Us and Them
Something is occurring, many things in fact, at the level of life and the words that are my work and which chart the aforesaid. So while that goes on, and new essays emerge for your eyes and ears, I thought to share this archive piece from January 2014, originally published on ‘Those People’, over at Medium where I used to host my blog. I recently read a pointed reframing of the long irksome term "under developed countries" to "over exploited countries". Ain't that the truth. When I worked in human rights at the time of writing this essay, and even now when I read about activism that has a thin veneer of doing good and which superficially veils the harm, couched in tellingly unhelpful terminology, I despair a little at how far we have yet to go. Words matter. Perspective matters. Being careful about what we say, how we behave, widening our view, it all matters. It's not all bad news of course, and gladly. As evidenced by the counterpoints and the said reframe, facilitated by the movements and the people, that challenge and shift us towards skillful change. So on we go, further, better, wiser, with hope. For now, enjoy and as ever, feel free to share your own reflections on the matter.
The core belief at the heart of humanitarianism is indisputably a noble one, faultless even; who could argue with the principle that we ought collectively to take responsibility for improving human welfare?
And yet the realisation of that ideal is often muddied by the agendas of the neediest, self-proclaimed worthiest of humanitarian ambassadors — celebrities.
Arguing the merits of celebrity endorsement for charitable causes will no doubt launch you into a fraught debate. In an age, indeed for a species, where greater value (and newspaper space) is reserved for the attractive and the popular, and when incessant conflict and misery can pound even the most unswerving optimists, the stamp of fame can be a tempting way to gain traction for an otherwise desperate situation.
If the goal is to create positive change, surely the means justify the ends? Not necessarily so, in fact it can have quite the opposite effect.
