The Student Room Group

Volunteering abroad is condenscending and patronising to other races

Since it stems from the middle-class, white belief that other races are underpriveledge and incapable of looking after themselves without help from middle-class white kids who are out there purely to boost their own sense of self-worth and look good when they return.

It's insulting. I know if I was a builder or teacher in Africa I'd feel insulted that a bunch of middle-class, soft white westerners thought they could come over and immediately do my job better with no formal training and act like they're making a big difference when in reality they're only gathering photos to show off to similar middle-class white friends back home.

The volunteers are only in it for themselves. Fact. And they are patronising and condenscending to ethnic groups they go to "help" with their own sense of superiority and belief that the ethnic groups can not survive without their help.

Plus, it does no good. Volunteering efforts should be spent in better training workers in said countries to earn a living teaching or building rather than having some jumped up, poncy kid go over there and do it for a few weeks.

Of course, many of the middle-class kids like 90% of the posters here who volunteer will refuse to see how condenscending it is and will refuse to see that deep down, they have a belief in their own superiority over other races.

I however am an intelligent, enlightened individual and I realise that volunteering abroad does not help and is insulting to the people of the other country. Plus I, unlike other posters here, don't have a belief that I am superior to the "poor, uneducated, underpriveledged" people living in Indian or Africa.

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Reply 1
Original post by Zeffy
Since it stems from the middle-class, white belief that other races are underpriveledge and incapable of looking after themselves without help from middle-class white kids who are out there purely to boost their own sense of self-worth and look good when they return.

It's insulting. I know if I was a builder or teacher in Africa I'd feel insulted that a bunch of middle-class, soft white westerners thought they could come over and immediately do my job better with no formal training and act like they're making a big difference when in reality they're only gathering photos to show off to similar middle-class white friends back home.

The volunteers are only in it for themselves. Fact. And they are patronising and condenscending to ethnic groups they go to "help" with their own sense of superiority and belief that the ethnic groups can not survive without their help.

Plus, it does no good. Volunteering efforts should be spent in better training workers in said countries to earn a living teaching or building rather than having some jumped up, poncy kid go over there and do it for a few weeks.

Of course, many of the middle-class kids like 90% of the posters here who volunteer will refuse to see how condenscending it is and will refuse to see that deep down, they have a belief in their own superiority over other races.

I however am an intelligent, enlightened individual and I realise that volunteering abroad does not help and is insulting to the people of the other country. Plus I, unlike other posters here, don't have a belief that I am superior to the "poor, uneducated, underpriveledged" people living in Indian or Africa.

"I however am an intelligent, enlightened individual"-Is that subjective?
Reply 2
You can see yourself as being in a superior situation to someone without thinking them to be a inferior person.

I know people who consistently volunteer for Operation Smile. On several occasions they have traveled to South/Central America and fixed cleft palates on children in very poor and underdeveloped areas. I'd say they have actually helped those children, even if they did get some interesting pictures along the way.
helping >> being a **** and making a snide, cynical thread
Reply 4
Original post by Sparkle24
"I however am an intelligent, enlightened individual"-Is that subjective?


No it's not. I am intelligent. I am enlightened. In fact, I'd go so far to say I'm one of the most intelligent posters here.

I, unlike most of the braindead, clueless sheep such as yourself have the mental ability to make my own decisions in life rather than following the crowd and doing what everybody else does. As proven by the fact that nobody has an intelligent argument against my point that volunteering is condenscending and insulting to other races and, that the white, middle-class volunteers who go on the projects have a deep-seated sense of superiority that I, as an enlightened individual, do not have.
Reply 5
Original post by ckingalt
You can see yourself as being in a superior situation to someone without thinking them to be a inferior person.

I know people who consistently volunteer for Operation Smile. On several occasions they have traveled to South/Central America and fixed cleft palates on children in very poor and underdeveloped areas. I'd say they have actually helped those children, even if they did get some interesting pictures along the way.




What help did they actually, truly do?

Would their "help" have not been better sent sending actual medical experts to the poor and underdeveloped countries to help train locals in dealing with cleft palates and other health problems? That way, trained medical staff would always be on hand to help without relying on untrained middle-class westerners coming over every few weeks purely to get photos to put on facebook.

The only help that other countries need is that of medical equipment hard to come by in their country. They do not need the "help" of idiots with a superiority complex and a condenscending attitude descending into their town/village.


I speak from experience. I volunteered abroad with Children in Cameroon and I realised that my time and other volunteers time would be better spent helping to train locals rather than playing with kids and taking photos for facebook. I also initially had the same condenscending attitude that all other volunteers have until I saw the truth, I wasn't in it to help the kids. I was in it for me and that is the case with most other volunteers.

If they truly wanted to help, instead of paying £1500 + to go to Africa for too weeks (the majority of the money going to the volunteer companies and not to help the people) they would instead use the money to buy vaccines and medicine that is difficult to get hold of and send it to the local doctors and teachers.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Zeffy
Since it stems from the middle-class, white belief that other races are underpriveledge and incapable of looking after themselves without help from middle-class white kids who are out there purely to boost their own sense of self-worth and look good when they return.

It's insulting. I know if I was a builder or teacher in Africa I'd feel insulted that a bunch of middle-class, soft white westerners thought they could come over and immediately do my job better with no formal training and act like they're making a big difference when in reality they're only gathering photos to show off to similar middle-class white friends back home.

The volunteers are only in it for themselves. Fact. And they are patronising and condenscending to ethnic groups they go to "help" with their own sense of superiority and belief that the ethnic groups can not survive without their help.

Plus, it does no good. Volunteering efforts should be spent in better training workers in said countries to earn a living teaching or building rather than having some jumped up, poncy kid go over there and do it for a few weeks.

Of course, many of the middle-class kids like 90% of the posters here who volunteer will refuse to see how condenscending it is and will refuse to see that deep down, they have a belief in their own superiority over other races.

I however am an intelligent, enlightened individual and I realise that volunteering abroad does not help and is insulting to the people of the other country. Plus I, unlike other posters here, don't have a belief that I am superior to the "poor, uneducated, underpriveledged" people living in Indian or Africa.


Think you could have worded it better, but essentially you're right. What do unqualified teenagers think they can do to help in places like Africa etc (apart from give their money to charity), especially when unemployment is usually a big problem in these areas and the only work these teenagers will be able to do is manual.
What annoys me even more is when they ask for "charity money" to help with this, when a massive part of their budget will be wasted on their flight tickets, so they can have a glorified holiday and come out with some experiences they can brag to friends or put on their CV/uni app
Reply 7
either you're a troll or a very ignorant pillock ... which is it?
Reply 8
Original post by Zeffy
No it's not. I am intelligent. I am enlightened. In fact, I'd go so far to say I'm one of the most intelligent posters here.

I, unlike most of the braindead, clueless sheep such as yourself have the mental ability to make my own decisions in life rather than following the crowd and doing what everybody else does. As proven by the fact that nobody has an intelligent argument against my point that volunteering is condenscending and insulting to other races and, that the white, middle-class volunteers who go on the projects have a deep-seated sense of superiority that I, as an enlightened individual, do not have.


You joker you :wink:
Reply 9
Original post by Zeffy
No it's not. I am intelligent. I am enlightened. In fact, I'd go so far to say I'm one of the most intelligent posters here.

I, unlike most of the braindead, clueless sheep such as yourself have the mental ability to make my own decisions in life rather than following the crowd and doing what everybody else does. As proven by the fact that nobody has an intelligent argument against my point that volunteering is condenscending and insulting to other races and, that the white, middle-class volunteers who go on the projects have a deep-seated sense of superiority that I, as an enlightened individual, do not have.


oh wow, and I almost took you seriously, that was close. but I do agree with you on this, it is rather patronising.
Reply 10
Original post by cl_steele
either you're a troll or a very ignorant pillock ... which is it?


How about instead of insulting me, you argue my points?

Or don't you have an argument against it because deep down, you realise that I am actually correct?

Can you honestly say that it would not be better to use the volunteers money to buy equipment and resources for local workers, teachers and medical personnel rather than sending an unqualified schmuck to do "help" and that training local workers would not be better in the long run than having a arrogant, egotistical, selfish kids arriving every few weeks?
TSR's equivalent to road rage.
Reply 12
Part of me ponders, sure its obvious that a lot of these people only go abroad, build shelters, teach English or whatever for egoistic reasons, but is that really so bad compared to the end results? Then I think about the American Dad episode, where Stan and Hayley go to an African country for camp or whatever, but they end up staying at a government-funded compound with a swimming pool and barbeque.

Of course there are people who do it for entirely selfless reasons like Doctors Without Borders for example and I take my hats off to them.

Ultimately what improves countries is consistant economic growth, improving the education system, a stable food supply, the ending of civil wars, the reduction of corruption, peace keeping missions etc, not some college or uni kids spending two weeks teaching English even though they've never had any teaching practice or playing football with the locals.

I mean, look at how many people think they're unique by teaching kids in Thailand or Cambodia, we honestly know what their ulterior motives are and its become such a cliche.

Saying this I still disagree with all of the OPs other views :smile:.
I'm more concerned with the native English people being patronised here that foreigners can do any job better.
Reply 14
You are completely right! Obviously it might be a bit different volunteering long term but popping over for a few weeks and painting a wall, it's a wonder they don't kill you in your sleep. And I've been on one of these things so think before you neg
Original post by Zeffy
Since it stems from the middle-class, white belief that other races are underpriveledge and incapable of looking after themselves without help from middle-class white kids who are out there purely to boost their own sense of self-worth and look good when they return.

It's insulting. I know if I was a builder or teacher in Africa I'd feel insulted that a bunch of middle-class, soft white westerners thought they could come over and immediately do my job better with no formal training and act like they're making a big difference when in reality they're only gathering photos to show off to similar middle-class white friends back home.

The volunteers are only in it for themselves. Fact. And they are patronising and condenscending to ethnic groups they go to "help" with their own sense of superiority and belief that the ethnic groups can not survive without their help.

Plus, it does no good. Volunteering efforts should be spent in better training workers in said countries to earn a living teaching or building rather than having some jumped up, poncy kid go over there and do it for a few weeks.

Of course, many of the middle-class kids like 90% of the posters here who volunteer will refuse to see how condenscending it is and will refuse to see that deep down, they have a belief in their own superiority over other races.

I however am an intelligent, enlightened individual and I realise that volunteering abroad does not help and is insulting to the people of the other country. Plus I, unlike other posters here, don't have a belief that I am superior to the "poor, uneducated, underpriveledged" people living in Indian or Africa.


Surely this should be down to the people living in these communities? All the people I know who have done this sort of thing (not all white, either) got the strong impression that the members of the communities were very appreciative of the assistance & extra help they were getting from the volunteers. Who are you to say that these volunteers shouldn't be doing what they're doing when their work is appreciated?
Reply 16
Sadly, I kind of agree :cool:
Because nationality and race are the same thing, right?
Reply 18
Original post by Zeffy
How about instead of insulting me, you argue my points?

Or don't you have an argument against it because deep down, you realise that I am actually correct?

Can you honestly say that it would not be better to use the volunteers money to buy equipment and resources for local workers, teachers and medical personnel rather than sending an unqualified schmuck to do "help" and that training local workers would not be better in the long run than having a arrogant, egotistical, selfish kids arriving every few weeks?


because youre not correct ?:s-smilie:
all your points are simply complete tosh from someone who obviously has a very large chip on their shoulder and a very ignorant one at that...
what makes you think that everyone who goes out to these countries to HELP is an 'unqualified schmuck' throw some statistics for this i dare you.
theyre hardly stealing the jobs there anyway as these people arent exactly paid to go drill a well or build a school? they have no money thats the bloody point, these people are going out there to give them free help and put money into the local economy theyre not there to thumb their noses at them.
infact what possible position are you in to comment on this issue youre nothing but a smug little boy sitting behind a computer arguing about how people in some of the poorest regions of the world [which you couldnt possibly in a million years empathise with] so how in any way is it condecending or patronising to go over and give these people a helping hand. when youre living in total poverty and NO ONE helps you i bet youll be singing a different tune then. hypocrite.
No. Volunteering abroad is something middle class people do to either delay university (and subsequently their working lives) by another year OR to delay paying back their student loans after graduating*.

*Don't say this isn't the case; I know of at least 10 people who have either gone volunteering or gone on an extended working holiday so they can say to the Student Loans company they'd be out of the country to delay paying it back.

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