I’m not alone. Just like people have been unaware of me and my crutches in the last two weeks, people are unaware of what is really going on in the world. The first step towards awareness is information: hopefully, by watching this documentary (as well as others like it!) and spreading it as far and wide as possible, a discussion can start, and the more intelligent of us will be inspired to find wonderful suggestions.

Make sure you listen to the young boy who speaks at around 10:00; such insight is heart-breaking yet amazingly clear for someone who has suffered so much.

So please, start or continue the discussion; don’t just send these links to as many people as you can; watch them first, reflect about it, and add your thoughts to it, and contribute