Canadians started a 'caremongering' campaign to counteract pandemic 'scaremongering'
At this point in our first collective pandemic experience, I think it's safe to assume we're all a little freaked out. Life as we know it has been flipped upside down in a very short period of time, we know the increased spread of the virus is coming and hope we're doing enough to slow it down, and we're watching the economy tailspin, all at the same time.
While some have accused the media of scaremongering, the reality is that this virus is legitimately scary if left unchecked. We need to understand reality we're up against here, which unfortunately means processing mindboggling models and frightening firsthand stories.
But we can't stop at informed fear. Crises such as this can bring out the best and the worst in people, and we all need to decide which it's going to be. That's why some kind-hearted Canadians are asking everyone to call on their better angels with an initiative nicknamed "caremongering."
The idea is simple: Spread kindness like a virus. Help people in your community, especially those most vulnerable due to age, health, or financial circumstance.
That might look like offering to pick up groceries or make a pharmacy run for an elderly or immunocompromised neighbor. It might look like taking up a collection for a local business hit hard by the lockdown.
Caremongering groups have sprung up on social media to coordinate efforts. According to the BBC, more than 35 Facebook groups have been set up in just a few days across Ottawa, Halifax, and Annapolis County in Nova Scotia. More than 30,000 people have joined the groups.
Posts in the group include offers of assistance (using #offer) or people in need of assistance (#iso—"in search of"). Then the community works to get needs met.
The original groups were started by Mita Hans, Valentina Harper, and others. They thought they'd have a couple dozen people, and are happy to see thousands interesting in helping their neighbors. Harper said the most positive thing to come out of it is the local groups geared to specific neighborhoods, where people can immediately reach out and offer what's needed.
"Scaremongering is a big problem," Harper told the BBC. "We wanted to switch that around and get people to connect on a positive level, to connect with each other. It's spread the opposite of panic in people, brought out community and camaraderie, and allowed us to tackle the needs of those who are at-risk all the time—now more than ever."
The groups have also become a place for people to share positive stories of humans helping other humans—the kinds of uplifting examples of the best of humanity we all need more of right now—in addition to a place where community can come together virtually.
"It's really shown us the need that people have to have some level of reassurance and hope," Harper said. "Anxiety, isolation and lack of hope affects you. In providing this virtual community which allows people to help each other, I think it is really showing people there is still hope for humanity. We haven't lost our hope."
Oh Canada, thank you for living up to your reputation for kindness and serving as an example to the rest of the world in these extraordinary and uncertain times.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
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Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."