The Humanitarian Imperative is an interesting problem to address based off of the countless number of issues surrounding humanitarian aid as a whole in regards to sex, gender, race, financial health, and political factors. As humans, through our social interactions, we feel similar to those who are around us as defined by the new understanding of mirror neurons. In an article by J.M. Kilner and R.N. Lemon, they define the new discovery of mirror neurons as, “a class of neuron that modulate their activity both when an individual executes a specific motor act and when they observe the same or similar act performed by another individual” (Lemon Kilner). This discovery helps us to understand the perspective in regards to why the humanitarian imperative exists primarily in the context of Western culture. The countless number of students, church members, and various groups who spend a week in a 3rd world country providing aid and then vacationing the week after simply because of a natural disaster or lack of necessary resources to live in a certain community from either war, economic turmoil, or corrupt government systems in the given country supports the mirror neuron theory in regards to the humanitarian imperative. In regards to race and gender, the downfall of ethnocentrism affects us all. There is an inherent correlation between racism and ethnocentrism that exists within the humanitarian imperative causing this gap between the necessary aid provided in areas to which it is needed and when it’s simply not due to a lack of sensitivity for one’s cultural perspectives.
Building off of the idea that providing aid through NGO’s and various organizations catered towards providing humanitarian relief is not fixing the issue of those affected but rather causing another issue to arise is a serious consideration under the humanitarian imperative. When looking at Western Civilizations pure amount of wealth both institutionally and individually there is a clear monetary solution to the issue. However, by simply donating money how do we truly know that the proper aid in regards to certain cultural, racial, and religious norms to which each human is entitled too. To clarify, in class we watched the satirical youtube clip of the man on the beach attempting to “make a difference” by throwing starfish which had washed up on the beach back into the ocean but despite this seemingly simple task he ends up killing more starfish than saving. The video highlights the argument that humanitarian aid needs to be carried out in a process that does not inherently utilize the scope of ethnocentrism and does more help than harm. But in the context of this paradox can we truly help all those in need and furthermore will our existence as global citizens ever reach the point to which global aid can be provided in a proper and non-institutionalized form?
In regards to my standing as a senior graduating in the Spring this semester the pressure to find a job at a respected and impressive corporation is very evident. These corporations are often multi-national operating and provide various dedications to corporate social responsibility. In an article from the Financial Times, they reported, “US and UK companies in the Fortune Global 500 spend $15.2bn a year on corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, according to the first report to quantify this spending” (Alison Smith). The astounding amount of money to which large firms are putting towards corporate social responsibility is uplifting compared to the total amount of money needed versus raised for global humanitarian assistance. The value from the Financial Times is reported from 2014 and, “$25.3 billion was needed for all humanitarian efforts in 2013, of which $12 billion was raised” (Class Google Doc). The difference between the amount raised and the amount donated towards corporate social responsibility highlights the humanitarian imperative in regards to organizations and corporations to which I’ve been a part of. Through my internship, we provided aid to a local elderly home for Dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. During the experience, it was very evident that we had no qualifications to actually help or handle these people. Although the situation is not similar in physical context toward humanitarian aid, the principle of this imperative of simply helping to help is highly evident and exhibits the humanitarian imperative in a Westernized context.
After Class Notes:
After our discussion in class several of the topics, we addressed raised new questions in regards to the humanitarian imperative. Specifically, the conversation of the Good Samaritan Law brings a large question to humanitarian aid. Are we obligated to provide aid to others in need and if so to what extent due to the law pertaining to life or death situations? Also is there a dual obligation to comply to this no matter the context or situation of ones own life?
Works Cited
Kilner, J M and R N Lemon. “What we know currently about mirror neurons”Current biology : CB vol. 23,23 (2013): R1057-62.
Class Google Doc: Feb 13th
Starfish Humanitarian Aid Satire – Youtube
Da’s Blog Post: What is the ‘humanitarian imperative’? https://blogs.elon.edu/aidworkervoices/?p=985
Smith, Alison. “Subscribe to the FT to Read: Financial Times Fortune 500 Companies Spend More than $15bn on Corporate Responsibility.” Financial Times, Financial Times, www.ft.com/content/95239a6e-4fe0-11e4-a0a4-00144feab7de.
2 Comments
I think you did a great job of explaining mirror neurons and weaving those into your post, they are super interesting! Furthermore, i think you make a really great connection to the starfish video by saying that global aid must be done well or else it shouldn’t be done at all. You continue in this mindset in questioning whether global aid will ever be “provided in proper and non-institutionalized form”, and i would add the additional question of whether there will ever be a time when it is no longer necessary? The video that you chose was a phenomenal compliment to your own writing as it sums up a so many of the important pillars of what distinguishes humanitarian aid done right versus wrong. Particularly striking is the idea that aid should be given without serving other goals (political, economic, etc.) and while in my mind this one is one of, if not the, most important regulation, i think it is often the least heeded.
I really like how you tied in the societal factors that feed into the problem with the humanitarian imperative. I thought your last paragraph was particularly striking. You mentioned how you realized that the company you were interning for was not actually equipped to helping the community that you were attempting to help. I think this is one thing a lot of humanitarians don’t take the time to recognize. Much like the guy in the video they don’t know when to stop and reassess their aid. Instead, they are so obsessed with helping that the thought of stopping to regroup doesn’t even cross their minds. I think your last paragraph also brings up another interesting point. It made me think of the quote ‘think globally, act locally.” You discredited yourself a little bit by saying that it was a loose parallel to humanitarian aid but I think it is actually quite directly related. You were still trying to provide aid to a community that needed it you were just acting locally instead of flying 4000 miles across the world. Either way aid is aid and along as those things like race and religion and culture are taken into account it makes all the difference.