I just watched Hotel Rwanda yesterday and I feel incredibly vulnerable. I can't stop thinking about how much evil is happening in the world and that Western civilization lives in some fairy tale bubble that world is safe and cool. All my problems, even my depression seem so unimportant in comparison to African folks problems. I wish I could do something about it. I want to sign up for some humanitarian volunteering, but I lack the guts. I feel bad for being a weak, cowardly human, I want to be brave and bring change to the world, not just by sharing stuff on FB and crying over post-colonial countries' people. I'm afraid though I'm going to die there and my work won't bring a significant change anyway and I'm paralyzed by this fear. Does it mean I won't make a good volunteer if I'm this weak?
How do I deal with these feelings? Does anyone has experience with volunteering in Africa or other hardcore part of the world? Hope to hear your stories, especially how you overcame fear of death.
The most effective thing you can probably do is get a well paying job and donate to charities you think actually help.
>>16509735
It's ok. Dying isn't evil. People die all the time, both good and bad, both peacefully and violently. Sometimes bad people die peacefully, and sometimes good people die violently. In either case, it isn't wrong if you have no control over it. They are humans, and humans die no matter the quality of their virtue. It is totally natural. The only things you can judge as evil are your own actions based upon your innate sense of virtue. Everything else is circumstantial and cannot be understood. Truly, most men commit evil by mistake, thinking they are doing right but acting out of fear or pride.
Besides, the infinity of time stretching behind us, and the infinity of time before us make their lives, whether short or long by human standards, a trivial grain of sand on a great beach. There is no point to live in such perturbation over things utterly natural, and take less time than a blink of the universe's eye. Your life is yours to be enjoyed, do not worry over those things you have no control over. You change nothing, and feel pain over it, when you could instead have peace in the acceptance of the course of the world.
There will be many more massacres you cannot stop. There will be fear, jealousy, pride and conflict across the world you can't change. This does not mean you can't be happy. Accept these things as they are, a part of nature and neither inherently good nor evil, and move on with your life.
You don't have to go to Africa to do important good in the world. Look at Nepal, for instance. It's one of the poorest countries in the world. They had an earthquake that killed almost 9000 people in late April, and those left alive lost the little commodities they had. Disabled children aren't recognised by the government. India just cut off their fuel supply, so it's very difficult to get around. But many people claim that it's one of the most beautiful, spiritual places on earth. Go there and build some shelters. And at the same time, meet incredibly peaceful people. There's very little conflict among the citizens. I know a couple of people who've been there, and they came back more beautiful themselves.
What kind of service can you actually provide?
If you're, say a doctor or a nurse or an engineer or a dentist, you could probably do a lot of good, but if you're a retail worker, you're not needed tgere. They already have a fuckton of unqualified workers, what they need is people with specialized knowledge. If you can't help in that way - donate to someone who can. Doctors without borders, Amnesty International, Red Cross, Save the Children and so on are all very capable and will do a lot more good with your $50 than a confused college student tripping over their own feet.
it's true, we don't have problems like famine or genocide, but that doesn't mean our problems don't matter, it just means ours aren't hazardous to life.
kek, OP fell for it.
>>16509853
I acknowledge that, death is natural and happens to everyone. It's just that I want something more from the life, I want to make most of it and I feel like sitting on my ass in Europe isn't enough. The philosophy you are lecturing here is exactly what I apply to my life, I'm pretty stoic/buddhist but also very sensitive and I in fact I try to stay away from too strong emotions because they overwhelm me. You show me some poor kids videos and I can't stop crying, I want to comfort them, hug them and tell everything is going to be alright, but then I know there's no point because that's how the life is and I'm tormented by helplessness. But thanks for your input anyway, I guess I'm taking too much responsibility on my shoulders that I can't bear.
>>16509957
I was talking about Africa since I'm still under impression of the film, but anywhere where help is needed is great with me. Thanks for the hints. Is there a possibility to hear their stories from India? Did they blog about it or something?
>>16509996
I'm a cultural anthropologist so I can help out with communication and providing information what the people in need actually need. From what I've been taught it spares a lot of mistakes to have an anthropologist in team in such place. I guess it's not as useful as medical help, but I feel like that's a bit more than what college student can provide and that I'm wasting my education not going somewhere my skills could be useful. My studies changed a lot my attitude to life and people and I feel like I can be of some use in an NGO/missionary humanitarian help team. Maybe I'll start with signing up somewhere in my city to find out if they actually need anthropologists (and if I have proper predispositions with my weakness/sensitivity). I definitely don't want to be a burden, thanks for sharing your point, it was very important.
>>16510010
Of course. That's what they call katharsis I guess.
>>16510022
Please tell me all about how sensitivity and trying to be a decent human equals naivety in our culture.
>>16510141
What, you feel personally guilty that other people do bad things? And that you're somehow obligated to undo them? You, one person? You feel personally responsible for all the world's sins or some such nonsense? If you want to indulge your martyr complex then by all means go ahead, but it is by no means expected or particularly useful.
>That's what they call katharsis I guess.
No, that's an emotional release. What he was talking about was suffering being relative.
>>16509735
My only fear is dying without doing something big in my life I'm a fantas so I need to lose weight but in a couple or few years I hope to backpack most of the world and if I die well fuck it I'll die but I would still go out wishing I wouldn't die when it actually does happen I mean.
well if your arent black you dont really have anything to worry about because your genetics literally wont allow you to to sink that low. unless of course theres a sizable black population in your country, then youll need to be on constant alert for degradation etc
wait a sec just read
>>16510141
youre a fucking cultural anthropologist and youre THIS out of touch with reality. youre a fucking joke
I was in the Peace Corps from 1989 to 1991. Taught high school kids in the African nation of Malawi. It was one of the bottom ten nations at the time in terms of income.
Thing is, though - most everybody I ran into down there was pretty happy with their life.
I'm gonna suggest that if watching "Hotel Rwanda" puts you into the emotional state you describe, then maybe you've got some stuff going on that ought to deal with before uprooting yourself like you're thinking about doing.
>>16511106
It has literally nothing to do with guilt. It's simply the urge to do more with my life than sit on my ass, work pay taxes and die. How come if I want to make some change in the world, be it minor or significant, I must have a martyr complex?
I know what the other anon meant. For me it's a katharsis.
>>16511571
What are proper cultural anthropologist's traits then, because you seem like you know them?
Explain all the world to me, please fucking do.
>>16509735
Somebody is always getting fucked over for your convienience, we've become accustomed to a certain standard of living in the first world and it's usually supported by cheap/slave labour.
>>16511638
Thanks for the input, that's very valuable advice. I've heard a lot from my peers and teachers who were abroad about how little people need to be happy in poor countries. It must have been very refreshing experience.
>>16511683
It sure has put life into perspective - and reinforces that idea that you don't need "things" to be happy.
If you do wind up doing something like that, don't worry about dying. In the couple of hundred people who came over during my two year period, I can only recall on dying - and that was a motorcycle accident.
>>16511683
people are also 'happy' in the the fucking slums to. literal retardation. but to answer >>16511665
at the very least you have a bachelors degree which implies you 'should' have some working knowledge of current events, recent history etc. the fact that youre just now finding about this some 20 years after the fact througha fucking movie; wait a sec, lets put this into context here. in 2004, when this movie, which is rated pg13 came out teenagers viewed it in mass and have more basic knowledge about the event than you, a full grown adult 'professional' with an 'education'. considering your 'profession' deals with 'culture' and culture is largely influenced by the context in which it exists, you know being in a war torn country full of genocide between two 'CULTURES', keeping up on current events seems, at the very least, indirectly related to you line of work.
I was contact for the UN in Cote d'Ivoire a couple of years ago. It was.....interesting
>>16511767
Excuse me kind sir, but are YOU retarded?
I learned about Rwanda genocide much earlier than I even started my studies, but never had a chance to see the film because I avoid such strong emotions, I watch mainly documentaries that are less emotional but still leave me vulnerable. My bf convinced me to watch the film. You judged me without any care about any facts, assumed I MUST have been an ignorant/ retard if I haven't seen the film and if I DIDN'T see the film I MUST have not known about Rwandan genocide AT ALL. Because watching movies is how you fucking only way to receive an education.
Please be kind to the human race and kill yourself before your misjudging hateful ignorant attitude spreads to your future offsprings. Peace.
>>16511767
Also you seem like a very happy person indeed, spreading hate on good willed people on the internetz. Teach me master of happiness.
>>16511938
>learn about some shit in a boring bland academic setting
>do nothing
>learn about same shit in a context that designed to prove emotion (is actually impressionable enough to apparently make life decisions based on it)
>wow! im so upset about this i cant even! i need to do something about this! right now! 20 years after the fact!
>>16511950
bitch you couldnt even fathom how fucking happy i am. you literally couldnt handle being as happy as me
im not giving you shit because i disagree with you. im giving you shit because youre horrendously naive. do you have any idea how much resources goes into that fucking continent and NOTHING ends up happening to show for it? notice how you have a least a couple posters that have actually attempted what youre contemplating? notice how they DIDNT say it had such a profound life changing affect on themselves and they recommend it everyone? yeah. just some things to consider.
>>16509735
Sign up for an NGO
Do your research
You won't regret it.
>>16509735
you're from sweeden aren't you
You sound very impressionable. Don't worry, the guilt and fear will go away in a week. Even the desire to ship off to another continent. Until you watch the next movie of course.
What I would say is that you shouldn't take your life so seriously. The antics of the world's population is separate from your individual, subjective life. By volunteering to help a miniscule group in Africa, you will only be making yourself feel better as you've taken that film, acknowledged the major situation it encompasses and then immersed yourself in it on an individual level.
Charity is a thing of good intentions, but before you commit to it (if you really care) understand the true magnitude of what you would be doing. The effects of your efforts on those you have helped will be short lived and on an insignificant level. The lasting effect will be the impression you get of having done something meaningful.
The greatest thing you could do to help others would be on the level of scientific ingenuity or fundamental political reform. If you don't feel like you are capable of that (though I would recommend trying), then don't bother yourself with it. Objectively, a human life is valuable (to other humans, as a resource). Subjectively, your life is nothing more than a ticket to a ride that you determine. You decide what's important, but ultimately you shouldn't take it too seriously. Experience the world, build your knowledge and maybe find a way to do something with it. It's all optional, but try not to squander your time on meaningless efforts of self-agonisation.
>>16511638
Current volunteer checking in, Mozambique to be specific. Where were you in Malawi? I've done a bit of traveling up there since being here.
OP, you should consider it if you're drawn to service in a developing nation. But think long and hard about it, 2 years is a long time to stick out if you're miserable. And also consider the fact that you won't be changing much at all, most of the change will occur with yourself.
>>16511113
Its a picture with a bunch of numbers on it, of COURSE its true. There's no way anyone would make up stats and post them on the internet with no source material in order to serve an agenda.
>>16513044
>The antics of the world's population is separate from your individual, subjective life
No, the antics of the world's population is separate from YOUR individual life. I don't understand why you thought you could blanket everyone in that statement and speak for them. Some people give a shit about what happens to other people.
>By volunteering to help a miniscule group in Africa, you will only be making yourself feel better
Wait.... so how does actually investing time and energy to help other people's lives only make yourself feel better? That makes absolutely zero sense.
>The greatest thing you could do to help others would be on the level of scientific ingenuity or fundamental political reform
So your basic message is; the only way to actually help people is invent something or passing a bill, not using your actual two hands to do anything. Like, don't volunteer your time to help build a school or hospital for children, pass a law that gives funding to other people to build it? Your life philosophy seems very lazy and full of bullshit.
>You decide what's important, but ultimately you shouldn't take it too seriously
You made a statement and then contradicted that statement in the same sentence.
>>16513272
Sorry, I feel like I haven't communicated my point very well. I'm not saying don't be empathetic. That's the last thing that I would suggest. All I'm suggesting is that you reconsider how you invest that time and energy, as well as your reasons for doing it.
I was assuming a lot in my last post, but I was speaking in general terms. It is my personal philosophy (and I am far from infallible) that if you want to engage in altruism, you must realise your potential. Work towards developing yourself as much as you can so that you can help people as much as you can. Realise your potentials and then employ them in the most suitable fashion.
For example: If you have an aptitude for the sciences, become proficient and then employ your skills in a project that will have beneficial, far-reaching, long-lasting effects.
It is my opinion that, while it is wonderfully altruistic to help a village in Africa after watching a distressing film - after you have empathised with the characters in that film - it may be worthwhile to make sure that this is the best use of your potential in helping others. Your individual efforts in a village in Africa will play a minor role which will need to be sustained by someone else once you stop providing it. By, say, changing the infrastructure of a government, you could aid multiple communities and their welfare on a much larger scale.
Of course, I am only assuming that you care about the magnitude of your altruism, and how seriously you take it. Your life is your life and you will only ever see things how you want to see them. Same applies to me. I thought you might just like to consider an alternative perspective. When someone approaches you and challenges your own perspective, don't be so quick to label it as 'bullshit' next time. They aren't necessarily being hostile.
