“…for the @uscmind challenge.”
In the past week, our social media feeds have been flooded by videos of shivering peers laughing as ice-cold water cascades over their heads. Since the University of South Carolina’s Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket challenge went viral, people all over the world have taken up this challenge and nominated their friends in a campaign to spread awareness about mental health. This trend echoes a prior one, when the internet was also filled with people dumping ice water over their heads for the 2014 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Ice Bucket challenge. Yet the modern version of this classic challenge has become slightly different.
While the #SpeakYourMIND challenge is intended to bring awareness to mental health, this challenge has become more of a trend and social outlet instead. Despite the challenge diverging from its intention, we must ask ourselves whether or not this is actually a bad thing. In the first two weeks, the #SpeakYourMIND challenge has garnered over 33,000 dollars in donations. Although this number may seem significant, when compared to the ALS Ice Bucket challenge that raised around 115 million dollars, it seems less effective. For these reasons, this challenge may draw criticism as another shallow internet trend that overlooks the deeply meaningful cause of mental health advocacy. These concerns are valid but unfair.
Rather than view this cynically and dismiss this trend as the triumph of shallow, short-form media over serious subjects such as mental health, or another instance of mass performative activism, let us reflect on the way that this trend has positively impacted communities.
Remembering how the ALS challenge created intergenerational connections between celebrities, public figures, adults, and kids, perhaps the #SpeakYourMIND challenge can do the same. Behind every upturned water bucket and round of nomination is a deeper desire: to recapture the essence of a tight-knit community. Whether we see a student walking in soaking wet clothes on the paths, a suspiciously large puddle and wet footprints on the pavement, or people running around with recycling bins full of water, there’s no judgment, only knowing looks and exchanged smiles. It’s fun, nostalgic, and a little silly; after all, how can we feign being calm, cool, and collected when bucketfuls of cold water are gushing over our heads? When the water hits, we can’t help but scream — it’s an absolutely authentic reaction that is a welcome break from the artificial, glossy lives often advertised on social media.
Regardless of whether the USCMind challenge ends up raising as much money as the 2014 Ice Bucket challenge, it still succeeded in two important respects: raising awareness for mental health and fostering connection, which is at the heart of fighting mental health struggles in the first place. This challenge unites all by virtue of our collective engagement. #SpeakYourMIND has crossed generations, travelling from coast to coast and transcending national boundaries, so why not join in? When your name is the next one to be nominated for the challenge, grab a bucket, find a friend, press record, and say, “Thank you for nominating me…”
