The Problem with Thoughts and Prayers
Hurricanes. Natural disasters. Mass shootings. Sexual harassment. All of these tragic events and more have been featured in the news cycle lately. Every tragedy inspires countless tweets, Facebook posts, or soundbites that all look the same: “I will pray for the victims of this tragedy.” “We’re keeping the victims in our thoughts and prayers.”
These phrases seem perfectly fine at surface level, and they give the speaker seemingly good intentions. However, these words are meaningless until they are backed up with actions.
Concrete actions, such as donating to a charity, make an actual impact and in most cases actively improve the situation. For example, after a hurricane, you could donate to a relief fund. Or after a mass shooting, you could help out with an organization for gun control. Many people set up a gofundme for raising funds, too. Simply displaying support with words is not enough.
Using these “pray for” phrases are often performative. They allow people to say something without actually caring about the subject. It is a common thought that some celebrities use performative activism in order to get “woke points” and appeal to the growing crowd of social justice activists.
However, there technically isn’t a way to tell if somebody has donated or volunteered unless they explicitly mention it. There are people who use “pray for” phrases and back up their words with good actions.
When tragedy arises, you might be one of the people saying you’ll pray for the victims. It’s fine to express your prayers but remind yourself to take action. Taking action doesn’t necessarily need to involve money—you can volunteer in some way with a group, join a protest, etc.
Concrete actions, such as donating to a charity, make an actual impact and in most cases actively improve the situation. For example, after a hurricane, you could donate to a relief fund. Or after a mass shooting, you could help out with an organization for gun control. Many people set up a gofundme for raising funds, too. Simply displaying support with words is not enough. Thoughts and prayers won’t restore the power in Puerto Rico or help victims of sexual assault.
This can also be applied on a smaller scale. For example, if a friend is sick, bring them soup or make them a card instead of just praying for their health. If a friend gets a bad grade, help them study and learn to improve it.
It may seem like small acts of kindness don’t make a difference but every action adds up. Even if it doesn’t make a huge impact, little things can bring a smile to a few people’s faces.
In a nutshell, it’s fine to pray for those affected by a tragedy but those wishes are meaningless until they are backed up by thoughtful actions. What will you do to help?
by MIRIAM ABRAMS