The harsh reality of the Ukraine invasion is getting lost on social media

Meanwhile, viewers online were wondering who would play Zelensky in a Hollywood biopic.

The unseemly takes multiplied as the invasion continued. “Putin is Emperor Palpatine,” mused a self-proclaimed “mastermind” on Twitter; Ukraine and its American backers are “the rebel alliance”.

Instagram has featured memes of former US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin kissing. This observation — “BREAKING: Every woman in your life has at least a little crush on Volodymyr Zelensky right now and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it” — received more than 20,000 retweets.

It seems impossible for people to take things seriously, even when time demands it.

The perpetrators are not only attention-grabbing influencers and social media obsessives. Officials rushed into the chat.

Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw wants the Russians to leave the International Space Station. Armchair warriors in the media have joined the fray, hypothesizing about no-fly zones and weapon armaments as if the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a live-streamed game of risk.

Meanwhile, the majority of Ukrainians I know are busy organizing money and aid, grieving the loss of life, family and home.

There is a growing tendency to view international conflicts either as purely realpolitik—strategies and interests, bloodless and devoid of moral value—or as an extension of fandom.

While the former stance is more commonly adopted by the foreign policy establishment, the latter has become the norm of the public. Who has the sexiest leader, better public image? Which side signals a clearer alignment with the preferred political cause? Which team is most like us?

In the case of Ukraine, this tendency is perhaps understandable, if not admirable. In an increasingly complex world, the clarity of good versus evil could make distant events easier to digest. roots for the rowdy outsider psychological attraction in a conflict that is painful to behold and seemingly beyond our control.

And there is much to admire about the Ukrainian resistance: the determination of the country’s citizens has inspired and encouraged the world, especially after a few dark and confusing years. Selenskyj has demonstrated the virtue of courage in the truest sense of the word – well-considered courage and perseverance in the face of fear. It’s one more example in politics should follow.

But we must also remember that world affairs do not evolve for our personal edification. Their importance does not correlate with how well they meet our psychological needs.

The crisis in Ukraine is not a spontaneous event or a weekend influencer pop-up – it is the result of decades of geopolitical wrangling. And in this conflict, unlike our reassuringly pre-determined storylines, there is no playbook showing that the underdogs will win.

It’s easy “choosing sides” and to a certain extent this can be useful in gaining the necessary support. But war is not a lighthearted kickAbout. Treating it as such ultimately dehumanizes the very people we are trying to help.

Ukraine’s leaders, soldiers, and civilians aren’t video game characters or actors from our favorite Marvel movies, they’re real people in a fight to be will continue to have human consequences and costs long after our overheated attention has faded.

So what to do when cheering from the sidelines doesn’t make sense? Donate to crisis funds. Contact the legislature to improve refugee protection. Pray if this appeals to you.

Our attention habits have been curdling for years. Companies like Facebook and Twitter have “animated” content creation and “monetized” celebrities, and the more widely you can spread your presence (relevance of your posts is secondary), the greater your success.

Media organizations share the blame for the problem. In recent decades they have benefited from horse racing politics, treating winners and losers like results are a competitive sport.

This week as Russian attacks intensify and the refugee crisis is clearly visible, it’s time to wake up to reality. War is not a game.