The Bystander Effect
A couple days ago, I was in one of my classes. In the class, groups were going up to present their chosen current social issues, both global and local. My group had already presented, but I had gone to class to just watch the other groups present (mostly for attendance purposes). And although all the presentations were good, one in particular stood out to me the most and I just can’t seem to shake the thought out of my head. The group had presented on child abduction locally. I don’t know why I was so bothered by the presentation, but it was mostly because of the video they showed the class. I found the video on youtube and would like to show you guys as well before I continue talking about it.
I had tears in my eyes in class, and I had tears in my eyes the second time I watched as well. I remember being in the lunch line after the class talking to the people in the group afterwards. Something about this video just gets me. When the two men actually help the girl, the tears just come. But why? Is it because I have little cousins as well and the fear of something like this ever happening to them freaks me out? It definitely is a factor. Or is it because I fear I would possibly be one of those people who would stop, notice what is going on, and yet still walk by? I don’t know. I would like to hope that I would be the type of person who would do something about it. I would like to hope that I have a strong sense of justice and that I would not stand for such a thing to take place in my presence. But again, I don’t really know how I would react. I have been in a situation similar to this, except with an old lady getting hurt, and I did react, despite others who did nothing, but I was 15 then. I am 6 years older and 10 times busier. Would I still do something? I don’t know. And will I now only do something because I have seen these videos? Will I now only do something so that I don’t feel bad about not doing something? Will I now only help so I can prove something to myself? Again, I don’t know. I only hope, that after looking at “bystander effect” videos for a while, that I would help for the right motives. I pray that I don’t behave the way the priest and the Levite did, but rather the Samaritan, from Luke 10. And I hope that the video, my blog, and the Bible encourage you enough to do the same.
