Articles
The Streisand Effect
Every so often we are presented with a dilemma: Should we confront a situation, or should we leave it alone and hope the matter gradually resolves itself? If we focus on a problem and bring it out into the open, will publicity make it a bigger issue than it would have otherwise been?
In popular lingo creating a problem unnecessarily is called “the Streisand Effect.” Webster’s Online explains: “In 2003 (Barbra Streisand) sued photographer Kenneth Adelman for photographing her Malibu beach house from the air … He put the pictures online, and Streisand sued to have them taken down. Prior to the suit, only a handful of people had seen the photo, but once news of the suit broke, hundreds of thousands of people sought it out online … Streisand and her lawyers had inadvertently brought attention to the picture they wanted removed.”
This is one of those areas in which we might wish for a step-by-step tutorial on how to resolve a specific issue. For example, in the chapter on “Parental Nurture” we might turn to the section on “The Birds and the Bees” to learn when and how to deal with the topic of sexuality. We want to give our children age-appropriate information, but we don’t want to prematurely spike their interest.
In the past I have been criticized for dealing with false ideas that I felt needed examination. Some objected saying that preaching on them put thoughts into people’s heads that would have likely never occurred to them. Perhaps they were right, but such is a judgment call preachers often have to make. There is stress between the obligation to warn about dangers on the one hand and the potential “Streisand Effect” on the other.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t hesitate to expose the warts of humanity (idolatry, lying, murder, fornication, etc.) or even the various facets of human nature (sexual desire, marriage, friendship, aging, death, etc.). Scripture lays it all out there: faulty heroes, depravity, wars, assassinations, betrayal, incest, etc. It is not a sanitized account which edits out the messy parts for fear that exposure will create an appetite for sin or spark an evil imagination.
However, there are things that might be further complicated or exacerbated by unnecessary exposure. Lacking the aforementioned how-to guide, perhaps the following thoughts will help us sort through a particular situation:
1. Does the matter pose a serious danger to those involved? Is it a false teaching among the congregation or a brother sowing discord? Is someone being harmed by physical abuse?
2. Does the matter involve overt sin? Or is it purely a judgment call that could potentially have a bad outcome? Might patience be a better option?
3. Is the matter at a critical juncture? Is it something born of immaturity that a person may grow out of? Are there other subtle steps to be taken before dealing with the matter head on?
4. How well known is the matter already? Is public fallout already occurring? Is it preventive maintenance or damage control?
5. Will greater harm be done by keeping the matter under wraps and having it exposed later as opposed to making it known and allowing concerned parties to deal with it forthrightly?
6. Will I risk a friendship by confronting the matter? This may be immaterial based on the answers to the previous questions.
Wisdom is the ability to take Scriptural principles, past experiences, sound counsel, a humble spirit and, perhaps most importantly, prayer for guidance, and determining a balanced and appropriate response in a moment of decision. May we all seek diligently for such wisdom.
