For your cloudy days
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Your Voice is a great example of Tech for Good.
Last week I went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. This is what I called an once in a lifetime experience. It is something that I only do to mark as done. Tourist attractions are noisy, crowded, overwhelming and at the end of the day you will always ask: What was that?
Everybody was having "FUN" which means taking pictures to post on Facebook in real time to show what a great time they were having there. I remember (and I'm not that old) when you had to appreciate every moment of your vacation, you had to choose carefully the pictures that you would take with your 24 exposures film.
The Walk of Fame is long and full of great artists but there was only a few "disputed" stars to appear on Facebook. We lost the history of great artists with the industry of entertainment and what is selling and being advertised at the moment.
These artists made us laugh, made us cry, their movies inspired us, their songs made us company when we were sad, angry, happy, alone, with friends, with our crush or at the end of a relationship.
“We have art so as not to perish from the truth.” Friedrich Nietzsche.
As I walked inside Madame Tussaud's, there she was: Meryl Streep… One of my favorite actresses. My favorites movies: The Bridges of Madison County, The Devil Wears Prada, It's Complicated, Hope Springs.
There were other amazing artists there, but I have to say that those statues are so life-like that they verge on the creepiness… The experience became pictures… pictures … pictures …. where is the exit? Does this ever end?
And then, there he was: Robin Williams. "Oh Captain, My Captain."
Everybody avoided him although they took pictures with Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson.
Maybe they were judging him: "How someone who was supposed to make us laugh, a comedian be so sad?"
Maybe he reminded us of our own sadness, our own depression.
Maybe he made us feel impotent. "If he knew how he mattered to me, would that matter?"
I don't know everyone's reason to avoid him, but the truth is that we avoid talking about depression. In our society, we praise happiness, YOLO and ironically Carpe Diem. Cheer up, be happy, enjoy every minute, live life intensely. And those who suffers from depression constantly feels that no one can help them.
The founders of the startup Whisper, Brad Brooks and Michael Heyward, started a nonprofit called Your Voice to raise awareness about mental health and help those who struggle from depression.
They've carefully heard the call for help from Whisper users.
Your Voice is a great example of technology for social good initiative, it is an online platform that you can share your story and help those in suffering to find hope.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 350 million people suffer from depression and, at its worst, depression can lead to suicide. It is important that people can find a place to discuss depression and to find out that they are not alone.
And If you have a great story, share now at Your Voice: http://www.your-voice.org/
I'll end this post with a song for a cloudy day.
"Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain, we all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow
Lean on me when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need somebody to lean on" (BILL WITHERS)
