There’s a saying: don’t throw stones when you live in a glass house. That is why I have refrained from writing on this topic, and even talking about it publicly.
Not long ago, I volunteered at several places in the Kurdistan Region, nurseries, orphanages and so on. In doing so, I felt obliged to share pictures, stories and eventually campaign for child benefits in Kurdistan, albeit unsuccessfully. At the time, my actions seemed justifiable, but soon afterwards it became clear to me that I was exploiting people unintentionally.
I realized that I did not need to take pictures of orphans to fundraise for them, and most certainly I did not need to post pictures of myself “posing” with orphans at an annual Eid dinner -- or any other event to campaign for them. There’s an inherent egotism and lack of compassion involved in modern-day volunteering in the Kurdistan Region. We’re seeing young men and women emerge as volunteers, who are seemingly doing good in the world, while setting a rancid trend of self-glorification and promotion.
Countless singers, actors or emerging politicians are exploiting those displaced and made refugees because of the regional threat of the Islamic State (ISIS). At every event or turn, whether it is the distribution of diapers or clothes, we are increasingly seeing this trend: snap-a-selfie with a refugee to gain attention.
There are a handful of activists, who often seem to be exploiting the very same people they are trying to help. Does a four-year-old child, or a mother at the receiving end, have the right framework to consent to pictures being taken? I looked over dozens of pictures of activists who seem to be smiling next to refugees and, it occurred to me, do they not realize these people are at the lowest point in their lives?
If I were displaced, or a refugee in the Kurdistan Region, pictures with activists would be the last thing on my mind. I don’t mean to shame or blame activists who are doing this, because I understand that most are probably well-intentioned in doing so. But there’s a damning fact behind all this.
When we exploit people who are at their lowest in life (regardless of how well-intentioned we might be) for Facebook likes, Instagram hearts and retweets we’re betraying the very notion of “activism” and our efforts evaporate in vain. We should treat the people we claim to help with more respect and dignity, which comes through treating them in an honorable way.
I don’t regret my activism with orphans, elderly people and others. But I do regret publishing pictures of them at the time. If I were to defend myself, I would say people learn with time, and my mistakes were quickly rectified. In fact, my recent trips to Kurdistan were almost unknown to most people, because I discovered something much more meaningful than flamboyant displays of activism and selflessness.
The trouble is, sometimes when we’re correcting each other or criticizing those in the public domain, there exists a great level of distaste in the exchange of words. It is primarily because of the level of distaste in such discussions that people are incapable of fathoming the criticism and applying it in their life.
If we were more subtle and displayed more caution in our choice of words, perhaps we could continue to encourage volunteering in the Kurdistan Region, while setting a framework or guidelines of what is ethical.
Not long ago, I volunteered at several places in the Kurdistan Region, nurseries, orphanages and so on. In doing so, I felt obliged to share pictures, stories and eventually campaign for child benefits in Kurdistan, albeit unsuccessfully. At the time, my actions seemed justifiable, but soon afterwards it became clear to me that I was exploiting people unintentionally.
I realized that I did not need to take pictures of orphans to fundraise for them, and most certainly I did not need to post pictures of myself “posing” with orphans at an annual Eid dinner -- or any other event to campaign for them. There’s an inherent egotism and lack of compassion involved in modern-day volunteering in the Kurdistan Region. We’re seeing young men and women emerge as volunteers, who are seemingly doing good in the world, while setting a rancid trend of self-glorification and promotion.
Countless singers, actors or emerging politicians are exploiting those displaced and made refugees because of the regional threat of the Islamic State (ISIS). At every event or turn, whether it is the distribution of diapers or clothes, we are increasingly seeing this trend: snap-a-selfie with a refugee to gain attention.
There are a handful of activists, who often seem to be exploiting the very same people they are trying to help. Does a four-year-old child, or a mother at the receiving end, have the right framework to consent to pictures being taken? I looked over dozens of pictures of activists who seem to be smiling next to refugees and, it occurred to me, do they not realize these people are at the lowest point in their lives?
If I were displaced, or a refugee in the Kurdistan Region, pictures with activists would be the last thing on my mind. I don’t mean to shame or blame activists who are doing this, because I understand that most are probably well-intentioned in doing so. But there’s a damning fact behind all this.
When we exploit people who are at their lowest in life (regardless of how well-intentioned we might be) for Facebook likes, Instagram hearts and retweets we’re betraying the very notion of “activism” and our efforts evaporate in vain. We should treat the people we claim to help with more respect and dignity, which comes through treating them in an honorable way.
I don’t regret my activism with orphans, elderly people and others. But I do regret publishing pictures of them at the time. If I were to defend myself, I would say people learn with time, and my mistakes were quickly rectified. In fact, my recent trips to Kurdistan were almost unknown to most people, because I discovered something much more meaningful than flamboyant displays of activism and selflessness.
The trouble is, sometimes when we’re correcting each other or criticizing those in the public domain, there exists a great level of distaste in the exchange of words. It is primarily because of the level of distaste in such discussions that people are incapable of fathoming the criticism and applying it in their life.
If we were more subtle and displayed more caution in our choice of words, perhaps we could continue to encourage volunteering in the Kurdistan Region, while setting a framework or guidelines of what is ethical.
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