I think some of it comes down to desensitisation and compassion fatigue. Blasts in Iraq happen almost hourly, we've lived with that since 2003. Blasts in Lebanon are also relatively very common. Terror attacks in Egypt are also relatively quite common. Sure, aircraft coming down aren't but attacks on Sharm el Sheikh, attacks in Sinai, general unrest in Egypt has been a weekly occurrence for years.
Part of the reason is - along side who we identify with and as well probably with some an element of ignorance and racism - simple desensitisation. Another part is, very, very few of us would ever consider going to southern Lebanon, Sinai or Baghdad. Therefore it doesn't resonate with us because it has very little relation to us. Paris, on the other hand, many of us have been there, have friends and family there, want to go there. Lastly, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq are very unlike where we live, we have trouble relating to those who live there and life in general there. PAris, on the other hand is very close to our own homes so we feel some empathy for the French and fear that it could have been us and one day might.
This one has been really grinding me for the past couple of days. The majority of my friends are stereotypical uni student lefties who drone on inanely about feminism and similar issues on facebook. As soon as that New Matilda article came out, ALL of them got on the Lebanon bandwagon.. Some have posted profile pictures of the Lebanese flag embossed over their profile photos, etc. Now it's almost an obscene challenge of who can find the most obscure minority to appoint themselves the spokesman of (the best so far is a mass-murder in PNG recently).
The thing is, if any of these people actually watched/read the news they would have heard about the Lebanese bombing or Russian airliner, or any other tragedy. Instead their too busy being consumed by shit-house, click-baiting, churnillism blogs that have become the mainstream news source of young Australia (Buzzfeed, Junkee, Pedestrian.tv, etc.). "
Every time there is a major tragedy in the west this topic comes up (though definitely more so this time). But I've never seen any of these people posting/lobbying/volunteering to do anything about these tragedies when it's not cool to do so.
I think what you're saying about the impact that a bombing on Paris has is bang on Johnny. No one is saying that the lives of the Lebanese, or Russians, or Papuan's, or anyone is else are worth less. It's a tragedy that anyone is killed. But the whole idea of terrorism on the west is that it strikes terror among those that don't normally feel it. An attack on Paris is an exceptional circumstance, and has major consequences for the future geo-political landscape.
It's just hypocritical, self-righteous bullshit if you ask me.... I've been fuming this on facebook for days, but haven't said anything for fear of being beaten to death over a differing opinion. It's funny how people don't like having their political ideals questioned, even when they tout themselves as progressive? That's why I come and bug RB with poorly formed opinions.