In a 2002 post, Salam Pax, a prominent Iraqi blogger, suggests that a London based group of anti-war activists should rethink their plans “to act as human shields protecting strategic sites in Iraq,” suggesting that although “their hearts are in the right place and their support is much appreciated” efforts to provide actual resources and aid to refugees would make much more sense than to die needlessly. Pax, promoting the rational and more beneficial alternative to the theatrical agenda of the activists, raises questions about the original motives behind their initiative. Were they indulging more in fantasy, in perceived heroism, over their desire to help? While it’s fair to assume these people truly wanted to make a positive difference, selfish motives, realized or not, likely overshadowed their intended selfless ones. 

In Gillian Whitlock’s commentary on life narratives in her book Soft Weapons: Autobiography in Transit, she addresses how “readers in the mass markets for life narrative take up autobiographical stories emphatically, identifying in and through trauma and in terms of human rights campaigns for social justice that play to Western traditions of benevolence.” (12-13). 

“Western traditions of benevolence.”

The altruistic trends in the West that Whitlock alludes to through this observation can be seen through assessing the attitudes and actions that many Westerners take regarding cross-cultural affairs and global issues—from donating money to non-profit organizations, volunteering abroad (which has it’s own list of ramifications), to the more radical activism brought up by Pax.  

Teju Cole addresses this do-gooder mentality in an article in The Atlantic, referencing one of his tweets stating how “the White Savior Industrial Complex is not about justice. It is about having a big emotional experience that validates privilege.” However harsh this may come across, and although it shouldn’t entirely detract from the many positive outcomes that have been achieved by Western humanitarian efforts, Cole addresses important ideas regarding the hypocrisy that often laces the direction of philanthropic concerns. Responding to the the popularity of the “Kony 2012” campaign created by the San Diego based non-profit Invisible Children, Cole confronts a largely American audience over their “feverish worry over that awful African warlord [while] close to 1.5 million Iraqis died from an American war of choice.” By focusing energy and attention on “solving” other injustices, an American could possibly feel comfortable ignoring those that their own country commits. 

To pick and choose charitable efforts to champion, and pat oneself on the back for “caring,” is not only naive, but in fact dangerous as it can perpetuate the illusion that it is our inherent right—one that should be celebrated—to  force any sort of will on foreign communities, regardless of however good the intentions are. Cole satirically references “fresh-faced young Americans using the power of YouTube, Facebook, and pure enthusiasm to change the world.” People who feel obligated and inspired to pursue ways to better the world should not be demonized nor ridiculed for their “enthusiasm,” but should be encouraged to deeply consider the roots of such sentiments, the consequences of their actions, and how they reflect the uneven dynamic between the West and the rest of the world. 

Works Cited 

Cole, Teju. “The White-Savior Industrial Complex.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 21 Mar. 2012. Web. 8 Oct. 2014.

Whitlock, Gillian. “Introduction: Word Made Flesh.” Soft Weapons: Autobiography in Transit. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. 2-8 . Print.